August 18 Updates

The Buccaneers are in the dog days of training camp, when minor injuries began to mount, putting some key players on the sideline for stretches of time and creating openings for other players to step in. One starter on offense who has been out of late is tight end Cade Otton, and one player who in turn is gaining more reps in a more variety of situations is rookie tight end Bauer Sharp.

Sharp played 24 snaps on offense (and not incidentally, 20 snaps on special teams) in the preseason opener against the Jets, drawing five targets which he turned into four catches for 24 yards. The one target that didn't result in a completion went off his hands in the third quarter but the Bucs went right back to him on the next snap and he turned a short pass in the right flat into a 13-yard gain for a first down at the Jets' 12. Running back Josh Williams scored on the next play.

In practices, Sharp has shown a well-developed route tree and has enthusiastically worked on his blocking. What has made him effective has been a good grasp on the playbook, which is not always an easy thing for a rookie to accomplish, especially at a complicated position like tight end.

"It's impressive that he's got the system down pretty fast," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "That's very impressive on his part. The quicker you get it down, the faster you play, and he's playing fast."

In practice on Tuesday, with Otton out, Sharp was seen getting some action with the first-team offense, which means Baker Mayfield has had a chance to look his way. Mayfield has liked what he has seen from the rookie, especially in the quickness of his movements.

"Bauer's twitched-up, man. He's not just a receiving tight end. He's so quick and tough in his routes. He had a really good feel in zone coverage of how to get open, how to stay open. He's taking pride in the blocking, and that's something we've asked our tight ends to do in the last few years, do a lot of the dirty work, and I think he's taking pride in that. Bauer's come a long way and I think he's got a really, really good shot to make the team."

CLICK HERE for more of Baker Mayfield's thoughts on the development of the Bucs' offense.

August 17 Updates

Quarterback Baker Mayfield will make his 2026 preseason debut on Saturday evening when the Buccaneers face the Chies at Raymond James Stadium. Head Coach Todd Bowles had previously indicated that Tampa Bay's starters would get some playing time in the second preseason game, and he confirmed on Monday that Mayfield is part of that plan.

"He is included in that group," Bowles affirmed.

Mayfield, who is heading into his fourth season as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback, will be getting his first August game action in two years. He did not take any snaps in the three preseason games last year, even though Bowles did play a good number of the team's starters in the middle contest. If the pattern holds from last season, this will be the only preseason action that Mayfield and most of the starters see, as they were not employed in the third and final outing last year.

The amount of playing time Mayfield and the other starters see on offense will likely depend on how well the first possession or two goes. The last time Mayfield got preseason playing time, against the Dolphins in 2024, he completed all three of his passes for 54 yards while leading a game-opening touchdown drive, and that was the end of his night.

CLICK HERE for highlights of the Bucs' preseason win over the Jets.

August 15 Updates

If any position has stood out during the first couple weeks of the Buccaneers' training camp, it has been the outside linebacker group. That's music to the team's ears, as building a more impactful edge rush group was the single biggest goal of this offseason. That led to the free agent signing of Al-Quadin Muhammad, an 11-sack player in Detroit last year, and the selection of Miami Hurricane dynamo Rueben Bain in the first round of the draft. Those two plus incumbent sack leader Yaya Diaby and promising second-year man David Walker, the biggest star of camp so far, have the Bucs' dreaming of a relentless hunt of the quarterback in the regular season.

But the Buccaneers might also be uncovering some depth at that spot. Tampa Bay had four sacks on Friday's 24-16 win over the Jets in the Meadowlands, one of which was provided by interior defensive lineman Elijah Roberts and one of which came on a chase out of bounds by cornerback Damarion Williams. The other two belonged to rookie outside linebacker Jack Pyburn, an undrafted signee out of LSU.

"He did a heck of a job last night," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He showed up with the lights on. He's a solid player. He doesn't get much run with all the other guys playing – you've got Bain there and Muhammad there, as well as David Walker and all those other guys. You don't hear about him much but he got a chance to play last night and he showed everybody who he was. He's a hard-worker, he comes off the ball hard and you look forward to seeing more, how he put his whole game together last night."

With Diaby, Muhammad and Bain all sitting out with the rest of the Bucs' starters, Pyburn was one of a handful of young players who saw meaningful playing time on the edge. Most of Pyburn's came in the second half, as he played a total of 25 defensive snaps and was credited with those two sacks plus a third tackle.

