FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• PewterReport.com’s Trevor Sikkema and I reached a conclusion about cornerback Brent Grimes while chatting in practice last week. With Grimes out with an undisclosed injury and not suiting up for the preseason opener in Miami, Sikkema and I have concluded that Grimes is actually an in-camp hold out … for zero more dollars. What we mean – in a joking way – is that Grimes isn’t going to practice because the only thing that is going to happen for the 35-year old cornerback that has played a million years in Mike Smith’s defense dating back to their time together in Atlanta is that Grimes could hurt.

Bucs CB Brent Grimes & DC Mike Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Grimes isn’t going to get any better in practice. Entering his 12th season, Grimes is as good as he’s going to get. He isn’t going to learn the defense any better. He’s already mastered the plays, schemes and concepts – and he probably just doesn’t want to practice, either. What 12-year veteran actually likes training camp?

It’s a smart move for both Grimes and the Bucs to hold him out because he is their best cornerback and one only has to look back to the Minnesota game in Week 2 to realize how important he is to Tampa Bay’s secondary. Plus, Grimes’ absence from practice gives more reps to the Bucs’ young cornerbacks, especially rookies Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart, to aid in their development.

• The Bucs preseason is here and you can listen to the analysis from the Pewter Reporters in each episode the Pewter Nation Podcasts. PewterReport.com’s Mark Cook and Trevor Sikkema and myself talked about what we saw in Bucs camp leading up to the preseason opener versus the Dolphins in Episode 86: We’re Going To Miami. That episode was filled with some great insight and hilarious commentary, too. We’ll be taping a new Pewter Nation Podcast on Friday recapping the Bucs vs. Dolphins game, so be sure to listen to that at lunch, on your way home from work or during the weekend.

The popularity of the Pewter Nation Podcast continues to grow. In addition to listening to the Pewter Nation Podcasts on PewterReport.com you can also subscribe to the free podcasts at PodBean by clicking here and on SoundCloud by clicking here. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

• The @PewterReport Twitter account continues to grow rapidly. We’re up to 29,400 visitors as we are gaining about new 100 visitors a week now. Join the crowd! Make sure you are following PewterReport.com on Twitter so you don’t miss out on cool practice videos and important news and injury updates.

Become one of the 29,400 Twitter followers of @PewterReport prior to Tampa Bay’s 2018 regular season. If you want updates from Bucs press conferences, training camp practices and new PewterReport.com story notifications be sure to follow us on Twitter and help us grow to 30,000. To follow @PewterReport on Twitter please click here, and to follow us on Facebook please click here.

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• I enjoyed speaking with Bucs running back Jacquizz Rodgers in camp. He’s a quiet guy that certainly doesn’t seek attention, but he’ll play a big role behind the scenes in helping rookie running backs Ronald Jones II and Shaun Wilson develop. I asked Rodgers who were some of the veteran guys he looked up to when he came into the league with Atlanta in 2011 and then spent the 2015 season in Chicago before coming to Tampa Bay in 2016.

Bucs RB Jacquizz Rodgers – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

“I’ve been able to play with guys from Stephen Jackson to Michael Turner to Matt Forte, so I’ve been in running back rooms with great guys and all of them do things different that can help,” Rodgers said. “Matt Forte is a guy I know that takes care of his body and he’s a do-everything-right kind of guy, and he played as long as he wanted and he could have kept playing if he wanted to.

“When you get drafted, you know you’ve got years to play, but you can’t get in that mindset. Around year three or four, as you get older and realize guys don’t make it that long. They make it two or three years and sometimes not even that. You just try to find tools from everybody to stay in the league, and during the offseason I work with Tramon Williams, he’s a cornerback for the Green Bay Packer. I’ve been watching him since he was fighting for a job coming in the league, and now he’s signing multi-million dollar contracts. So he’s a good guy to follow because I’ve seen him make it as an undrafted free agent to what he has become now. I just try to pass that stuff on to the younger guys.”

Rodgers doesn’t just have the respect from the Bucs’ other running backs. He also has it throughout the locker room.

