Bucs Rookie Mini-Camp Insider – Day 1

Tampa Bay kicked off the first day of its 2023 Bucs rookie mini-camp on Friday under hot and humid skies at the AdventHealth Training Center. Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, right guard Cody Mauch, outside linebacker YaYa Diaby, tight end Payne Durham and wide receiver Kade Warner, the son of Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, spoke to the media prior to practice.

The Bucs announced the signing of 18 undrafted free agents on Friday. Two players that were not on the list were Arkansas kickoff specialist Jake Bates, who did not pass the team physical, and Syracuse running back Sean Tucker, who has a heart condition and is not medically cleared to practice or work out yet. The Bucs have an agreement in principle with Tucker, but he can’t officially sign with the team until he passes a physical, which will likely happen later this summer as his heart condition subsides.

There were a couple of Bucs practice squad players from last year as well as some new, young signees in attendance, including cornerbacks Don Gardner and Duron Lowe, outside linebackers Charles Snowden and Hamilcar Rashed, defensive tackle Mike Greene, offensive tackles Dylan Cook and Micheal Niese, and kicker Jake Verity.

Bucs Undrafted Free Agents

Tennessee ILB Jeremy Banks #39
TCU WR Taye Barber #17
UConn OLB Brandon Bouyer-Randle #53
Shepherd RB Ronnie Brown Jr. #43
Duke LS Evan Deckers #86
Virginia Tech OT Silas Dzansi
Indiana OT Luke Haggard #72
Alabama State CB Keenan Isaac #16
Rutgers S Chris Izien #29
Maryland WR Rakim Jarrett #18
Texas State OLB Nelson Mbanasor #58
Iowa S Kaevon Merriweather #26
Furman WR Ryan Miller #81
Oklahoma G Chris Murray #56
UCLA OT Raiqwon O’Neal #76
North Carolina State CB Derrek Pitts Jr. #38
Illinois State TE Tanner Taula #84
Kansas State WR Kade Warner #85

Bucs Rookie Mini-Camp Notes – Offense

• New Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales was as energetic as advertised, bouncing around the position groups and working with the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends during the individual periods. The media got its first look at the new offense in the first Bucs rookie mini-camp practice, and it was obviously full of basic run and pass plays. But there were some of the mid-zone run plays that the coaches have talked about, in addition to a few wide-zone runs.