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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds solutions your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account this week within the Bucs Mailbag. Submit your query to the Bucs Mailbag every week by way of Twitter utilizing the hashtag #PRMailbag. Listed here are the Bucs questions we selected to reply for this week’s version.
QUESTION: Ought to we be frightened so many interceptions are being thrown by the quarterbacks or thrilled that the protection is changing into opportunistic?
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: I wouldn’t be frightened in regards to the variety of interceptions in Bucs coaching camp to date given the truth that the protection solely got here away with 13 interceptions in 2023 and simply 10 the 12 months earlier than. Tampa Bay’s protection has to return away with extra picks this 12 months and it has been a giant level of emphasis this offseason. Pewter Report’s unofficial tally has the protection coming away with 14 picks by way of the primary 9 coaching camp practices, which ought to delight head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles.
“Relying on which aspect of the fence I’m taking part in that day… If I’m on the defensive aspect, that’s nice,” Bowles stated after apply on August 2. “If I’m on the offensive aspect, we by no means need turnovers. It’s a time to experiment and check out issues out and get your reads down, so it’s not an issue presently, however we all know we are able to’t have them within the sport.”
The excellent news for Bowles and offensive coordinator Liam Coen is that starter Baker Mayfield has solely thrown 5 of these interceptions. Provided that he’s now not in a quarterback competitors like final 12 months, Mayfield has been taking the lion’s share of reps in coaching camp, in order that’s a comparatively low quantity given the variety of passes he’s thrown. Backups Kyle Trask (three) and John Wolford (six) have mixed to toss 9 picks in camp to date.
And each interception has a distinct story. Mayfield’s first decide got here on a scripted Hail Mary move to finish that interval. Security Jordan Whitehead got here down with that INT. Mayfield’s second interception got here off a move that was tipped by linebacker Lavonte David with cornerback Jamel Dean coming down with the deflection.
Then Mayfield’s third decide of camp got here on a move that was thrown to an space of the sphere the place there wasn’t a receiver inside 10-15 yards of the errant toss. It was an apparent miscommunication between Mayfield and the receiver and cornerback Zyon McCollum got here down along with his lone decide in camp consequently. So Mayfield has actually solely thrown two picks that might be deemed worrisome, and that’s fairly an appropriate quantity given the a whole lot of passes tried in camp by way of the primary 9 days.
QUESTION: We all know Okay.J. Britt can play the run, however how has he regarded in move protection?
Bucs ILBs KJ Britt and JJ Russell – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: Bucs inside linebacker Okay.J. Britt is thought for his capacity to stuff the run in between the tackles, however he has labored onerous on his move protection drops this offseason. That’s been obvious in coaching camp and it’s proven with some good protection at instances in apply. There have been situations the place he’s raced to the flat to cease working again Bucky Irving and others for minimal or no achieve. However there have additionally been instances when Britt is a bit sluggish to diagnose and react in protection and his lack of elite footspeed exhibits.
When Britt identifies the move play shortly he has sufficient velocity to place himself in place to cowl the tight finish or the working again. However he isn’t the elite athlete that Devin White is and doesn’t have the make-up velocity if he doesn’t diagnose the play shortly sufficient. The guess right here is that the Bucs’ head coach and defensive play-caller will give Britt the good thing about the doubt on third downs early within the season and make him an every-down Mike linebacker – except Britt actually struggles in protection within the preseason.
Second-year inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis is more proficient at move protection and had a number of interceptions in coaching camp final 12 months, and has a pick-six on this 12 months’s camp, too. Dennis can be an excellent blitzer and had 15 sacks in his profession on the College of Pittsburgh. I may see Bowles platooning Britt and Dennis the best way he did with Britt and White on the finish of final 12 months. After White misplaced his beginning job to Britt he would are available on third-and-long conditions or apparent passing downs to blitz or cowl. That could be Dennis’ position this 12 months if Britt will get uncovered in protection.
QUESTION: Latest years have proven the Bucs are fairly respectable at discovering undrafted free brokers. To date which of them have the most effective probability of constructing the 53-man roster or precedence apply squad? I’ve heard good issues about a few the cornerbacks, huge receivers, and the linebacker Kalen DeLoach.
Bucs ILB Kalen DeLoach – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: Bucs rookie inside linebacker Kalen DeLoach, an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, has impressed in coaching camp thus far and has a reasonably respectable probability of constructing the 53-man roster relying on how he fares on particular groups. With Lavonte David, Okay.J. Britt and SirVocea Dennis every locks to make the group, Britt is battling J.J. Russell, Vi Jones and fellow undrafted free agent Antonio Grier Jr. for the fourth spot on the depth chart – except Tampa Bay decides to maintain 5 inside linebackers. DeLoach has taken some first-team reps when David has had a veteran relaxation day and has shined as a blitzer.
