Todd Bowles and the Bucs opened their three-game preseason slate on Saturday night time with a 17-14 win over the Bengals in Cincinnati. Whereas Joe Burrow and a number of the house workforce’s starters performed the opening sequence of the sport, Tampa Bay sat virtually each one in every of its projected starters.
That was consistent with what Bowles did final preseason, as he sat most of his starters for the workforce’s preseason opener in opposition to the Steelers. He then sat a number of them for the second recreation of the exhibition slate in opposition to the Jets earlier than the first-team guys received their first style of motion within the preseason finale in opposition to the Ravens.
So, will Todd Bowles and the Bucs observe an analogous plan in the course of the 2024 preseason? The top coach spoke Sunday morning about the place his thoughts at present is relating to the work his starters will obtain over the following couple of weeks.
“Relying on how a lot work we get in Jacksonville in the course of the observe week, I’m leaning in the direction of the third recreation as a result of we’ll have two weeks to prepare for the sport,” Bowles stated. “We’ll see how a lot observe the ‘ones’ get. They’ll have the time without work, in order that they’ll get a number of work that week.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: USA Right now
“Relying on how a lot work they get, they’ll most likely sit this one. In the event that they don’t, then a few of them will play somewhat extra. I’m leaning in the direction of the third recreation the place all people performs.”
Bowles and the Bucs have two joint practices with the Jaguars in Jacksonville this week forward of Saturday night time’s preseason matchup. These joint practices are usually extraordinarily worthwhile for all events, and lots of coaches come away from them feeling like their starters received sufficient reps that they don’t have to threat harm in that week’s preseason recreation.
What’s fascinating about Tampa Bay’s schedule this preseason, although, is that subsequent week will characteristic one other joint observe. The Dolphins might be on the town for a joint observe on the AdventHealth Coaching Heart earlier than they tackle the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium to shut out the preseason that Friday.
With two pairs of joint practices, the Bucs’ starters will get a number of reps on the observe fields. But it surely seems like Todd Bowles at present plans to get his first-teamers some recreation motion at Raymond James Stadium on Aug. 23, although plans are understandably topic to vary.
Will Todd Bowles Have Any Bucs Starters Sit Out The Complete Preseason?
Whereas Todd Bowles spoke very usually concerning the plans for his starters as the remainder of the preseason unfolds, it’s honest to surprise if some veteran starters might be sidelined for the entire preseason.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles and OLB Yaya Diaby – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
There could also be one thing to the thought of Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin at the least getting some reside reps in a recreation setting contemplating they’re nonetheless adjusting to new offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s system. Mayfield and Coen have labored collectively earlier than, however there’s additionally worth within the two having some gameday communication within the preseason and getting on the identical web page early fairly than going into the common season opener with out all of that ironed out.
However on the defensive aspect of the ball, does a 13-year veteran like Lavonte David really want preseason snaps? It doesn’t really feel prefer it.
And there’s no have to rush injured starters like Yaya Diaby and Jordan Whitehead again to motion earlier than Week 1 in opposition to Washington. The workforce has already stated the main focus for Diaby might be getting him prepared for the common season. Whitehead’s harm is extra minor, however the workforce received’t need to push it with him both.
Going again to final 12 months once more, Todd Bowles elected to have his starters play a full half within the last week of the preseason. So if all of it performs out the identical manner this 12 months, it’ll be the Bucs’ preseason finale in opposition to the Dolphins that can characteristic some extra of the regulars.
We’ll see how the following couple of weeks of joint practices with the Jaguars and Dolphins unfold, however for now, it seems like Buccaneer followers returning to Ray Jay on Aug. 23 could get to see a majority of the workforce’s starters — at the least for a while.