Pyburn added to what was an impressive evening for the Bucs' current group of undrafted rookies. Quarterback Jalon Daniels directed two second-half scoring drives, one of which he capped himself with a one-yard touchdown run. Cornerback Ayden Garnes tied the game at 10-10 in the second quarter with a 47-yard pick off Cade Klubnik. And wide receiver Dean Patterson led the team with five catches, including a clutch grab right at the sticks on third-and-six to keep the final touchdown drive alive.

"I mean, that's huge," said Bowles. "That's the part that goes unseen and you never hear about these guys. I think Jason and his staff do a great job doing the little things and finding the right guys. And that's hard to do in free agency with the money going everywhere and guys being picked by every team. But to find the right guys for our team and trust them to learn the system, and the coaches putting them to work and putting them in the right position, I think it's a great collaboration."

CLICK HERE to hear more of Coach Bowles thoughts on the day after the game.

Bucs 17 - Jets 13 - End of Third Quarter

Coming out of halftime, the Bucs' defense got a stop. Jack Pyburn sacked Bailey Zappe for a loss of seven on third down to force a punt. Late in the third, the Bucs reached the end zone on a Josh Williams' 12-yard run. He made a quick cut inside the tackle through the C-gap and accelerated towards the end zone. On the 12-play, 80-yard drive, Jalon Daniels delivered a strike downfield to Garrett Greene who took advantage of off coverage and sat in the zone void for a gain of 35 yards on third down.

Jets 13 - Bucs 10 - End of Second Quarter

The Buccaneers put up 10 points in the second frame and Cade York's 38-yard field goal just before time expired in the second quarter gave the home team a 13-10 lead into halftime. The Bucs came up short of the end zone as Bazelak's pass was behind Ted Hurst III and Mory Bamba knocked it free. Chase McLaughlin then kicked a 23-yard field goal to trim the deficit, 10-3.

Midway through the second quarter, the Bucs' defense shifted the momentum. David Walker got pressure on Bailey Zappe and his pass intended for Jelani Woods was intercepted by Ayden Garnes and returned 47 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 10. Rashad Wisdom followed suit with an interception at the Jets' 40-yard line of Zappe, putting the offense back on the field. Tampa Bay was unable to capitalize with points and punted after an incompletion on third down.

Jets 10 - Bucs 0 - End of First Quarter

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trail the New York Jets 10-0 at the end of the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Cade York kicked a 27-yard field goal and Braelon Allen scored a touchdown on a 31-yard run. He took the handoff and made a jumpcut to the right and accelerated for the score.

CLICK HERE to view the game's box score.

August 12 Updates

The Buccaneers open their 2026 preseason on Friday night against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, following a pair of joint practices for the two teams at the Jets' headquarters. For Buccaneer rookies, obviously, that means they are preparing for their first NFL game action. (Well, most of them; it appears first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. will probably be held out with the rest of the starters.)

One of those young players about to make that professional debut is quarterback Jalon Daniels, who joined the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas. And, according to him, to say he is excited about the opportunity is seriously understating the matter.

"I wouldn't even say excited is the word for it," said Daniels with a wide smile. "I mean, it's a dream come true to be able to play at this level, playing professional football. I mean, I've been dreaming of this moment since I was a kid. Being able to go out [there] and be able to play some NFL football [on] Friday, it means the world."

And that "some football" may have become "more football" this week due to the apparent back injury sustained by number-two quarterback Jake Browning in practice on Tuesday. Practice left that session early and did not participate on Wednesday. Head Coach Todd Bowles said that Browning has not yet been ruled out, but if he eventually is that the start would go to second-year passer Connor Bazelak. But with Baker Mayfield also not expected to play, Bazelak and Daniels will be the only quarterbacks available against the Jets. Obviously, that means there will be more snaps available to both than originally planned.

Daniels appreciates the work he has gotten in the past two days, as well, as the Bucs and Jets have shown each other different offensive and defensive looks than they've been seeing for the past two weeks in their respective training camps. That has helped him get ready for that "dream come true" moment on Friday night.

"It helps you be able to see, like I said, see a different defense, be able to see a different structure, be able to see the tempo of other players," said Daniels. "Obviously, this is my first time going against another NFL team…Just being able to see what they do, [being] able to see little things that I'm able to key on on film and just keep on getting better from there."

CLICK HERE to hear more from Jalon Daniels as well as center Graham Barton.