Rookie huge receiver Kameron Johnson, an undrafted free agent from Barton Faculty, flashed in camp earlier than an harm sidelined him for the final two practices. Johnson is quick, fast and athletic, and he’s a respectable contender for the WR5 or WR6 spots on the depth chart – relying on what number of receivers the Bucs hold. He’s additionally in rivalry for the position of kick and punt returner as effectively.
Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk has regarded good in coaching camp following a pleasant displaying within the offseason OTAs and obligatory mini-camp. The undrafted free agent from Appalachian State has an opportunity to make the 53-man roster as CB5 behind Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, Bryce Corridor and particular groups gunner Josh Hayes. Funderburk’s main competitors is Keenan Isaac, who was on the apply squad final 12 months.
These are the three undrafted free brokers which have shined probably the most throughout the first 9 Bucs coaching camp practices. We’ll see who steps up because the preseason video games start and Tampa Bay holds joint apply classes with each Jacksonville and Miami within the coming weeks.
QUESTION: May Todd Bowles be on the recent seat this season?
Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: I don’t assume Todd Bowles begins the 2024 season on the recent seat. And even when the group underwhelms in the beginning of the common season I feel he’ll be given some grace and leeway by the group to show issues round like he did a 12 months in the past.
After a scorching, 3-1 begin the Bucs misplaced six of seven video games and had been 4-7 in late November earlier than profitable 5 of their final six video games to complete 9-8. Bowles’ regular hand and calming presence performed a giant position in that because the Bucs had been a really younger group final 12 months and needed to undergo some midseason rising pains.
However greater expectations can result in greater disappointment if these expectations should not met. The group is specializing in the Bucs’ robust end final 12 months somewhat than Bowles’ common season report of 17-17, and the truth that he’s bought a 1-2 mark within the postseason as head coach. The Glazers and common supervisor Jason Licht have shelled out a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in contract extensions this offseason to quarterback Baker Mayfield, huge receiver Mike Evans, linebacker Lavonte David and likewise made free security Antoine Winfield Jr. and left sort out Tristan Wirfs the highest-paid gamers within the NFL at their respective positions. Taking the following step and attending to double-digit wins is the expectation this 12 months.
It helps that Bowles received back-to-back division titles with two very totally different Bucs groups. The 2022 squad led by 45-year-old Tom Brady was one of many oldest groups within the NFL. After purging a number of getting old gamers from that roster, the 2023 Bucs abruptly turned one of many youngest groups within the league. That’s fairly a exceptional accomplishment that doesn’t get highlighted sufficient.
So long as Todd Bowles retains displaying progress – and retains profitable division championships – his job safety might be on the rise.
QUESTION: Who’re the Bucs subsequent two outdoors corners after Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum? And what’s Pewter Report’s slot nook depth chart projection between Tavierre Thomas, Christian Izien, and Tykee Smith?
Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and DB Tykee Smith – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: Because it stands proper now, newcomer Bryce Corridor is the No. 3 cornerback behind starters Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum given his expertise with the New York Jets. Josh Hayes, who was among the best gunners within the NFL final 12 months throughout his rookie season, might be CB4 based mostly on his data of Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme. But undrafted free brokers Tyrek Funderburk and Keenan Isaac have had their moments, too.
And I’m wondering if Tavierre Thomas, who is especially used as a nickelback and a reserve security, will get a shot at outdoors cornerback in a pinch as a result of his expertise and playmaking capacity. The previous Houston Texan leads the Bucs in camp with three interceptions and he’s a troublesome, bodily tackler.
At nickelback, rookie Tykee Smith, the group’s third-round decide, is in line to begin. Todd Bowles needs a extra constant playmaker within the slot this 12 months. Christian Izien began his rookie season scorching final 12 months with back-to-back interceptions within the first two weeks however then didn’t report an interception over the following 17 video games, together with the playoffs. Izien has struggled in protection in camp and appears destined to be the backup at free security behind Antoine Winfield Jr. except he actually comes on throughout the preseason and turns issues round.
Smith, who suffered a minor ankle sprain in Sunday’s apply, is getting challenged for the nickelback position by veteran free agent Tavierre Thomas, who has a team-leading three interceptions in coaching camp. Thomas has additionally performed effectively on particular groups and will drive Bowles to discover a position for him on protection in a dime package deal or rotating with Smith within the slot in nickel protection.
