On Thursday, the Bucs OTA started off with a little good news/bad news.

The good news was that it was hot enough to give the rookies a taste of what it would finally be like playing in the Florida heat. During most of the Rookie Mini-Camp and previous OTAs, the weather was as nice as it could be for this time of year. Today those rookies go their welcome to your climate kind of treatment.

The bad news was that it was hot for the media, too, and I’m not out here trying to prove anything other than how much I could sweat.

Offensive Inactive List

There was a laundry list of players who weren’t at practice, starting with the guys who were there, just not participating for various reasons. For the offense, the first was running back Jeremy McNichols, who will be on this list for all the OTAs until training camp. The other noted absence was wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Jackson was at the first open OTA back in May, but was not in attendance today. There was no reported reason for him being missing in action, so it shouldn’t be anything to be alarmed about.

Godwin Shines On Signing Day

On the day where Chris Godwin signed his rookie contract – making him the final rookie of the Buccaneers 2017 draft class to be signed – the third-round selection showed why he can be worth every bit of that money he will make over the next few years.

Unfortunately due to the window of time the media was allowed to take video and photos, we weren’t able to get the great grabs Godwin displayed towards the end of practice. But, believe us when we say they were there. In terms of practice, Godwin’s day was nearly flawless. He was lined up as the team’s No. 2 wide receiver, opposite Mike Evans, due to Jackson’s absence, and had grabs over Ryan Smith, Brent Grimes and Chris Conte.

In Godwin’s first day in a Buccaneers helmet during the Rookie Mini-Camp, you could tell he was a bit nervous. As of today, those nerves seem to be long gone (at least when it comes to practicing in shorts). Now we wait for the pads to come on during training camp to see what he can really do.

Hump Day

Adam Humphries seemed to be the forgotten man during the offseason. There was talk about adding offensive weapons all over the field, and Humphries was often one of the pieces from last year who fans thought was easily replaceable.

However, on Thursday, Humphries reminded us once again why he made this team last year and just how dependable he is. When it comes to the wide receiver position, we often get caught up in the flash; the long speed, the athletic jumping, the one-handed catches. But on a play-to-play basis, the expectation for receivers doesn’t change: get open and catch the ball. Humphries does those two staples as good as any wide receiver on this team, even if his way has a lower ceiling and is less flashy.

Humphries also took the first-team punt return duties.

Martin on the Move

Ever since running back Doug Martin returned to the Buccaneers’ facility, the vibe around him has been positive on all accounts (players, coaches, etc.).

Martin looked good in the first OTA the media was able to see back in May, but today he looked like he was on another level. Head coach Dirk Koetter has stated that he thinks Martin looks as good as he’s seen him, and that includes the year he was the second leading rusher in the NFL.

Today, he certainly looked that part. As an example in the clip above, Martin was flying and giving great effort no matter what route he was running. He burned staring linebacker, Lavonte David, in the first part of 11-on-11, and his day was consistently good since that. He did drop one pass later in the practice, but the good far outweighed the bad.

A motivated Martin with an offensive line that knows they have a lot to prove could be the perfect mix for a running game to compliment the passing game.

From the Notepad

• Mike Evans and Jameis Winston looked to have good chemistry on the day. There was one play in particular where Evans “Moss’d” (definition: to “Randy Moss” a defensive back by snagging a 50/50 ball) cornerback Maurice Fleming. Welcome to the NFL, rookie.
• Former Florida State wide receiver Bobo Wilson looked pretty good today. In the wide receiver drills, he was explosive in and out of his routes and looks to have another gear in terms of speed than some of these other wide receivers. Wilson also took reps as a punt returner.
• The offensive line group remained the same. Dotson, Smith, Marpet, Sweezy and Pamphile are still the first-team players, and we don’t expect that to change before training camp.
• O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate alternated with first-team reps at the tight end position, but Brate played more as the first tight end out. He and Winston had a few good catches over the middle, and their chemistry appears to be starting right where it left off in 2016 where Brate had the most touchdowns in the NFL for a tight end.