Bucs OTA Insider 5-23: First Look At Baker Mayfield
• New quarterback Baker Mayfield took the starting reps during Tuesday’s practice ahead of Kyle Trask. But because this is an open competition, there will undoubtedly be days when Trask gets the starter reps to make it fair. The quarterback group as a whole is considerably smaller under Dave Canales than it was under Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich.
• The previous play-callers preferred tall pocket passers. Tom Brady and Trask are 6-5, while Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin are both 6-foot-4. Mayfield is 6-foot-1, and new third-string quarterback John Wolford is just under 6-foot. That leaves Trask as the giant in the room.
• Because this is the first day in a brand new system throwing to a receiving corps that featured just two experienced veterans in Chris Godwin and newcomer David Moore, who played four years in Seattle, it’s tough to make a serious evaluation about Mayfield and Trask as there were some laser throws on target from each, as well as a few misfires. But without knowing if it was a bad read read or throw by the quarterback or a bad route by a receiver, it’s difficult to assess blame. As expected, the Bucs quarterbacks did a fair amount of rolling out with bootlegs and waggles, finding receivers and tight ends downfield.
Wide Receivers
• The quarterback position wasn’t the only position that was noticeably smaller on Tuesday. Without 6-foot-5 receiver Mike Evans in attendance, the receiver group was as small as it’s been in Tampa Bay in some time. Godwin, Kade Warner and Trey Palmer are all 6-foot-1, and are the next tallest receivers on the roster. Moore, who is 6-foot, 219 pounds is the heaviest receiver. But without Evans and 6-foot-3 Julio Jones, Tampa Bay’s receivers are shorter, but faster.
• Palmer’s speed is evident as he had no trouble getting opener. Warner picked up where he left off from rookie mini-camp, making clutch catches from the slot and the perimeter.
Tight Ends
• The league’s youngest tight end room features second-year players Cade Otton and Ko Kieft as the veterans. Cam Brate was released this offseason and fellow veteran Kyle Rudolph was not re-signed. While the team drafted Payne Durham on Day 3, it was undrafted rookie Tanner Taula, who made a spectacular catch downfield in the back of the end zone on a bomb from Trask.
Running Backs
• Without Chase Edmonds or Sean Tucker participating, Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Patrick Laird split all of the carries and reps. White looks bigger, as advertised. He’s up eight pounds this offseason and weighs closer to 220 pounds. After practice, head coach Todd Bowles did not have an update about when Tucker, who is suffering from a heart condition, would be cleared to practice.
