Alex Cappa’s name hasn’t been heard for all the right reasons

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Before you dive into a player’s progression you need to see how he performs on the football field. For Alex Cappa, so far so good. His overall progression from first year bust to second year week one starter has been something to watch. When his name has been talked about this year, more often than not it was about how different a player he’s looked like so far.  And to see it in camp and against your own guys is one thing. To string together two solid performances back-to-back at right guard is pretty impressive.

 

Was Coaching A Factor

It appears Joe Gilbert has really coached up Cappa into the legitimate starter that he has transformed into. Perhaps coaching is a much more vital talent indicator than once thought. That said, Cappa needs to continue to sharpen his play and work on week in and week out consistency. He was was known for his physical prowess coming out of Division III Humbolt State, so athletically he’s always been there. Technique, understanding different NFL schemes and simply playing time put the second year pro behind the A-Ball. But that now looks like a thing of the past.

Last night’s game in a rain soaked Raymond James Stadium, Alex Cappa put on a show in some difficult weather conditions. He was consistently holding defensive linemen in place and gave away very little push. As the game experience adds on, the game itself will start to slow down for Cappa and that’s when Tampa Bay will start to see how much he has improved.

Moving Forward

Two weeks into the preseason and two solid starts for Cappa. It’s a great start and an even better sign for the second year guard. But consistency is where he’ll turn from an average starter to a viable one. If Cappa can finish out the preseason strong, then there’s hope for the Bucs’ running game in 2019.

 

Photo credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

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