–Kicker Chandler Catanzaro has missed the first PAT in each of the Bucs’ last three games. Head coach Dirk Koetter has no clue why.
“It’s hard to say. A lot of stuff happens in a game. It’s been the first extra points, so it’s been in the early part of the game. We still – like any mistake that any player makes – that might go unnoticed. His is just real noticeable. Like any other, there’s a lot of things we have to do better as a team and that’s one of them.”
So why hasn’t Koetter cut ties with Catanzaro yet?
“I think he’s a good kicker,” Koetter said. “I watch him kick out there every day and he hardly ever misses. I don’t know what’s going on with the first extra point of the game. As I say in here all the time, ‘If a guy’s on our team and he’s up on game day, then he’s my guy because he’s our guy.’ That’s just the end of it. I don’t think of it any more than that.”
–The Bucs finally received some hopeful news as linebacker Kendell Beckwith returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since breaking his ankle in a car accident last April. The Bucs have a 21-day window to activate Beckwith from the reserve/non-football injury list. During that time, he does not count against the 53-man roster. Beckwith can be activated any time within the next three weeks and added to the roster to play in games.
“It’s really remarkable,” head coach Dirk Koetter said. “Offseason accident and when he had that surgery, they were saying this was going to be a tough injury to come back from. He’s worked his tail off. He’s had a couple setbacks along the way. They finally cleared him … I know he was excited to be out there today and we’ll have to see how he responds. If it’s positive, they’ll add more reps to his plate and as soon as he feels like he’s ready and the doctors feel like he’s ready, he could possibly return.”
Beckwith had an outstanding rookie season in 2017 playing inside and outside linebacker. He would be a great replacement for Kwon Alexander. As a rookie, Beckwith had 73 tackles, one forced fumble and two passes defensed.
“Well, last year as a rookie, shoot, he was extremely productive in a first-year role at both (middle) linebacker and (strong-side) linebacker,” defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Mark Duffner said. “In the Patriots game, where he was the (middle) linebacker, he was our leading tackler with about 14 tackles. So he’s an instinctive player. A lot of the guys are still on the mend, and we’re just going to have to see in practice.”
–If there was concern that Bucs rookie defensive tackle Vita Vea had suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week’s game, it apparently didn’t come from Vea himself.
After the Bucs’ 37-34 loss at Cincinnati, the team worried that Vea had torn his ACL. Head coach Dirk Koetter said Monday that Vea suffered the injury on the team’s first defensive play of the fourth quarter, but Vea remained in the game and showed no sign of favoring his leg.
An MRI performed on Vea’s knee didn’t reveal any structural damage.
Speaking Wednesday, Vea made it seem like the test was precautionary – though having a test like an MRI on the knee would suggest otherwise – and added that he believes there’s a “100 percent” chance that he plays this week at Carolina.
“I knew I was fine,” Vea said. “I knew nothing was wrong. I think the doctors were just being cautious about it.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 10. Number of interceptions by QB Jameis Winston to tie for the NFL after only 3 1/2 games played.
