Graham Barton: Mental Break Just As Important As Physical Break During Bye
November 9th, 2025
Refreshed.
The Bucs may have been the most beat-up team this side of San Francisco.
Joe’s heard over and over from Bucs coach Todd Bowles to offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard — to several players — how much the bye will help guys heal.
Luke Goedeke was activated from the injured reserve list yesterday and may play this afternoon.
But to hear other Bucs, the mental breaks, just recharging away from One Buc Palace for a few days, was equally important.
Last week, Grizzard said how refreshed Baker Mayfield looked in practice. While he always brings the juice, Grizzard said, Mayfield’s juice was like the first day of training camp or OTAs. The mental break, Grizzard said, did Mayfield a lot of good.
Bucs center Graham Barton said the mental vacation was needed.
“Mentally, it’s just as big, just to get a week, you know, kind of a week to kind of re-ground yourself. Maybe see some friends and family, hang out,” Barton said. The bye allowed Barton to “just kind of be — I don’t want to say normal human [because] we are normal humans. But, you know, just have a week of relaxing and kind of getting with people you’re close to, and stuff like that.
“So I think it’s, it’s very refreshing in that way.”
Barton said he could see a different spark when his teammates first hit the practice fields behind One Buc Palace last week.
“When you get back out here on a Wednesday like this, it’s exciting. It gives you a new energy. And I think we were running around well [Wednesday].
“I think the vibe is really good for us as a team. I think this team has been through a lot on the field. … I think we’re refreshed and ready to go for this [second half of the season].”
If the Bucs offense is rejuvenated with high-level play from Mayfield and good blocking from Barton and Goedeke, and the Bucs win today against New England, that will be a monster mental break for Joe.
November 9th, 2025 at 2:17 am
Feels like Barton’s development at Center was really thrown for a loop by pushing him out to LT for the first 3 games.
Mission accomplished because we won all of those games (barely) – but the down side of that big shuffle was that Barton was not allowed to settle in at Center from the beginning and now he’s not playing the position as well as we would have hoped to see from a super talented 1st round pick coming into his 2nd year.
Love to hear all the talk about being “refreshed” but that has to translate onto the field on Sundays.
Hoping the result is that the Bucs can come out playing like their hair is on fire in the 1st Quarter and proceed to put a smack down on these over-rated Patriots.
November 9th, 2025 at 2:22 am
Not sure if its technique or lack of strength, but he definitely got knocked on his ass a few times in New Orleans. I also wonder as well if the oline shuffle set him back. Bredeson seems to hold up better as a center as of right now.
November 9th, 2025 at 2:38 am
The O-line has been having issues simply because there has been no continuity this year where the 5 guys can bond and play as one as it did in seasons where injuries were few and far between. Cody Mauch and Goedeke being MIA has destroyed that continuity and it takes time and reps to restore this. Getting Goedeke back should help. Also on Barton, he was the best interior lineman available in the draft last year but that does not make him an All-Pro, just indicates that his stock was very high. Heck the other interior lineman Buc fans wanted: Jackson Powers-Johnson also showed promise with the Raiders but is out with a serious leg injury. BTW, Joe kind of alluded to how bad the Buc O was in New Orleans and well, the Saints’ O was even worse but those 2 units looked like the ’99 Rams compared to Denver Vegas on Thursday night which ended ed in a 10-7 rock fight. Interesting stat: there were more penalties in that game than first downs, apparently the first time that has happened in 50 years….. Sometimes your unit just has an off day, ask the Packers how they managed to lose to both Carolina and Cleveland scoring an average of 11 points in those defeats. If the Bucs did that, Joe’s confidence poll on Bowles would be 75% negative and we’d be calling for coaches to be fired. Bucs’ O has not had its A game for a while, they might need it Sunday at 1. Go Bucs, just win baby!
November 9th, 2025 at 4:19 am
So, are they going to be F’ed up mentally in another 8 games? The season has 9 games left plus the playoffs, that’s not good math.
November 9th, 2025 at 5:43 am
BAs Red Pen. I’m thinking you and I aren’t the only ones getting the same message from this article. It’s not a good look. Half a$$ mentally prepared won’t cut it in this profession.
November 9th, 2025 at 6:04 am
Being mentally fit is wellness too. They go hand-in-hand. I think Pickgrin may be onto something with Graham. He was thrown into one area and it did cause some confusion. The injuries have a toll on the team too.
Ya, we needed the mental break for the week too. And Joe’s right. if the Bucs win today and I am thinking by a huge lead, we would definitely have a mental health Sunday!
November 9th, 2025 at 8:08 am
Barton is hurt.
His play has dropped because he is limping.
His play hasn’t dropped because he played LT.
His play has dropped because he is banged up.
November 9th, 2025 at 10:00 am
Hey Red Pen, training camp and preseason factors into the mental fatigue. Nothing wrong with a week off to recharge mentally. It does everyone in everyone in every industry some good to take a break. These guys aren’t super humans lol
November 9th, 2025 at 10:00 am
This game seems set up for our annual ‘we just came out flat..’ game. I hope I’m wrong.
November 9th, 2025 at 10:04 am
How come no mention of him on the injury report if he hurt as as you say. Be sides everybody is banged up this time of year.
November 9th, 2025 at 10:52 am
NE has a middle of the pack pass rush. Worse than Bucs from my research. Hoping they can keep Baker clean and not rushed today
November 9th, 2025 at 11:44 am
Hopefully he did lots of squats to get some push.