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FAB 4. The Year Without Bucs Mini-Camps
The year 2020 marks my 25th season covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for you, the loyal PewterReport.com reader. As I begin this milestone season, I’m going to spend the next 25 weeks telling some never-before-told Bucs stories and recalling some of my most memorable moments in my professional journey.
This Buccaneers offseason is like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of the NCAA’s March Madness tournament, the suspension of the NHL and NBA seasons and the delay to the start of Major League Baseball.
Scott Reynolds and Charlie Campbell at IMG Academy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
It hasn’t affected the NFL much, as the league’s regular season doesn’t begin until early September. The NFL carried on with free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft, which was conducted virtually rather than in Las Vegas as planned.
But COVID-19 did force the cancellation of NFL mini-camps and OTAs this offseason, and for just the second time in my 24 years of covering the NFL, I wasn’t able to go to the team’s facility to see some spring football. The other time that happened was in 2011 during the NFL lockout when the NFL owners locked the players out of the team headquarters as negotiations with the NFL Players Association broke down in attempts to craft a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
That year, the Bucs players organized their own two-day mini-camp at the IMG Academy in Brandenton, Fla. Quarterback Josh Freeman, who was entering his third year in the league, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who was entering his second season in the NFL, and middle linebackers Mason Foster, who was a rookie, and Tyrone McKenzie called teammates to tell them to come to the unofficial voluntary workouts.
Former Bucs D-linemen Adrian Clayborn and Gerald McCoy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Without any coaches present, McCoy, defensive tackle Roy Miller and defensive end Michael Bennett led the defensive line drills, using the IMG Academy pop-up dummies and blocking shields. It was the first time defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who was Tampa Bay’s first-round pick, had practiced in the NFL.
Defensive tackle Brian Price, who was the Bucs’ second-round pick in 2010, was in attendance, but didn’t work out due to his recovery from season-ending hamstring injuries. I spoke with Price during one of the practices and he whipped out his phone and showed me the X-rays of his surgically-repaired hamstrings, which were fastened to screws in his hips.
Right there and then, I knew Price, who was overweight and looked like he was 330 pounds, would never be a dominant player. I have no idea how he recorded 24 tackles and three sacks in 14 starts in 2011, which was his last year in Tampa Bay. Price was out of the league by 2013.
Bucs O-line working at IMG Academy in Brandenton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Freeman threw the ball to Mike Williams and tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr., and tackles Donald Penn, Jeremy Trueblood and guards Davin Joseph and Jeremy Zuttah along with center Jeff Faine were in attendance on offense.
It was my first look at Foster, who was impressive and would ultimately beat out McKenzie for the starting MIKE linebacker role. Also in attendance on the defensive side were linebackers Geno Hayes and Quincy Black, along with defensive backs Aqib Talib, Ronde Barber and Tanard Jackson.
The new CBA was signed over the summer and the Bucs and the other 31 NFL teams reported for training camp. Coming off a 10-6 season the previous year, expectations were high for Tampa Bay in 2011, which was Raheem Morris’ third season as head coach.
The “Youngry” Bucs kicked off the preseason with a 25-0 win over the Chiefs on the road at Arrowhead Stadium and went 2-2 in August. Tampa Bay started the year 3-1 and then 4-2 before losing the final 10 games of the season – most of which came in blowout fashion.
Former Bucs LB Mason Foster and QB Josh Freeman – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Each of the Bucs’ four wins that season came by seven points or less, but a 48-3 loss at San Francisco in Week 5 was an ugly sign of things to come. Seven of the team’s 12 losses were by double-digits. The Bucs weren’t even competitive over the last five games of the 2011 campaign.
Week 13: Bucs lose vs. Panthers – 38-19
Week 14: Bucs lose at Jaguars – 41-14
Week 15: Bucs lose vs. Cowboys – 31-15
Week 16: Bucs lose at Panthers – 48-16
Week 17: Bucs lose at Falcons – 45-24
Who knows how much not having a regular offseason with mini-camps and OTAs affected the 2011 Buccaneers? Let’s just hope Tampa Bay’s 2020 season – a season without an offseason – doesn’t end in a similar fashion.
Stay tuned for another Bucs story from yesteryear in next week’s SR’s Fab 5. And if you missed my previous Bucs memories from the past 24 years of covering the team, click on the links below.
Bucs Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 197: Barrett's Franchise Tag Dilemma, Practice Update
Bucs OLB Pierre-Paul Had Knee Surgery