August 11 Updates

As the Buccaneers began the first of their two joint practices with the Jets in New Jersey, starting cornerback Zyon McCollum was watching from the sideline due to a back ailment. Benjamin Morrison, who was considered a prime candidate for a starting position prior to the start of training camp, has yet to practice due to leg injuries. When the practice shifted to full-team 11-on-11 drills Tuesday morning, the Buccaneers needed someone to run with the first-team defense at outside corner opposite Jacob Parrish. It was third-year player Damarion Williams who got the opportunity to step up.

And it didn't take him long to do so. During the first 11-on-11 period, after what he described as a slow start for him, Williams made the first big play for either defense in the practice. Williams intercepted quarterback Geno Smith near the right sideline and dashed the other way all the way to the end zone for a pick six.

"[I] came in a little slow, a little sluggish, but started picking it up, caught the pick, took it back to the house," said Wiiliams. "Had to line back up on defense to catch my breath and keep going. Today was smooth. A lot of stuff to work on and stack better days."

With Morrison's uncertain status and very little experienced depth behind the anticipated starters, Williams surely is seeing a legitimate path to making the active roster to start the season. He has previously done that with the Ravens after being drafted in the fourth round in 2022, seeing action in 15 games over two seasons and recording 24 tackles and two passes defensed. He has also spent time on practice squads in Seattle and Tampa, joining the Bucs a month into the season last year.

"I've been on a couple teams, Baltimore, Seattle, ended up here last year midseason," said Williams. "Since I've been here, it's been just pretty much work. You get in, I mean, they rotate guys just to give different looks, stuff like that…Whether you're one, two, three, you're going to get in the rotation regardless. I mean, that's how [Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles likes it, to pretty much give you a different look and see how you respond to it. That's a good thing here. They don't do that in a lot of places."

On Tuesay, that look was often with the first team, and Williams didn't waste the opportunity.

CLICK HERE for a look at the Bucs' first depth chart of 2026, released by the team on Tuesday.

August 9 Updates

The folks at Pewter Report have been counting.

Now, sacks at a training camp are sort of a mythical thing, because the number-one rule of camp is, 'You do not touch the quarterback.' Still, there are plays where it's clearly evident that the defender would have gotten the QB down if he had been allowed to do so, and sometimes the play is even whistled dead at that point. And perhaps that has made David Walker a mythical creature in this year's Buccaneers camp, because he has been haunting passers every single day. Perhaps he's the phoenix, rising from the "death" of his 2025 rookie season to a early-camp knee injury.

Walker was a fifth-round pick in 2025 who started drawing a buzz almost immediately in the offseason program and continued to rise in the first few days of training camp. It seemed clear even with the regular season more than a month away that Walker was going to be significantly featured in the Bucs' edge-rush rotation. However, his injury occurred just before the pads went on. This year, he has been healthy and has shown that he can still dominate when those pads do go on and the action becomes much more physical.

Teammate Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, for instance, was absolutely effusive in his praise of Walker on Sunday after practice.

"I was about to say, D-Walker is something serious," said Nuñez-Roches. "I feel like he has a 95 win-percentage ratio right now. Every time he's going, he's in the backfield, literally. I don't care if it's one, two, three in front of him, he's definitely vicious."

If getting to the padded portion of camp was one step forward for Walker, the next one will be facing hostile opponents for the first time in his NFL career. Sunday's practice was technically the last one of training camp, and this coming week the Bucs will relocate to New Jersey to hold joint practices with the Jets prior to Friday night's preseason opener. After watching him shine on a daily basis while going against teammates, Head Coach Todd Bowles is particularly interested in what Walker will do against an unfamiliar opponent.

"Again, he's got his speed and his athleticism back," said Bowles. "He's still progressing, and there are some things he has to see, but he's getting better by the day. It's early on, so this will be great to see him against other competition as well. He's one of the guys I'm looking forward to seeing next week."

CLICK HERE to catch up on camp news with our Training Camp Report show.

August 7 Updates

Rookie wide receiver Dean Patterson has stacked several strong practices in a row this week, drawing attention from Head Coach Todd Bowles and his staff. With fellow wideouts Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson and David Sills all sitting out due to minor injuries, Patterson has seen a significant uptick in his snap share and has taken advantage of the opportunity.

"Again, he's getting an opportunity to play," said Bowles after Friday's workout. "With a couple guys down, he's getting an opportunity to play. He studies, and that's a big part of it. Grabbing it mentally is probably more demanding than grabbing it physically but if you can grab it mentally – which he's doing right now – and [make] plays and [show] up on tape, that gets you seen a lot. We'll look forward to seeing him in the preseason."

