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The Bucs held their long-awaited joint practice with the Steelers on Thursday afternoon. Pittsburgh hosted Tampa Bay at Acrisure Stadium, with practice beginning at 2:00 PM and going until about 4:15 PM. The weather was partly cloudy with a high in the low 80’s, which was welcome respite from the sweltering Florida heat.

Both teams got in competitive work with players on each side of the football surprising and making it a session worthy of the fanfare. This was after the team practiced at Carnegie Mellon University on Wednesday. Pewter Report’s Matt Matera and Adam Slivon were on hand for the practice.

Bucs Who Were In And Out Of Practice

There were a couple of returns for the Bucs during Thursday’s joint practice. Wide receivers Trey Palmer and Kameron Johnson came back after at least two weeks of being sidelined.

Still out for the Bucs was Antoine Winfield Jr, Benjamin Morrison, Bryce Hall and Rachaad White. Also out for the first time was Tyrek Funderburk and veteran outside linebacker Anthony Nelson.

Rookie undrafted free agent JJ Roberts was injured during special teams drills. Todd Bowles said he’ll get X-Rays and and MRI on Friday.

Bucs’ Defense Goes Blow For Blow With Aaron Rodgers, Steelers’ Offense

The Bucs’ defense had a big test today facing a Steelers’ offense led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. While it is Rodgers’ first year in Pittsburgh, the grizzly veteran is in his 21st NFL season. That experience was something head coach Todd Bowles pointed to in a way his unit could get better.

“It teaches you discipline, because he’s a very good hard-count guy,” Bowles said. “He can see the field better than anybody, so if anybody is tipping a blitz or tipping a coverage in any way, he’s going to find it. It teaches us a lot of discipline.”

Tampa Bay’s linebackers and secondary got their first taste during one-on-ones to begin practice. It was a lot of back-and-forth as guys rotated in and out between each rep.

That was something inside linebacker Nick Jackson reflected on with Pewter Report after practice.

“It was kind of surreal,” Jackson said about the opportunity to be out there and getting an extended chance to showcase his skills. “I was actually talking with somebody over there, I was just like, ‘First time when you run out there, WOAH.’ Dudes that you’ve seen on TV growing up your whole life, and then it’s just back to football. It was an honor to be here and being able to compete every single day.”

Cornerback Jamel Dean kicked off the action lined up against wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. Dean had a pass breakup, and the secondary had the upper hand to begin the practice period.

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Adam Slivon/PR

Cornerback Zyon McCollum followed with a tight coverage rep on second-year receiver Roman Wilson and almost had an interception. After doing a “very good job” in Bowles’ eyes on Wednesday, cornerback JayVian Farr bobbled a Skylar Thompson pass thrown his way and came down with an interception. It was a scrappy play, and Farr has had a nice start since signing with the team earlier this week.

It then became a test as Pittsburgh’s offense began hitting its stride. Running back Kenneth Gainwell had a nice catch down the right sideline over inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis for what looked to be a touchdown.

Perhaps the biggest play of the whole one-on-one session happened when fan favorite safety Shilo Sanders played sticky coverage on Pat Freiermuth. Despite being as close as he could to the 6-foot-5, 258-pound tight end, Sanders could not prevent Freiermuth from making a great one-handed catch in the left end zone on a pass where Rodgers put it in a spot only he could grab it.

Bucs S Shilo Sanders – Photo by: Adam Slivon/PR

Moving to 11-on-11s, the biggest observation was just how stout the Bucs’ run defense was. Granted it wasn’t full-on tackle football, but the front seven plugged up every hole Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson wanted to run through. Dennis blew up one Warren run in the backfield for a tackle for loss, while defensive tackle (and former Pitt Panther) Calijah Kancey felt right at home and had quality reps. Outside linebacker Chris Braswell was another player who set the edge well and thwarted any chance of the run game breaking one.

Metcalf had his moments during this session, including picking up a first down on a wide receiver screen and leaped to make a grab over Dean.

It was Dean who would make a scene to end practice, though.

With the Steelers’ running a two-minute offense to end practice following the Bucs’ getting a touchdown, the veteran cornerback leaped, extracting every inch out of his vertical across the middle to break up a pass intended for Metcalf. For being the highest-paid cornerback, he has started to look more like it with back-to-back solid showings in practice.

– Pewter Report’s Adam Slivon contributed this section.

Bucs WRs Electrify All Throughout Practice

Thursday’s joint practice against the Pittsburgh Steelers was the first true test to see how the Bucs’ talented wide receiver room would look against a just as stout Pittsburgh secondary that has three great corners. While Mike Evans doesn’t need to prove anything, he showed why he’s the greatest offensive player in Bucs history. 

