Bucs 2026 Training Camp Practice No. 12
August 17th, 2026
Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey hits a blocking sled Monday morning at Bucs training camp.
* Tristan Wirfs and Benjamin Morrison returned to practice this morning! Yes, Joe wasn’t seeing things: Morrison was in pads and on the field and apparently he didn’t tweak his hamstring stepping over a blade of grass. Jake Browning was in pads at practice, but Joe didn’t see him take a snap.
Bucs DT Vita Vea, out with a sore checkbook back, is all smiles with former Bucs teammate Beau Allen after practice.
* Zyon McCollum (groin issue) was running on a side field under the watchful gaze of a Bucs trainer.
* The ice cream man was there. No, Joe did not partake. Few Bucs players did, which surprised Joe. Antoine Winfield was one who waved off the ice cream man when he was asked if he wanted red velvet ice cream. Right now Joe cannot get Van Halen’s Ice Cream Man out of his head. “I’m your ice cream man, stop me when I’m passin’ by… Oh my my… I’m your ice cream man… stop me when I’m passin’ by… See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy… “
* It was the perfect time for the ice cream man to show up. Bucs players have really lucked out this summer. Either the practices were under mostly overcast skies or the Bucs had to move practices into the Glazer Shed due to rain and/or lightning. Today, penance had to be paid. It was easily the hottest practice of the summer. Joe noticed quite a few Bucs players after practice headed to the walk-in cooler the Bucs have outside One Buc Palace to cool down. And Joe also noticed they spent more time in that meat locker than usual. Joe spoke with Bauer Sharp after practice. He first went into the meat locker and then caught passes on the Juggs machine. He wasn’t running at all, just standing there and when Joe spoke with him, he looked like he just stepped out of the shower. “I take back everything I said about Louisiana,” the LSU product said while dripping sweat.
* Since this was the first Bucs practice after the final training camp practice which was open to the public, the bleachers have already been packed away in storage for another year. Outside of patches of dead grass, you can’t tell there were any bleachers at all.
* Joe’s notes are rather limited this morning as Joe was heavily screened all practice. Think of watching a game on TV with the camera angle on the field behind the Bucs bench — and maybe hold your hand in front of your face and try to watch between your fingers with a wall of players a few yards away.
* Several players got snaps on the first-team offense, including receiver Dean Patterson and rookie tight end Bauer Sharp. Not a lot of snaps, but a few. On the first play Joe could see, it appeared Mayfield wanted to go to Patterson on the right side but he had to dirt the ball due to pressure.
* Mayfield throws to Kenny Gainwell short to the left.
After all these years, winning a ring, being named All-Pro, getting paid, hitting the Juggs machine after practice is still part of Antoine Winfield’s daily routine.
* Sean Tucker runs left.
* Rookie QB Jalon Daniels, who got a lot of snaps with the second-team offense, throws to Garrett Greene to the right near the end zone but can’t connect. Patterson was also nearby. Two receivers near each other often signal someone ran the wrong route.
* Daniels to Kameron Johnson on the right sideline.
* Bucky Irving runs right and then cuts back left.
* Daniels drops back and he got chased way backwards as Daniels just kept taking steps back to avoid the rush. Daniels had to throw the ball away to the left.
* Daniels is picked! Joe couldn’t tell. Joe thinks it was Rashad Wisdom but he had his jersey rolled up and Joe couldn’t make out the second number.
* Bucky catches a pass from Mayfield along the right sideline for maybe 10-12 yards.
* Patterson hauls in a pass from Daniels over the middle.
* Tucker catches a swing pass to the right from Daniels.
* Gainwell catches a pass from Mayfield.
* Mayfield throws for Chris Godwin along the right sideline, completed, despite Tykee Smith having good coverage.
* Gainwell runs right, cuts back left.
* Ted Hurst makes a strong, contested catch in the end zone along the right sideline from Mayfield for six. Morrison was all over the rookie. (Yes, you read that last sentence right.)
* Tucker runs to the right.
* Bucky runs to the right and Antoine Winfield puts Bucky in a headlock and rides him to the ground.
* Mayfield tries for Johnson down the right sideline. Nope.
* Patterson runs right.
* Daniels connects with Dennis Houston along the left sideline. Houston turns upfield and flat drops the ball. Josiah Trotter is right there for the recovery.
* Bauer Sharp dives over the middle for a 10-yard catch from Mayfield. Every practice Joe sees this Sharp make a play.
* Mayfield drops back and Rueben Bain flies in from his right for a “sack.” It may have been half a sack because “Nacho” (Rakeem Nuñez-Roches) was right there too. Nacho hollers and dances with joy.
* Patterson catches a pass from Daniels down the right sideline.
* Veteran safety Ifeatu Melifonwu blitzes from his right and would have destroyed Daniels (remember, quarterbacks can’t get hit). It was like one of those NFL Films clips where a defensive end jumps at a quarterback and the quarterback is staring right into the defensive end’s gut. That’s what this looked like.