Patterson's output on Friday was highlighted by a nifty grab in the back of the end zone in a low red zone drill, as he jumped to pluck the ball at its apex and keep it away from a defender who was right on his hip. He joined the Buccaneers this past May as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech, though he was only with the Yellow Jackets for one season after spending his first four collegiate years at Florida International.

Perhaps more notably, the 6-2, 200-pound Patterson played his prep ball at Steinbrenner High School, about 12 miles away from the Buccaneers' training facility. In his senior season, he set the school's single-season record for receptions (58) and receiving yards (847) while hauling in 11 touchdowns. Though he only had eight catches for Georgia Tech in 2025, they went for 150 yards, and overall his college average of 14.7 yards per reception hints at some big-play ability.

Buccaneers players will get a day off from practice on Saturday but Patterson will look to retain his momentum when work starts up again on Sunday.

CLICK HERE for Coach Bowles' thoughts on a variety of subjects after Friday's practice.

August 6 Updates

In 2025, the Buccaneers ran a total of 52 offensive plays in which they had more than one running back on the field, mostly out of "21" formation, which signifies two backs, two receivers and one tight end. Those plays primarily featured the duo of Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, and the ball more commonly went to Irving on a handoff or White on a short pass. Irving ran 16 times and caught one pass out of two-back sets, while White ran seven times and caught seven passes.

Overall, it was a decent if not overwhelmingly successful strategy for the Bucs' in 2025. The Bucs averaged 4.7 yards play on those 52 snaps and had a success rate of 35%. That's lower than the success rate the team had out of 12 (44%) or 11 (42%) personnel. Still, the Bucs may see more two-back plays in 2026 due to the arrival of Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson and the intriguing pairing of White and Kenny Gainwell. That two-back approach has been noted on the practice field multiple times so far in training camp, and the team refers to it as it's "pony" package.

"That's the initial beginnings of it right now, when they're both on the field at the same time," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after practice on Thursday. "They both can flex out and play in the slot, they both can do jet motion, and they both can touch the ball. It makes it tough to figure out who's doing what."

For the record, the Robinson-led Falcons team in 2025, which featured the backfield duo of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, 101 plays out of 21 personnel, about double what the Bucs did and roughly 9.7% of their overall snaps. Their average yardage on those plays (4.8) was similar to the Bucs but they did have a higher success rate, at 44%.

The interesting part of the Irving-Gainwell pairing is that they are roughly the same size and generally are considered to have similar skill sets. Gainwell topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage last year and caught 73 passes; Irving lost a big chunk of his sophomore campaign to a shoulder injury but surpassed 1,500 yards from scrimmage as a rookie in 2024. Gainwell likes the idea of being on the field at the same time as his new backfield mate.

"I think it's a great thing getting both of us out there, and, you know, him being back balling – I'm super excited to see him back on the field," he said. "I think it's just great to see us both out there on the field at the same time – I love it."

CLICK HERE to hear more of Coach Bowles' thoughts after Thursday's practice.

August 4 Updates

Despite the departure of franchise icon Mike Evans in free agency, the Buccaneers' wide receiver depth chart is still loaded with high-quality options. Chris Godwin Jr. has four 1,000-yard seasons for Tampa Bay and has a lot of juice left going into his 10th season, in which he may once again be a dominant player in the slot. Emeka Egbuka was extremely productive as a rookie in 2025 and is in a great position to take another step forward as he settles into the "Z" position. Jalen McMillan returned from a scary preseason neck injury last year to impress down the stretch and looks like a good bet for a breakout campaign in his third year.

It would be surprising if those three didn't all end up in very significant roles once the regular season arrives, barring injuries. However, even beyond those three, there is plenty of intrigue and potential in the rest of the Bucs' group of receivers, and Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson thinks how the depth chart shakes out is a key competition to watch this month. One player in particular who seems to be making a case for a big role is second-year man Tez Johnson, who has been a big-play machine through the first week of camp.

"The wideout position is really deep," said Robinson. "I know we know the guys we're going to be really counting on. Let's find who those other guys are going to be. I know Tez has had a great camp, you guys have seen him out at practice. He's making explosive plays every single day. You feel his juice out there. He's done a great job from the spring to now with the offense. He's getting lined up in the right spots, he's doing a great job."

