Zyon McCollum Pass Breakup
During the red zone period, Baker Mayfield targeted Cade Otton on the corner route. After going in motion prior to the snap, Otton lost Christian Rozeboom and Antoine Winfield Jr. raced towards Otton to disrupt the catch window and close the zone void. Zyon McCollum, who was the man cover responsibility for Tez Johnson, tracked the ball and jumped the route, plucking the ball away just as it arrived. McCollum, who enters his fifth season, has showcased his ball skills during camp. He has displayed his physicality in coverage, fluid feet to match releases and ability to phase routes with patience. On a run-heavy day at practice, McCollum made a standout play as practice concluded inside the AdventHealth Training Center.
Alex Anzalone Chats Pass-Catching Backs
Throughout training camp, Buccaneers inside linebacker Alex Anzalone has been tasked with covering running backs Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell in coverage. On Monday in the AdventHealth Training Center, the Bucs utilized a run-heavy script during practice and Anzalone helped set the tone in the middle of Todd Bowles' defense. In Zac Robinson's retooled offense featuring heavy play-action, pre-snap motion, multiple personnel groupings including having both backs on the field and an uptick in wide zone runs, Anzalone has flowed from sideline-to-sideline covering the flats and following the action. Gainwell is a slasher with outstanding change of direction and adjusting his rush course when needed. He keeps his pads square to bounce off tacklers and Irving pairs panoramic vision with exceptional lateral jump cuts. Irving has the contact balance for duties between the tackles and both backs have a pass-catching upside that Robinson has maximized on screens and routes out of the slot in the short-to-intermediate area.
"I think Gainwell has a really good feel on his option routes and just being a former receiver, I think that playing against him in a game, he is one of the matchups that typically I would cover the tight end but they put me on Gainwell just because of that matchup," said Anzalone. "Playing against Bucky, I think he has grown a lot in his route running and they are asking him to do a little bit more which is good."
Reimagined 2026 Offense
In the Buccaneers new offensive system, which will feature more wide zone runs which require lateral steps and reach blocks to stretch the defense horizontally, there has also been an increase in tight end utilization in the passing game, whether on crossers, out-breakers, motions or chip and releases. Cade Otton has shown his prowess at running a full route tree, evidenced by his 2024 tape where he was called upon to supplement the production of injured Chris Godwin Jr. He ran options, wheels, corners and digs at a high level to spur the offense. Throughout training camp, Otton has been a focal point in the offense and security blanket for Baker Mayfield, whether in the red area, two-minute or to move the chains during team sessions. The multi-faceted tight end discussed his role in Robinson's reconstructed offense and the optimism surrounding the 2026 unit.
"I am really excited about some of the stuff that he is calling and showing us with some stuff they did in Atlanta and then some new stuff he is bringing here but the vertical, play-action pass game, just how we are marrying the run and pass and how the tight ends are involved in that, I think we are going to be a big part of it," noted Otton. "You have to earn it during camp and you have to show you can do it and that is kind of what I am focused on…I think he has a great vision for how that [wide zone runs] will marry with the play action game and gap scheme and all those different things."