Although the fade to the corner of the end zone is not used as much anymore, that doesn’t apply to Evans. He still looks unstoppable whenever he’s going to the corner of the end zone, but this one meant more because he was going against star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. 

Anytime there’s a matchup of two greats, it becomes an absolute spectacle. Yet the show was all about Evans on Thursday. Each team began practice in goal situations where Baker Mayfield found Evans in the back left of the end zone with Ramsey trailing, who then complained to the referee after.  

Then they went to one-on-ones and Evans went deep on Ramsey, had a step ahead and caught the ball in the back of the end zone again with the players colliding into each other after. Evans laid on the ground for a second and then popped up smiling over his accomplishment.

Bucs WRs Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and OC Josh Grizzard – Photo by: Matt Matera/PR

To close things out in a two minute drill Evans scored on the last offensive play of the day for the Bucs with a catch in the middle of the end zone from a Mayfield throw. The coverage on the play was Ramsey again. Evans will not participate in the preseason game on Saturday, with his performance today it’s a well earned day off. 

During that two-minute drill at the end of practice, Jalen McMillan showed that his aggressiveness going after the ball continued to get better and better. He caught one ball on the right side jumping over the defender and making the completed catch. Then he did almost the exact same thing on the left side of the field for another big completion. McMillan may not be as consistent as Evans or Egbuka, but his big play ability has helped out the Bucs in so many ways.

And speaking of Egbuka, he has this ability to make corners attempting to defend him. The player that had the toughest time against Egbuka was second year corner Beanie Bishop Jr., who Egbuka completely smoked in one on ones. Later on he beat Brandin Echols for a big play. Egbuka had several 25-yard receptions on the day.

– Pewter Report’s Matt Matera contributed this section.

Other Moments From Bucs’ Offense

It was another turnover free day again for the quarterbacks. Baker Mayfield was very accurate and played the hits again by finding his best receivers.

Kyle Trask and Teddy Bridgewater were rather average during practice. There were no big plays, more short completions. Bridgewater did have a nice touchdown throw to running back Josh Williams during goal line drills across the middle of a slant. 

Bucky Irving was productive on the ground with several runs of five yards or more. He also punched in a touchdown during goal line. Expect to see him in the end zone often. Williams looked really good as well, making many cuts and showing his prowess in the game.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving and WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Matt Matera/PR

It wasn’t the best day for Bucs’ tight end Cade Otton. He couldn’t create much separation between defenders in one-on-ones and team drills. Otton also fumbled the football when trying to make a play for the end zone as it was punched out. 

The Bucs’ offensive line did a really good job of handling blitzes, which is also a big credit to Baker Mayfield for identifying when a free man was rushing in. There was no Cam Heyward for the Steelers as he continues to hold out for a new contract, but offensive line was doing their job by keeping the pressure on all the quarterbacks at a minimum. Right tackle Luke Goedeke got called for a hold on outside linebacker T.J. Watt during 11-on-11s, but that was the only blemish on a good outing by the team.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke and RG Cody Mauch – Photo by: Matt Matera/PR

– Pewter Report’s Matt Matera contributed this section.

Notes and Observations:

• Speaking with the media after practice, head coach Todd Bowles revealed that veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will be making “an appearance” during Saturday night’s preseason game against the Steelers. Asked further about why Bridgewater has factored into the picture so quickly, Bowles pointed to the fact that Bridgewater has a decade of NFL experience and has picked up the offense at a great pace.
• During 11-on-11s, running back Sean Tucker ripped off two consecutive explosive screen passes on the right sideline. That could become an early-season offensive staple without left tackle Tristan Wirfs. It’s a chance for offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard to take advantage of the athleticism along the right sideline of the offensive line.
• Talking further with Pewter Report’s Adam Slivon after practice, inside linebacker Nick Jackson shared what he has learned from veterans like Lavonte David, Deion Jones, and Anthony Walker Jr.

“They’ve taught me so much,” Jackson said. I feel like we have so many coaches in the room because of them. Between [inside linebackers] coach [Mike] Caldwell, all the coaches, and then Lavonte, Deion, A-Walk, Voss, AG [Antonio Grier Jr.], all those guys. We just learn from each other, and I mean, I learn from them [laughs]. Those guys, every single play they have something to coach me on. Just trying to be a sponge. It’s hard to remember every single detail, but just trying to write everything down and go over it. Learn as much as I can from them because those guys have had some storied careers and it’d be an honor just to have half of those careers.”

– Pewter Report’s Adam Slivon contributed this section.