Johnson has plenty of competition. The Bucs used a third-round pick on Georgia State's Ted Hurst, who seems like the best fit on the roster as a true "X" receiver. Former undrafted player Kameron Johnson was mostly a kick returner last year but has had flashes during his first two seasons within the offense. Free agency addition David Sills followed Robinson over from Atlanta and is coming off his most productive NFL season; he's a big body who should benefit from his familiarity with the OC's system. Second-year man Garrett Greene converted from quarterback to receiver as a rookie in 2025 and looks like a sleeper candidate as both a receiver and a kick returner. Dennis Houston and undrafted rookies Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson round out the group.

"Obviously, Ted's coming along," said Robinson. "He's still young, still learning, still figuring everything out but he's been sharp so far. You've got Kam and Sills, some of these other guys that are really competing and doing a great job. All of them have made plays throughout camp; the ball's really kind of been going everywhere. It's been great."

CLICK HERE to read more about Tez Johnson's strong start to training camp.

August 3 Updates

The Buccaneers, who typically carry two quarterbacks on their regular season roster, actually rolled with three for the last six weeks of the 2025 season, the third being undrafted rookie Connor Bazelak. Since then, Jake Browning has replaced Teddy Bridgewater in the role of veteran backup with starting experience, but the Bucs have added another intriguing arm to the mix. While Bazelak is back, the Bucs signed another undrafted rookie this year in Kansas' Jalon Daniels.

If the Bucs chose to go with three passers on the active roster again in 2026, there could be a very interesting competition for that spot between Bazelak and Daniels. Even if the team goes back to the two-QB approach, there will definitely be a third on on the practice squad, so that competition still applies unless the Bucs choose to keep two quarterbacks on that unit.

Obviously, the Bucs came into this camp with a good feel for what Bazelak's strengths are, and they clearly see something they like in the former Bowling Green passer. Daniels is the new element, and one thing he has already established is that he has a live arm. In fact, Daniels has routinely made strong throws in situations where he's on the run, has to use an unusual arm angle or is unable to step into his throws. On Monday, he had one eye-opening rep in which a quickly collapsing pocket in front of him caused him to backpedal. As he was doing throw, he ripped a deep out to the left sideline – a sneakily difficult throw to make because of the width of the NFL field – where he found fellow undrafted rookie Eric Rivers for a nice gain.

"I like his arm strength," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He can make some very unconventional throws. Obviously, you want to see the normal stuff as well, but when he gets in trouble he can get himself out of trouble, and that's big."

Daniels got a lot of experience at Kansas, playing in 49 games from 2020-25. He compiled 9,282 passing yards and 67 touchdown passes in this games and also ran for another 1,445 yards and 23 touchdowns. He's hoping to get an opportunity he can have that sort of dual-threat impact at the NFL level. One thing helping his cause is his ability to make those "unconventional" throws.

CLICK HERE for more of Coach Bowles thoughts after Monday's practice, which was the first one in this camp to feature full pads.

July 31 Updates

Second-year cornerback Benjamin Morrison is currently missing practices at the Buccaneers' 2026 training camp due to a hamstring issue that has lingered from the offseason. The Bucs hope Morrison becomes available soon because he is supposed to be part of one of the most significant position battles in camp as the Bucs try to figure out their best combination at outside corner and nickel back.

In the meantime, however, young cornerbacks Ayden Garnes and Damarion Williams are taking advantage of the extra snaps available. The Buccaneers do run first, second and third-team defenses in training camp, but there's a lot of mixing around of personnel as well. Thus, it's not as simple as saying a player is getting "first-team snaps," but both Williams and Garnes have taken plenty of reps with much of the starting defense on the field during the first three days of camp.

Garnes joined the Buccaneers in May as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona and he was one of the team's top priorities during the frenzied signing period right after the draft. He has good speed (4.41-second 40-yard dash), he plays bigger than his 5-11, 181-pound frame and he produced five interceptions and 27 passes defensed over 42 games at Duquesne, West Virginia and Arizona.

"Very good cover skills," said Head Coach Todd Bowles of Garnes. "Very good cover guy. For a corner that small he's got great feet, he's got very good instincts."

Williams actually has previous NFL experience and is heading into his age-28 season. He was drafted by Baltimore in the fourth round in 2002 and appeared in 15 games for the Ravens over the next two seasons. He spent much of the 2024 season on Seattle's practice squad and signed with the Bucs' practice squad in late September of last season.

"He's got good athleticism," said Bowles. "That's what we saw when we signed him right there. Right now with the rotation being off, everybody's kind of going ones, two and threes, so we really don't look at who he's working with. He has very good athletic skills. He has some nickel flexibility as well. So I'm interested in seeing him in pads."

