Pewter Report’s Bucs Camp Diaries, a popular training camp feature on PewterReport.com, returns in 2022. We are fortunate to have two really good players to profile in veteran defensive end Pat O’Connor and rookie running back Rachaad White, the Bucs’ third-round pick.

O’Connor will offer up his perspective of Todd Bowles’ defense and special teams. White will take readers through the experience of rookie life in his first training camp in Tampa Bay in the Bucs offense. Look for O’Connor and White’s Bucs Camp Diaries each week throughout training camp and the preseason.

O’Connor is heading into his sixth NFL season with the Bucs. After moving up and down from the practice squad to the active roster, he has solidified himself on the 53-man roster over the last two years in the rotation on the defensive line. O’Connor has notched 1.5 sacks over the past two years and he’s also carved out a niche as a core special teamer. He’ll compete in training camp again to earn a roster spot this season, and also has an opportunity to earn a role as a special teams captain.

O’Connor re-signed with the Bucs on a one-year deal this offseason. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Saints last year, but he is fully cleared and ready to roll for camp.

It’s A Lot More Fun This Year

By Pat O’Connor as told by Matt Matera

It was nice getting a sack on Saturday. We had a nice little corner blitz. Dee Delaney kind of made him step up, and I was just there kind of bullying the tight end. You never lose to the tight end. So, just kind of props off to Dee Delaney and the rest of the boys. I had a little celebration. That’s Nelly’s [sack celebration]. Nelly (Anthony Nelson) was doing it earlier. It’s like a ‘Yes, yes, yes!

As a defense we take pride as a whole in stopping the run. We held them to limited rushing yards and that’s all we strive for. Then on third-and-long, we can kick back. We know what’s coming, we don’t have to read nothing, just kind of hit it and get it. So I mean, we’re excited about our third-down defense, yeah we killed it on Saturday. We played as a group. Everyone played on all cylinders, no one slacked or anything, we kind of just over-communicated, played hard and had fun. As a collective, we all played together and we played well.

Stunts And Twists On The Defensive Line

We’ve got a lot more athletic guys [in Akiem Hicks and Logan Hall] now to do some twists upfront. You know slimmer builds, but we’re still heavy and we can hold our weight. When we get those little twists and stuff to confuse the offensive line, it always helps out. It always works instead of just going straight ahead all day. We have more athletic guys now so we can do a lot more with it. It’s a lot more fun this year.

Music Added To The Stretching Session In Practice

Hell yeah I’m a fan of it of adding music to practice. I don’t have any say in it, but I’m sure like Lavonte [David] and them do. But yeah, it’s a nice little energy kick, nothing too crazy. It’s always good to have something different and everyone embraces it, so I’m a fan of it.

Hitting The Road To Play Against Tennessee

Same focus, can’t make anything different. You know, you can’t change anything up. You just have to hit the field the same way you do every day. That’s about it, nothing too crazy. It’s going to be fun.

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