The Bucks began their mandatory minicamp at the AdventHealth Training Center on Tuesday morning under overcast skies and a light breeze. Just as practice was wrapping up, dark clouds began to roll in, signaling that Todd Bowles and his team had finished practice just in time to be ready for the second day of minicamp on Wednesday.
Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds, Matt Matera, Bailey Adams and Adam Thribon checked in on the Buccaneers at One Buccaneers Place as the team began its final period of practice before the summer break, which began in mid-June and runs through the start of training camp in late July.
Here are Pewter Report’s observations from Tuesday morning’s minicamp practice:
New additions, DNPs and one key absence on Day 1 of Buccaneers minicamp
Buccaneers LT Tristan Wirfs, TE Ko Kieft and SS Kayvon Meriweather – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
The main difference between OTAs (organized team activities) and mandatory minicamp is that the three-day minicamp is mandatory, and on Day 1 on Tuesday, the Bucs had nearly full attendance. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs participated in practice. Wirfs has not participated in voluntary OTAs over the past few weeks, but by participating in minicamp he will be able to avoid being fined by the team for “refusing to participate.”
Wirfs and his team are working toward a new long-term contract with the Buccaneers, and the three-time Pro Bowler didn’t want to risk an injury before signing a big new contract, so although he was in practice, he did not participate.
Among those who were present at Tuesday’s practice but did not participate were cornerback Jamel Dean, tight end Ko Kieft, safety Kayvon Meriweather, wide receivers Kameron Johnson and Trey Palmer and quarterback Zach Annekstad.
Tampa Bay had a few notable additions on the team on Tuesday, including a leaner Vita Vea who was absent from the OTA practice that was open to the media, as well as recently signed receivers Sterling Shepard and Cody Thompson who were also in attendance on Tuesday.
The Buccaneers’ only major absence on Tuesday was veteran outside linebacker Randy Gregory, who did not participate in OTAs and head coach Todd Bowles said after practice that the veteran’s absence was unfair and that the team would “deal with it.”
recently, Gregory is suing the NFL. But it’s unclear if his absence this offseason has anything to do with that.
Bowles said Randy Gregory’s absence was an injustice and the team plans to address it. He said it’s a shame someone isn’t here.
— Pewter Report 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) June 11, 2024
Vita Vea slims down during offseason training with former Buccaneers DL
Buccaneers DT Vita Vea – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
We heard throughout the offseason that Vita Vea would be in better shape heading into the summer, but Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht Recent Pewter Report podcast appearances The veteran nose tackle said he has been working out with former Buccaneers lineman and Super Bowl 55 champion Ndamukong Suh.
But since Baer wasn’t present during the OTAs day that was open to the media, we got our first look at a slimmer version of Tampa Bay’s big nose tackle on Tuesday. Baer is noticeably slimmer and looking better, which should help him achieve his goal of staying on the field longer, avoiding nagging injuries and extending his career. Of course, Baer has always been surprisingly agile and agile for his size, and that speed and agility will undoubtedly remain in his game.
Head coach Todd Bowles said after practice that Baer is feeling good and maybe even a little faster than last year. Baer didn’t go into weight specifics, but the team is happy with where he is. Baer smiled and said he’s around 347 pounds, his official weight since joining the NFL in 2018. But Baer did go into detail about his time with Suh.
Baer said Suh had invited him to train with him every offseason and that he always said he would go, but this year he finally decided to do it. He spent about two weeks with Suh in Portland and spoke at length about how much he’d learned from his former teammate on and off the field.
Sterling Shepard’s introduction to the Tampa Heat
Buccaneers WR Sterling Shepard – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
The Buccaneers signed longtime Giants wide receiver and former Oklahoma Sooners player Sterling Shepard last week. Shepard is familiar with quarterback Baker Mayfield in Norman but is less familiar with the Tampa Heat.
It wasn’t a particularly hot day at the AdventHealth Training Center, especially compared to recent OTAs and upcoming training camps. But even a cloudy, windy day like Tuesday was a wake-up call for Sheppard, who mentioned the heat and humidity several times during his post-practice press conference.
Shepard acknowledged he’ll need to get used to the heat, joking that while his new Bucs teammates were happy with the weather on Tuesday, he wasn’t. The veteran wide receiver was thrown into the fire during minicamp, getting his first taste of Liam Cohen’s offense. He told media after practice that his head was a little messed up, but getting acclimated during the three-day minicamp should help him before training camp begins at the end of next month.
Highlights from Day 1 of Bucks minicamp
The early part of practice was instructional and slow, as usual, but once the action ramped up to 11-on-11, there were plenty of highlights on both offense and defense. Todd Bowles’ defense hounded the quarterback as much as it could without pads, with Vita Vea coming up for a sack twice, as did rookie outside linebacker Chris Braswell.
Safety Jordan Whitehead broke free on a blitz for another point.
Cervosia Dennis had a pass intercepted early in the 11-on-11 game, and undrafted rookies Cullen DeLoach and Marcus Banks each deflected near-interceptions later. Speaking of interceptions, undrafted cornerback Tyreek Funderburk from Appalachian State also had one late in practice.
That doesn’t mean the offensive line didn’t have its highlights, either. Tight end Cade Otton was arguably the star of the game on the night, first with a catch near the right sideline on 11-on-11 and then a flashy one-handed catch down the field shortly after. He was a popular target throughout 11-on-11 and made several more catches afterward.
As the Buccaneers moved to red-zone drills toward the end of practice, both Baker Mayfield and John Wolford threw highlight-worthy passes, first by Wolford throwing a dime to Ryan Miller in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown, and then Mayfield closed out the session with a pass to third-round draft pick Jalen McMillan in the opposite corner of the end zone.
The Buccaneers are back in action Wednesday morning for the second day of minicamp.
