TAMPA, Fla. – On the first pass play of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first practice training camp Monday, Tom Brady, playing in a new attack for the first time in 20 years, sent the air a deep pass after second-year wideout Scotty Miller, clears essentially all doubt about his poverty at the age of 43.
The pass came from play action and went for 50-plus air yards. And Miller, slipping behind defenders and never breaking breaks, took it to the end zone when Brady shouted “Wooooo!”
When asked about Brady and the deep ball, coach Bruce Arians said, “I think he answered the question the first day. I think he fell 60-yard dimes. Our job is to make sure he gets you retains strength and does not overwork because he is an overworker. “
In addition to the Miller pass, Brady made tight window throws between defenders to wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. He also hit tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone for a touchdown in a period of red zone, and made a nice throw over the middle to Justin Watson who went for a touchdown.
There were also a few hiccups. Some time later, Brady was put down by Pernell Motley on a pass intended for Evans – Brady’s second pick of camp (his first was Friday). Motley, a developed free agent from Oklahoma, jumped Evans’ route along the right.
Brady was also almost re-intercepted by Carlton Davis on a deep pass meant for Cyril Grayson, but that was broken up instead. There was a missed connection to run LeSean McCoy back on a jump pass, a turnaround to Evans on the right and a quick pass that was just too high for Miller.
When asked about Brady’s first performances in pads, Arians said, “Everything I expected. He’s still learning some boys. He was a little hesitant today on a goat with a young receiver – they have their hands on it. He throws at the right man all the time. “
“The 7-on-7 is how it should look – completion after completion. In the blitz drills, he sees what we call it, how we protect it. He does a really good job with his hots and sights. “He’s exactly where he needs to be. I’m not worried about him.”
It’s still Ariens’ no risk it, no cookie offense, with tons of chances for deep ball, but there are noticeably more three-step drops, highlighting Brady’s ability to get the ball out quickly for a quick strike to deliver.
“You did not lie,” linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul said when asked about Brady’s quick release. “The ball comes out very fast, very fast.”
Tight-end OJ Howard said of Brady, “He does a very good job of placing the ball in a place where you have the opportunity to make plays and run after catching. It does not let the defender play from there. to make.”
Despite finishing with an NFL-leading 5,127 receiving yards last season, the Bucs averaged 4.97 yards after catches per reception – 24th in the league. Over the past five years, the Bucs averaged just 4.52 yards to the catchers per reception – 31st in the league.
One player who can help that will be Brady’s favorite target, Gronkowski, who persuaded Brady the Bucs to trade a fourth round to get out of retirement and lure. Gronkowski’s 3,127 yards are after catching more than any other tight end in the league since 2010 (new Bucs RB McCoy actually has the third most of any position in the league since 2010 with 3,814 yards to catch).
But just like Brady, Gronkowski did not have a completely seamless transition. He still adapts to play in the 90-degree temperatures in Florida, with 90% humidity, which may make the practices of August feel like a sauna.
Arians joked, “He’s probably in the shape of New England. He’s not ‘Florida shape.’ The heat hits his ass pretty well. It’s different, man. If you train in New England and then come down here , it’s really different. We laughed about it today – I do not think he’s ever had that much in his life. It takes a little time to get into Florida form, but as far as he’s concerned. playing, he is more than ready at the moment. “
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