So, that is all from this morning’s practice. The Bucs will be back at it Tuesday morning for the second of four practices this week.
Ice cream man was at Bucs practice this morning. pic.twitter.com/hP54AjGFfq
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) August 17, 2026
August 17th, 2026 at 12:43 pm
were EE2 and/or Jmac running with Zyon?…was Dennis still with the 1st team defense?..lol
GO BUCS!!!!
August 17th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
@Joe was Otton and Durham running with the 1’s as well? Was Culp getting any more reps after his game? (?thought he played decent)
August 17th, 2026 at 1:38 pm
Remember, Joe has to follow the ball — provided he could even see the ball (today). If Joe is looking around for who was on the field, won’t ever see what happens on the field.
Sadly, Bucs won’t let us video a practice so we don’t have the chance to rewind a play a half-dozen times to document who was/was not on the field on a particular play.
Joe’s focused on the ball, and who does make a play.
Think you are wanting to Joe to look at the macro element of the play but Joe has to focus on the micro.
August 17th, 2026 at 1:42 pm
Please read above. Joe couldn’t tell you even if there were 22 players on the field. He’s not Superman and cant see through 20 people, including a wall of players. 🙁
August 17th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
I don’t think Joe knows what VH’s “Ice cream man” is about. 😎
August 17th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
Gerald McCoy used to bring the shaved ice guy around every year and it seemed like he was VERY popular with players. Milk based products under a hot sun aren’t nearly as appealing I’m guessing.
August 17th, 2026 at 1:50 pm
OH yes he does. 🙂 It’s really nothing to do with ice cream. ***GREAT*** song.
August 17th, 2026 at 1:50 pm
@joe, I appreciate your answer and understand the difficulty you describe. Was just trying to confirm some reports that Otton may be out injured, if Bauer had moved into the 1’s, and what Durham and Culp were doing.
August 17th, 2026 at 1:54 pm
Will look for him tomorrow.
Did see Payne Durham on the field. Didn’t do anything (that Joe saw) but did see him out there.
August 17th, 2026 at 2:11 pm
It is great how hard Coach is working the players. Sounds like they’re really all on the same page. Awesome stuff.
August 17th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
This all world O Line may not be that all World…. or this Defense front line may be better than what the experts think.
August 17th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
chill bros is a great company that makes awesome local ice cream
August 17th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
Watching the interviews now, Elijah Roberts went from 280-285 as a rookie to weighing in at 310 at the start of camp. That’s crazy.
August 17th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
You guys should rent a all terrain cherry picker and put chair in that thing, watch practice from up high.
(Not that the Bucs be cool that)
August 17th, 2026 at 4:15 pm
Thanks for this great report on JOE BUCS FAN! But respectfully, you’re a journalist, you want proper accreditation for your work, don’t you?
The late great JOHN BRIM wrote “Ice Cream Man.” If you don’t think that’s important, go tell Ira that the Rolling Stones wrote “Around and Around,” “Carol,” and “Little Queenie!”
Thank you again for this excellent training camp report, which was not written by John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times!
August 17th, 2026 at 4:31 pm
He did. Van Halen made the song famous (and enabled Brim to buy his own business with the royalties).
August 17th, 2026 at 4:34 pm
Wheb will see Bain lineup against wirfs
August 17th, 2026 at 4:36 pm
@KABucs has a great idea! Cherry picker, or just bring a tall Mardi Gras ladder, or Lee could sit on Steve’s shoulders! 😉
August 17th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
Joe, thank you for the notes.
Standing at eye level with 20 people in front of you has got to stink.
Not to crticize the Glazers, but how difficult would it be to put up one small set of stands or a raised platform for the media.
August 17th, 2026 at 7:07 pm
Who in the heck is Ben Hurst!!?? 🤔
August 17th, 2026 at 7:28 pm
No reason to practice in extreme heat conditions. Bad enough having to play in it
August 18th, 2026 at 12:10 am
The first totally undefeated season in league history. It’s happening.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:43 am
Hodad Says:
August 17th, 2026 at 7:28 pm
No reason to practice in extreme heat conditions. Bad enough having to play in it
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Hey lady, go watch soccer, it’s more your speed.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:46 am
Good write-up as always Joe. Makes no sense to me that the Bucs allow the media there, only to screen them. I have no idea what huge advantage that the Bucs and Bowles think they’re getting.
August 18th, 2026 at 6:55 am
@Joe maybe you need to hire a 7’2” spotter and give them a press pass. Pretty sure Shaq would do it for the right price. Or maybe the Joe’s can get a long trench coat and one Joe sits on the others shoulders like the little rascals.
August 18th, 2026 at 11:42 am
I thought Ben Hurst was a movie?