Simply two weeks after turning into Bucs, the members of Tampa Bay’s 2026 draft and undrafted free agent lessons took the follow fields on the AdventHealth Coaching Heart Friday afternoon for Day 1 of rookie mini-camp. With them had been some extra rookie camp invitees, in addition to some members of final yr’s follow squad who want to stick to the Buccaneers this yr.
Friday’s follow was held underneath sunny skies with the temperature close to 90 levels and ran from 1:15 p.m. till about 2:40 p.m., making it a session of just below 90 minutes. Rookie mini-camp will proceed with one other follow Saturday afternoon, then voluntary OTAs will observe later this month because the rookies will get an opportunity to come back along with the veterans for the primary time in a semi-official capability.
Outdoors linebacker Rueben Bain Jr., inside linebacker Josiah Trotter, defensive again Keionte Scott and defensive deal with DeMonte Capehart all spoke with the media forward of Friday’s follow, whereas Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles held a post-practice press convention to debate the occasions of the day.
Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds, Matt Matera, Adam Slivon, Bailey Adams and Kat Beutel had been available for all of it. Listed below are among the major observations and takeaways from Friday at One Buc Place.
Bucs’ High Decide Rueben Bain Jr. Is Already In “Midseason Form”
Earlier than you roll your eyes and name this an overreaction to 1 rookie mini-camp follow in shorts, jerseys and helmets, take it straight from head coach Todd Bowles re: preliminary impressions of 2026 first-round decide Rueben Bain Jr. He stated it, not us.
“He looked like he was in midseason form,” Bowles stated. “Obviously, he’s from Miami, so he’s going to be practicing in the heat where a lot of the other guys are going to struggle to adjust to this weather. So, it didn’t bother him at all. He came in in great shape and he ran around well and kind of picked up some things very well.”
Bain actually did look the half all through Friday’s follow merely with the way in which he approached each interval and each rep. He was working laborious from spot to identify in between intervals and getting after it laborious each time he took a rep, whether or not it was in opposition to air, hitting the sled, working his approach round coaches or taking snaps within the full crew interval.
Bain, donning his No. 3 jersey, got here into his press convention Friday afternoon with the identical business-like demeanor he confirmed on draft night time and in his introductory press convention the next day. However make no mistake about it: The rookie move rusher is completely satisfied to be in Tampa Bay and clearly can’t wait to get it going together with his new teammates.
“I’ve been on cloud nine ever since I walked in, just enjoying the process, enjoying where I’m at,” Bain stated. “I’m happy, man. I’m where I’m supposed to be. I’m with my friends, my team. I’m home. So, I can’t complain about anything.”
Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Ted Hurst Indicators His Contract, Then Ends Observe With Day’s High Play
There was predictably a number of instructing occurring all through Friday’s rookie mini-camp follow. Most of those gamers simply arrived this week and are nonetheless adjusting to the playbook, the schedule and NFL life itself. And within the case of third-round decide Ted Hurst, he solely simply arrived final night time. He had a superb cause for being a little bit of a late arrival, as he graduated from Georgia State on Thursday.
Hurst’s whirlwind of a 48 hours continued Friday as he signed his rookie contract with the Bucs after which took the sector for his first NFL follow quickly after. And whereas a lot of the day was about instructing and going by means of place drills, the crew did break into full 11-on-11s to finish follow. Whereas among the tryout receivers made some intermediate receptions early on, it was Hurst who made the largest play of the afternoon.
On the ultimate play of follow, Hurst ran a clean route with an excellent launch earlier than hauling in a deep move from undrafted signee Jalon Daniels in between two defenders. He ended up simply shy of the aim line, however it was the play of the day nonetheless, and it got here in simply earlier than the airhorn sounded to sign the tip of follow.
#Bucs HC Todd Bowles gave fairly an inventory in regards to the issues he likes about WR Ted Hurst. What the crew noticed from Hurst at Georgia State carried over to how clean he regarded throughout follow. pic.twitter.com/fjNSnRcJBI
After follow, Todd Bowles was complimentary of the rookie receiver.
“Great size, very good athlete,” Bowles stated. “Clearly, he’s acquired to get used to the warmth a little bit bit himself. Despite the fact that he’s from Georgia, he’s acquired to get used to the warmth a little bit bit. However you’ll be able to see the athleticism and the dimensions and what you favored about him popping out from the draft, so he’s simply going to get higher and higher as he learns the system and will get extra snug. However he appears to be like good on the hoof and he strikes very easily.
New Bucs Coaches Deliver Some A lot-Wanted Power
The rookies weren’t the one new faces out on the follow fields on the AdventHealth Coaching Heart on Friday, because it additionally served as the primary probability for the media to see among the Bucs’ newly employed coaches in a follow setting.
Proper from the leap, new particular groups coordinator Danny Smith lived as much as his popularity as a loud, high-energy, gum-chewing 72-year-old whose depth stage hasn’t wavered regardless of his age and expertise within the league. After the crew’s preliminary warmup interval, the loud music from the audio system was changed by Smith shouting directions, encouragement and corrections to the rookies working by means of reps within the particular groups interval.
Bucs ST coordinator Danny Smith – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Smith made a powerful impression immediately, after which it was new defensive position coach Marcus West who stood out as he coached up the inside linemen. It’s simple to see the sort of vitality and hands-on strategy he brings to a room that wanted a brand new voice after final season.
West was seen standing in there taking over rushes from the defensive linemen and could possibly be heard encouraging them to run by means of him, not round him. He even went so far as telling them, “I’m here to feel your punches.”
“Outstanding teacher. I think he sweats out there and works hard more than anybody out there,” Bowles stated of West. “Love him as a teacher. I told him I don’t know CPR, so I can’t give him mouth-to-mouth if he passes out. But he does a very good job explaining the game to those guys. He’s been a great surprise.”
Different Notes And Observations From Day 1 Of Rookie Mini-Camp
Fourth-round decide Keionte Scott, who the Bucs shall be working in at nickel cornerback, got here into his press convention forward of follow sporting a kind of wrap/solid on his left hand. He informed the media that it’s a wrist damage that he’s coping with, and it was one thing that bothered him throughout the Faculty Soccer Playoff run with Miami. Nevertheless, he’s “on the better side of it” now and stated he’ll get the solid off in 10 days.
Along with Scott, fifth-round defensive deal with DeMonte Capehart, undrafted free agent extensive receiver Eric Rivers, tryout working again Michael Wiley and offseason defensive deal with signee Haggai Ndubuisi had been all sidelined throughout Friday’s follow. Afterward, Bowles stated Capehart can also be coping with a wrist damage and whereas he’s capable of do some issues, they need to give him an opportunity to get absolutely wholesome.
Undrafted free agent defensive lineman Deshawn McKnight walked off the sector early with a coach.
Colorado Faculty of Mines cornerback Jackson Zimmerman got here the closest to a takeaway on the day, leaping in entrance of a Jalon Daniels move and dropping an interception.
Nash Hutmacher, who joined the Bucs final yr as an undrafted defensive deal with out of Nebraska, is switching over to the offensive facet of the ball this yr. He’s getting a have a look at guard, which is one thing that was mentioned between head coach Todd Bowles and Jason Licht final yr.
