Sometimes the biggest news out of practice doesn’t come from who’s on the field, but rather who isn’t. That was the case on Monday, as the Buccaneers practiced in the morning for the first time all camp.

The first thing we look for once practice gets underway is which players have their helmets on. Right away we noticed Bucs linebacker Lavonte David did not. This was David’s third straight missed practice with an added rest day in between. That, in itself, was not a good sign. The even worse sign was that he was not even on the sidelines; he wasn’t there at all.

After practice we learned why.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians told the media after practice that David had a minor procedure on his knee to repair what he called “a little meniscus tear.” He said that they would be holding him out for a while, but that it shouldn’t impact his availability in the regular season.

A Starter At Right Guard

A big question mark going into camp for the Buccaneers was who was going to emerge as the starter at right guard. After rotating multiple linemen there last season (all mostly failed experiments), the Bucs very much needed someone to step up.

It appears someone has.

Second-year offensive lineman Alex Cappa has been starting at the right guard position and running with the first team since camp opened. He’s been solid — aka he hasn’t been so bad we’ve had to note that as a problem.

It appears he’ll get the first crack at the starting job during the preseason, and as of now that should be an encouraging sign.

DBs Are Getting Aggressive

Last season the Buccaneers defensive backs were in no way aggressive. Depending on which side you listened to, that might have been because the players weren’t good enough, or it was because the coaches weren’t good enough.

Well, a week and a half into camp this year, with generally the same players, and we’re seeing much better results with a new coaching staff.

Even when playing off coverage, the Buccaneers defensive backs were jumping all over quick routes and quick passes. They were playing with top notch anticipation and were jumping on things quickly.

Sometimes it resulted in pass break ups, but other times, as shown above, it resulted in turnovers.

I can’t remember a training camp where I’ve seen this many good plays from the Bucs defensive backs.

Tight End Passing Game

When Bruce Arians was hired as head coach, some asked what would become of tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, two players who the Bucs have spent a lot of resources on, citing that Arians has never really emphasized tight ends before.

Let me tell you: In this offense, he’s going to.

We’re seeing much more passing over the middle this training camp, which I also believe lends to Winston’s strengths. And who are the main two players who are going to be over the middle?

You guessed it: Howard and Brate.

And it’s not just in the middle of the field, either. Arians hasn’t held back in utilizing both Howard and Brate in the end zone. Both of these players should still see plenty of looks in 2019.

White Watch – Lack Of Plays His Way

Bucs rookie middle linebacker Devin White is entering his first NFL training camp in Tampa Bay this season. With some high expectations for the fifth overall pick in the draft, White has already been installed as the play-caller of a brand new defense. PewterReport.com will chronicle each of White’s practices during training camp in the White Watch.

The Bucs went with shoulder pads, helmets, and shorts as they returned to practice on Monday. It was primarily a passing day with what they had on, so Devin White was only limited with what he could do.

Coach Bruce Arians commented after practice that the defense looked a little slower than the offense. White wasn’t off his game by any means, but when the entire unit looks lethargic, it can indirectly affect an individual.

For one of the opening drills in 11-on-11, he had a fast reaction to run play but over pursued and got into the wrong lane, where he was locked up by Alex Cappa. This led to a long run for Ronald Jones on a play that could have been stopped for a minimum gain.

Other than that run, White wasn’t involved on too many plays. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing because he was still active and attentive on the field, the ball just didn’t find him.

One thing that wasn’t missing for White was his ever-boding confidence. On top of that confidence though was a little bit of cockiness that we haven’t seen as much from White. In a red zone drill, he was involved in a pass breakup on a ball to Peyton Barber at the goal line, it was well covered by the rookie, and he had a brief celebration after making the play, crossing his arms while flexing.

White did get to blitz on a couple plays in the following 11-on-11, but it went to no avail. The next two parts of practice were a 7-on-7 and a two minute drill, where White was in pass coverage. In that time, the ball wasn’t thrown his way, but he was on point with his responsibilities.