I keep saying it's really hot out there at practice... but that's because it's really hot out there at practice. I don't know how guys are in pads and performing at a very high physical level in the heat, but somehow the Buccaneers are doing it. They're not letting the heat weigh them down either. Each practice seems more intense and high energy than the last.
Here's what you missed as the team put the pads back on for day eight of training camp:
- In individual drills, defensive backs were practicing tracking and catching deep balls… some of which were thrown by their very own defensive coordinator.
- Rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has a way with the ball. And it's not that he looks like a receiver, he has his fair share of bobbles but he always ends up with the ball. He'll do just enough to get his hands on it and then just finishes and makes the catch nearly every time. It's impressive.
- Both defensive tackle Ndamukong Suhand outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul were back practicing after they were given a maintenance day off for yesterday's indoor practice in shells.
- Wide receiver Tyler Johnson practiced for the second straight day as he tries to catch up on time he missed with injury.
- In the first period of offense vs. defense, safety Andrew Adams absolutely smacked running back Dare Ogunbowale before he could get past the line of scrimmage.
- You may know outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett for his 19.5 sacks last season but can I interest you in run-defense Shaq? Barrett showed off his lateral movement to head off the shifty Shady McCoy at the line.
- I don't know what he did to deserve it but rookie right tackle Tristan Wirfs got a hug from Assistant Head Coach/Run-Game Coordinator Harold Goodwin mid-period and it was so wholesome.
- It would appear that the offense got a rare win in the first run period of the day, more on that later.
- Adams wasn't the only one 'thumping' out there. Safety Jordan Whitehead had a physical pass breakup on tight end O.J. Howard hat you heard from the sideline.
- Halfway through I found myself thinking how physical and fiery of a practice I was watching – both sides are really trying to win and it's upped the intensity even in this godforsaken heat.
- At one point, quarterback Blaine Gabbert alerted his offense to Barrett on the outside and sure enough Barrett rushed and would have had an almost instant sack on Gabbert.
- Brady fired off a short pass to Godwin, who easily made the catch but then pulled a few moves to the outside to get some more yards after the catch – his specialty. Outside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote yelled from the sideline, "It's the YAC!" presumably as a way of scolding his linebackers for letting Godwin get away with that.
- Whitehead broke up another pass from Brady, but in a different way later on in practice. Whitehead was down in the box and leapt up to get in front of the ball right at the line.
- The defense looks to be getting faster to keep up with how quickly Brady rids himself of the ball. A combination of ILB Jack Cichy and DT Ndamukong Suh would have had a sack on Brady almost instantaneously in the last team period. Cichy got there first, followed by Suh.
- Running back Ronald Jones broke off on big TD run that earned him some praise from his quarterback towards the end of practice.
