FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• I’m not kidding when I say that Bucs middle linebacker Kwon Alexander has really been working on his pass coverage skills this offseason. Coming off a season where he had only seven pass breakups and one interception, Alexander needed to work on this area of his game.

Bucs MLB Kwon Alexander – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

A case in point was the Dallas game last year in which Alexander had a career-high 21 tackles. Nearly half of those came against Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten, who caught all 10 passes thrown his way for 51 yards, picking up several first downs in the process in the Cowboys’ 26-20 victory on Sunday Night Football. While Alexander had a forced fumble in that game, he didn’t have a single pass breakup.

“His feel for coverages and the passing game has definitely improved,” Bucs tight end Cameron Brate said during the OTAs. “We can’t do too much work in the run game right now without pads, but the way he’s seeing the game and the way our defense plays, which is a lot of Cover 2 Quarters where the middle linebacker will match up with the inside receiver, so he’s been covering the tight ends a lot. Definitely from where he was at last year to this year there has been a huge improvement in terms of his feel for the position, or the little things like re-routing us and anticipating our breaks.

“He’s always been a great athlete, but it’s definitely harder to get separation from him now. You can be the best athlete in the world, and it’s still hard to cover people. You have to have a feel for it. He’s improved in that area. All of the linebackers have really done a great job in that area. They’ve all put in the work and they are staying after practice and catching balls. [Bucs linebackers] Coach [Mark] Duffner is on them about that. I’m really excited about Kwon and the rest of our linebackers this year.”

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• In order to secure a roster spot with the arrival of running back Jeremy McNichols, the team’s fifth-round pick, Bucs running back Peyton Barber will need to show that he is capable of ripping off some big runs as that is a big area of emphasis for Tampa Bay’s ground game in 2017. The Bucs only had five runs of 20 yards or longer last year, which was the lowest amount since having seven in 2011 and eight in 2014. By contrast, Tampa Bay had 20 runs of 20 yards or more in 2015 – led by Doug Martin’s 14 – and had 16 in 2010, while posting 12 in both 2009 and in 2012.

Rodgers led the Bucs with three runs longer than 20 yards last year, while Charles Sims and Barber each contributed one run of 20 yards or more. Barber’s came on a 44-yard touchdown run in a win at San Francisco. That run was his longest since high school as Barber’s farthest run at Auburn was a 36-yarder against San Jose State. That run came in Barber’s best college game where he rushed for 147 yards and five touchdowns on 28 carries in a 35-21 win.

Tampa Bay was the only NFL team last year not to have an offensive play travel at least 50 yards, and that has to change in 2017. Quarterback Jameis Winston’s longest pass was a 45-yarder to wide receiver Mike Evans. Rodgers had the longest run for the Bucs, a 45-yard jaunt against San Francisco.

• Bucs training camp begins next Friday, so make sure you follow PewterReport.com on social media for all of the updates from practices and press conferences, in addition to getting updates on the latest stories to hit our website. To join our 25,500 followers on Twitter, click here to follow @PewterReport. To follow us on Facebook, click here.

• One of the biggest gripes that NFL fans have is the price of stadium food and drink on top of high ticket prices. It’s rare that I throw some love at one of the Bucs’ NFC South opponents, but the Atlanta Falcons have earned my admiration for their commitment to lowering food and beverage prices at their new Mercedes-Benz stadium, which is set to open this year. The Falcons will have $2 hot dogs, $2 sodas and $5 beers.

Former Bucs general manager and current Falcons president Rich McKay explained the decision to Fast Company.

“Every year we survey them on everything,” McKay said via ProFootballTalk.com. “Every year they say the same thing: Food and beverage, don’t like the value, don’t like the price.

“Our tickets in the NFL are not inexpensive, and we can’t use this as an opportunity to hit them harder.”

As a member of the media, I’ve received free food and drinks for the past 23 years covering the Buccaneers in the press box, but when I took my kids to see Kansas State play Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl two years and paid $18 for two beers, I felt the pain that season ticket and individual ticket holders feel every Sunday at the concession stands. For $28 I can feed my whole family – two beers included – in Atlanta. For the sake of their fans, I hope the Bucs and other NFL teams follow suit.

• I’m excited to welcome back Holy Hog BBQ as a PewterReport.com advertising partner. I’ll admit it. Being from Kansas City, I’m a barbeque snob. I know quality barbeque when I taste it, and there’s nothing in the Tampa Bay area that comes close to the great barbeque I’m used to than Holy Hog BBQ. Whether it’s the pulled pork, the fall-off-the-bone ribs or the brisket, Holy Hog BBQ smokes meat like no one else. If you haven’t given them a try, you’re really missing out.

Holy Hog BBQ has five locations, including the original on Armenia Avenue close to Raymond James Stadium, Henderson Avenue in South Tampa, Dale Mabry in Carrollwood, downtown Tampa and at Amalie Arena for concerts and Tampa Bay Lightning games. Holy Hog BBQ owner Daniel Hernandez is a longtime Bucs season ticket holder, so when you eat at his restaurants you’re supporting a local business and a fellow Tampa Bay fan.

Check out their online menu and find their locations by clicking on the Holy Hog BBQ banner or visit HolyHogBBQ.com.

• If you want to meet Bucs safety Keith Tandy, he will be PewterReport.com’s special guest at Ford’s Garage in Brandon on Tuesday, July 25, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. for the live taping of our next Pewter Nation Podcast. Tandy will be talking Bucs football as the team readies for training camp and answering fans questions and signing autographs. That edition of the Pewter Nation Podcast will post to PewterReport.com on Wednesday.

Ford’s Garage is one of PewterReport.com’s sponsors and the address for the Brandon location is 11105 Causeway Boulevard. Ford’s Garage has a new location open in Wesley Chapel and one opening soon in Westchase. You can find all of the locations and menu options at FordsGarageUSA.com.

• And finally, Bucs tight end Cameron Brate shared a funny story about new tight end Antony Auclair, who hails from Canada and is a bit of a fish out of water playing in Tampa Bay and living in America for the first time.

Bucs TE Antony Auclair – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“He was asking me where a place was and I told him it was a 10-minute Uber ride. Then he asked me for the phone number to Uber,” Brate said. “I thought he was kidding, but he wasn’t. That was pretty funny. He’s a really nice guy and really down to earth.

“He’s just learning the game because he showed me his highlight tape from playing up in Canada with their rules, and he’s running in motion 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage and the field is huge. At one point, a guy caught a punt and punted it back to the other team. It was crazy. I don’t know what was going on. But he’s a good-sized kid and a good athlete. He works very hard and is always studying. He knows the playbook as well as any other rookie at this point. The future is bright for him for sure.”