TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit the practice fields on Saturday at One Buc Place for their first day in pads and when the morning was over, there was one play in the scrimmaging that was planted in everyone’s mind.
Quarterback Tom Brady dropped back to pass and threw over the middle. Pro Bowl linebacker Devin White intercepted the pass.
Of course in a training scrimmage, the play is blown dead. That didn’t keep Brady from hurling a massive F-bomb which showed his disappointment with himself. Brady threw his helmet to the ground and when his cooler head prevailed, he took a knee.
This type of high level expectancy is why he continues to sling footballs in the NFL at age 44 and why the Buccaneers are a favorite to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
That interception was just a reminder of where last season ended in the Super Bowl as the defense took advantage of Kansas City’s missing offensive tackles and a sketchy Chiefs offensive line in rendering quarterback Pat Mahomes scoreless.
Mike Edwards joined White as the Buccaneers had two picks on Saturday morning.
“We’ve been short on turnovers in camp,” said head coach Bruce Arians. “Devin’s made that play now – he missed it once – now he’s made it twice, so he’s getting confidence because the quarterback will never see him going back there. He’s got to learn, too.”
White had two picks in the playoffs after none in the 2020 season. His last one sealed the Super Bowl win over the Chiefs.
Defending Tampa: Defensive end William Gholston was serenaded by the media with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” as he turned 30 on Saturday.
Gholston had a solid 2020 campaign and he is looking to take his game back to that level in 2021. He had his best season, numbers-wise, since 2016 as his three sacks last season equaled the number of 2016.
“Everybody wants to eat and get a way out there, but the competition is good enough and we’re close enough to compete and still be brothers at the same time,” noted Gholston. “We drive each other to get better every day.”
After bouncing Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Gholston and his defensive teammates laud coordinator Todd Bowles.
“He’s the type of defensive coordinator I would run through a brick wall for,” said Gholston. “If he said, ‘Hey, if you hit it at this angle, it’s going to fall down, I wouldn’t second guess it. He’s always right.”
Complementary pieces: Wide receiver Scotty Miller and running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn had solid mornings on Saturday.
Miller averaged a team-high 15.2 yards per catch last season as he caught 33 balls for 501 yards. He had a touchdown reception in the NFC Championship Game win over Green Bay.
“It’s going to be grimy.” commented Arians. “He’s got to make more grimy catches. We know he can run by people, but you can’t be a one-trick pony in this league. You’ve got to be able to play with big bodies on you. He’s getting better.”
Vaughn is getting more and more reps and can figure in the rotation this season. So far, Arians likes what he has seen.
“Ke’Shawn’s been spot-on,” noted Arians, who begins his third season in Tampa Bay. “I really like where he’s at. Again, we’ll see more in the preseason. He didn’t get much of an opportunity in that one, but he’s where he needs to be.”
