The Bucs were back at it for the second day of training camp on Tuesday. And just like the first day, there is plenty to talk about.
The day began with special teams and ended with the Buccaneers offense running its 1:25 drill and goal-to-go drill. It was another hot day (can you believe it?) and Bruce Arians noticed that it’s taking a bit of a toll on the players. But the Bucs pushed through and will now move on to Day Three.
But before we do that here, let’s dive in to the top takeaways from Day Two of Bucs training camp.
Giovani Bernard‘s role on the team becomes a bit clearer during Day Two of Bucs training camp
We know Bernard is going to be the Bucs’ main pass-catching back, but what will his actual role be in terms of strategy?
Well, the Buccaneers answered that question in a certain context on the second day of training camp. Bernard took every single snap with the starters as the Bucs ran their 1:25 drill. He was also in the starting lineup during their goal-to-go drill and even caught a touchdown pass from Tom Brady.
This makes a ton of sense considering the offense will usually be in hurry-up mode at this point in the game. It’s also worth mentioning that Ke’Shawn Vaughn took every snap with the twos during this time.
The versatility of Joe Tryon
Tryon’s versatility is one of the big reasons why he was a first-round pick despite not playing since 2019. The Bucs had him in a three-point stance and a two-point stance at multiple times during Day Two of training camp. He even caught a pass during a fake field goal drill.
Shaquil Barrett said after practice that Tryon is “the real deal“. So far, he’s looked good during camp, consistently shedding blocks and getting into the backfield.
#Bucs rookie Joe Tryon just caught a pass on a fake FG drill.
Already a Pro Bowler.
— Evan Winter (@evan_winter) July 26, 2021
O.J. Howard, Antoine Winfield Jr., and Tyler Johnson don’t practice
Howard continues to make his comeback from his 2020 Achilles injury, but Winfield Jr.’s and Johnson’s Tuesday absences were new. According to Bruce Arians, AWjr tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, but has since tested negative. Therefore, there’s a feeling it could be a false positive. Johnson’s absence is unclear at this point.
In terms of the other players who missed Sunday, nothing changed.
Jaelon Darden shows off his hands
Another day of Bucs training camp means another update on Darden. He continued to show off his skills, particularly the hands that Arians referred to Sunday. Darden was able to reel in a beautiful turnaround, back-shoulder grab on the far sideline. The catch would’ve easily been a highlight if it were a real game. He still had some issues with drops, but nothing like Travis Jonsen, who had a really bad day.
Jaydon Mickens impressing at wide receiver
Mickens is showing off some skills at receiver so far during training camp. This is obviously very good news for him. He needs to show marked improvement in this department due to the presence of Darden, who will likely challenge Mickens for his kick returner spot. It’s also good news for the Bucs, who placed Justin Watson on the PUP list before training camp started.
Sadarius Hutcherson running with the twos at right guard
I didn’t get to see where Hutcherson was during the early portions of camp (don’t worry, I’ll pay extra attention on Tuesday), but I did see him running with the twos during the Buccaneers goal-to-go drills. This is huge news for the undrafted free agent out of South Carolina. The Bucs will likely carry nine offensive linemen once training camp and the preseason are through, but eight of those nine spots are pretty much filled, already.
Jerell Adams keeps making plays
This is obviously good news for the Buccaneers, who are currently without Cameron Brate. Adams is balling out. He caught a touchdown yesterday and then another today. He’s essentially catching everything thrown his way.
If he doesn’t make the Bucs roster, then another team will surely pick him up if he continues his current trajectory.
The Brady to Mike Evans connection is looking really, really good
Many are wondering who the Bucs’ top receiving target will be heading into 2021 and with good reason. The receiver room is the league’s best. But Brady and Evans are on fire through the first two days of camp. The only bad moment from Day Two came when Evans dropped a sure-fire touchdown during the goal-to-go drill. But outside of that, it looks like Evans is still going to be the Bucs’ top target coming out of training camp and heading into 2021.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches continues to get better
He looked really good on Tuesday, especially during individual drills. Nacho is quick and powerful, and even drew a shouting-compliment from fellow defensive lineman William Gholston during said drills. He’s a key depth piece on this team, so the fact that he continues to improve is an excellent development for the Bucs defense.
Ryan Succop is as accurate as ever
From what I saw, he made every kick after 11-vs-11s. Succop will be 35 come mid-September, but his leg looks very strong and his accuracy was on point Tuesday. He set a Bucs franchise record last year with 136 points, so the team will need him to carry everything over from 2020.
Day Two of Bucs training camp has come and gone, but Bucs Report will be back for Day Three! If you missed the report from Day One, be sure to check it out, here.