The Bucs will wear full pads in practice for the first time on Monday, August 3. That will provide both Garnes and Williams another opportunity to angle for one of the 70 combined spots on the active roster and practice squad when the regular season arrives.

CLICK HERE for a look at the action on the practice field at the Bucs' 2026 training camp.

July 30 Updates

Due to a wrist cleanup procedure he underwent after the Scouting Combine, rookie defensive back Keionte Scott mostly watched during the Buccaneers' OTA and minicamp practices. He's definitely making up for lost time now that training camp has begun.

When the Buccaneers drafted Scott out of Miami in the fourth round in April – believing they got a steal in the process – they pointed to his positional flexibility and suggested he had NFL potential at slot corner, outside corner and safety. They intended to work Scott in the slot first but were definitely planning to cross-train him at all three positions. Notably, he's the only player on the Bucs' roster listed as a "DB" instead of "CB" or "S."

Turns out the Bucs decided to throw the kitchen sink at Scott and have him work at all three spots right from the beginning of training camp. That's what he has done in the first two practices and Head Coach Todd Bowles has been impressed by the results.

"For him, it's been great," said Bowles. "He went yesterday for the first time after missing the whole spring. He played corner, he played nickel and he played safety. To process that kind of information and then come out on your first day and come out today and do what he's been doing has been phenomenal to see. It really helps him learn the defense, moving around playing different spots. His mind is outstanding, so we just look for him to keep getting better."

The Bucs have some roles to figure out in the secondary. Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith are essentially set at the two safety spots and Zyon McCollum should hold down one of the two outside corner spots. The other one could be contested between Scott, Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison, though Morrison is currently sidelined by injury. Parrish also was the Bucs' primary nickel and could stay in the slot or play a hybrid role where he's outside in base packages and inside when the Bucs go to nickel. That currently makes it unclear where Scott will land – possibly in the slot if Parrish plays on the outside full time – but his presences gives the coaching staff more options, especially if one of the other DBs is out due to injury.

"It helps in case of injury and [when] things come up," said Bowles. "You can juggle guys around that have done some things. You don't really have to panic."

With Jamel Dean now in Pittsburgh, McCollum is suddenly the elder statesman in the Bucs' cornerback room. Morrison, Parrish and Scott were all drafted in the last two years. McCollum, like Bowles, is already impressed with what his rookie teammate has proved capable of in the early going.

"They've probably thrown the most at him, and I understand it," said McCollum. "He's been playing safety, nickel and corner. He knows the entire defense. He didn't even take a rep in OTAs [and] he comes out here and he's already played all three spots. He's real cerebral, he's real smart, he understands the game, but he also has his hat on fire all the time. He brings the energy, so you can tell he's going to be a fun player to play with as he continues to grow."

CLICK HERE for more of Coach Bowles' thoughts after Thursday's practice.

July 29 Updates

On Tuesday, after veteran players reported to the AdventHealth Training Center for the start of the Buccaneers' 2026 training camp, the entire team took part in a traditional conditioning test. Unfortunately for Tristan Wirfs and Vita Vea, that bit of running will keep them off the field for some period of time to open camp.

After the first practice of camp on Wednesday morning, Head Coach Todd Bowles revealed that Wirfs suffered a hamstring injury during the conditioning test while Vea tweaked his back. Neither participated in Wednesday's practice and both are considered day to day.

Bowles was not sure of the severity of Wirfs' injury yet. Wirfs missed the first three games of last season after having a knee procedure in July but he came into this year's camp with a clean bill of health.

"Right now I'm not sure, I'll know more [later] today," said Bowles. "I would hope that it's not long, but we'll see."

Vea did not participate in the team's minicamp practices in June, though he was on hand and attended meetings. Bowles reported that Vea was doing fine in the conditioning test before his injury.

"He ran yesterday and he did good in the test and he tweaked something as well," said the coach. "So he's day to day as well.

"He's been engaged then and he's engaged now. Like I said, he came in great shape. His weight his good, he ran great yesterday, he tweaked something so we'll see how he feels."

Bowles also noted that second-year cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who was dealing with a hamstring injury at the end of the Bucs' offseason program, was limited for the first practice of camp.

"He's still working on his hamstring a little bit but he's day by day," said Bowles.

CLICK HERE for a photo gallery of Buccaneer players arriving for training camp.