“Quizz is great to have in the locker room just because he’s a vet in the truest sense,” Bucs left guard Ali Marpet said. “He conducts himself in such a profession manner. You can see it on the field, obviously, but off the field he conducts himself in such a professional manner that really helps the team.”

• And speaking of Rodgers, I asked him to give me his analysis of Tampa Bay’s lead running backs – Peyton Barber and rookie Ronald Jones II. He’s spent time with each young runner in practice and the film room trying to make them better football players.

Bucs RB Peyton Barber – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Peyton is one of those guys that is able to do both – he’s got the power and he’s got the moves, too,” Rodgers said. “He’s got some wiggle for his size, so that makes him a tough person to tackle and want to be in front of, because a guy with that size and that weight coming at you, you don’t know what he’s going to do. It keeps people on their toes so it’s only going to help him – and us. He’s going to have a good year.

“Rojo has that ‘take it to the house’ speed. So guys like that, you have to account for. When you’ve got a guy who can break a 70- or 80-yarder, guys are going to have their eyes on him because he’s got that long speed. Explosive plays, that’s what I see from him this year.”

• PewterReport.com has official partnerships with WFLA News Channel 8 and 620 WDAE that begin during Bucs training camp. The PewterReport.com staff will be on News Channel 8 and the WFLA.com sports website regularly with insight and analysis from Bucs camp, as well as in-studio appearances on News Channel 8’s Bucs Bonus Show Sunday nights after the 11:00 p.m. newscast. Here is video of my appearance on last week’s News Channel 8 Super Sports Sunday Show with Dan Lucas and Annie Sabo that you can view by clicking here.

News Channel 8’s Annie Sabo and PewterReport.com’ Scott Reynolds

Mark Cook was on the News Channel 8 Bucs Bonus post-game show with Lucas and Sabo following Tampa Bay’s 26-24 win in Miami. You can view two of those segments here.  And I believe I will be on the Sunday Bucs Bonus on News Channel 8 at 11:35 p.m. ET on Sunday recapping the Bucs’ victory and looking ahead to the team’s joint practices withe the Titans and next week’s game at Tennessee. We’re still confirming my appearance. It could be Trevor Sikkema this week. Either way, it will be worth your time, so tune in on Sunday night.

• PewterReport.com’s regularly scheduled appearances on 620 WDAE continue with me joining J.P. Peterson on-air at 4:30 p.m. Here is the full schedule of PewterReport.com appearances during Bucs camp:

Friday August 10 – Scott Reynolds w/JP (4:30pm)
Monday August 13 – Trevor Sikkema w/Ronnie & TKras (8:15am)

Friday August 17 – Mark Cook w/JP (4:30pm)
Monday August 20 – Scott Reynolds w/Ronnie & TKras (8:15am)

Friday August 24 – Trevor Sikkema w/JP (4:30pm)
Monday August 27 – Mark Cook w/Ronnie & TKras (8:15am)

Friday August 31 – Scott Reynolds w/JP (4:30pm)
Tuesday September 4 – Trevor Sikkema w/Ronnie & TKras (8:15am)

• And finally, I want to welcome Corona Light as a new PewterReport.com advertising partner. I’ll admit that Corona Light is my favorite lager and summertime beer. It’s cool, easy to drink when it’s hot out, and quite flavorful – especially with a lime. If you are of legal drinking age and it’s been a while since you’ve had a Corona Light, stop by the store, grab a six-pack and enjoy. And please remember to always drink responsibly.

I’ve been pursuing a partnership with Corona Light for quite some time – dating back to when former Bucs head coach Jon Gruden was a spokesperson. Why? Because it’s one of my favorite beers, and that’s one of the perks of being the publisher of PewterReport.com. I can pursue partnerships with companies that have products and services that I use and enjoy.

Between the Gruden connection and the Floridians that visit PewterReport.com it made sense to connect the tropical-themed Corona Light and Tampa Bay fans on our website. Even though Tony Romo has replaced Gruden, who is now Oakland’s head coach, as Corona Light’s spokesperson for this new football-themed campaign, I still ask you to support our efforts here at PewterReport.com and give the Corona Light hotline number that you see in the ads a call. That’s 1-844-9-Corona, or click the banner ads to visit CoronaUSA.com.