Emeka Egbuka’s injury scare, more fights, and a possible QB change highlight second Buccaneers-Jets joint practice session
As expected, there’s plenty to discuss after Day 2 of Buccaneers-Jets joint practice.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets faced off for another joint practice session on Wednesday and Day 2 certainly didn’t disappoint.
Let’s go ahead and dive in.
1. Emeka Egbuka gets hurt, but the extent of the injury is unknown
Several reports noted a moment when Egbuka was rolled up on after a catch. Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, who is on site, Egubka limped off the field with trainers and was then examined on the sideline table. He noted Egbuka remained there and had yet to return after 10-15 minutes.
Todd Bowles didn’t have much of an update to give after practice. Egbuka didn’t finish practice, but Pewter Report noted he looked better as he walked off with teammates. Regardless, it’s not great news for a Buccaneers receiving corps that is already dealing with injuries to Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson, and David Sills V.
Buccaneers defensive line Elijah Simmons also got rolled up on during practice and was seen limping off the field.
2. The Buccaneers and Jets go at it again in joint practice
Tuesday was littered with fights and while there weren’t as near as many on Wednesday, both teams certainly got into it.
Reports noted two fights between the squads and both were when the Buccaneers defense was out on the field. Luke Goedeke talked about remaining composed on the field after the first practice, but he also said he wasn’t going to let people disrespect him in-between the sidelines, which is fair.
The defense obviously felt the same way. The first instance happened after Jacob Parrish knocked Isaiah Williams out of bounds. The Jets didn’t like it and a fight ensued, per Pewter Report.
The second instance occurred between SirVocea Dennis and a Jets offensive lineman. The OL was seen swinging at Dennis, which is never a good idea when considering both guys are wearing helmets and pads.
Sure enough, Todd Bowles had enough and let his feelings known in a very frontward manner.
3. Todd Bowles gets heated with the Buccaneers defense
Reporters on sight said Bowles screamed at the defense and was visibly upset. Bowles is very good about playing it cool on a consistent basis and doesn’t let his emotions get the best of him often. So, he must’ve been hot for him to act in the manner he did.
The moment occurred after the first fight, so I can only imagine how he felt after the second one. Fortunately, it wasn’t Dennis throwing the punches. Either way, Bowles reportedly ran over to break it up.
4. Connor Bazelak and Jalon Daniels might lead the way against the Jets on Friday night
Jake Browning’s strained back kept him out of Wednesday’s practice and it could keep him out of Friday’s game, as well. Bowles didn’t rule Browning out, but he also couldn’t confirm he’d play. This potentially leaves the door open for both Bazelak and Daniels to get plenty of playing time since Baker Mayfield won’t play.
There’s a lot of intrigue with Bazelak and Daniels, especially the latter. Both guys don’t get a ton of action in camp being they’re QB3/4, respectively. Therefore, their best shot at showing what they can do will come via preseason games.
Well, they’re about to see plenty of action on Friday and it’ll give us a great idea of where each guy stands.
5. Benjamin Chukwuma’s struggles continue
Chukwuma was on my list of Buccaneers players who needed to show up this week and he’s struggled against the Jets in joint practice.
That’s not ideal for the Buccaneers, who are looking for an answer at swing tackle. They still have Justin Skule on the roster, but the hope is Chukwuma could carry the momentum from his first several practices in Tampa Bay.
It hasn’t happened, yet. He should play on Friday night, which gives him a chance to even things out. We’ll see if he can.
6. Rueben Bain Jr., Ayden Garnes, and David Walker continue their training camp tear
These guys are three of the most-repeated names we’ve heard throughout camp and that didn’t stop against the Jets. Walker and Bain Jr. made several plays over the last two joint practices and Garnes had a very good Wednesday session, making several PBUs.
7. Zyon McCollum misses practice, but Benjamin Morrison doesn’t
McCollum didn’t practice for the second-straight day, which warrants discussion, at this point. We all know how valuable these joint practices are, so McCollum would’ve certainly been on the field if he’s healthy enough. Bowles doesn’t have to disclose injury info during the offseason, so we’ll see if he provides updates when he speaks with reporters after practice.
Benjamin Morrison was on the practice field, but it’s unclear just how much he participated Wednesday. If he participated, at all. Regardless, it appears as if the second-year corner is on the precipice of a full-time return. We’ll see if he plays Friday night.
8. More penalty issues for the Buccaneers defense
The Buccaneers were flagged a whopping 16 times on Tuesday, per Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and SNY’s Connor Hughes said the Buccaneers defense was flagged a lot for holding on both days.
The Buccaneers need to get this cleaned up. Penalties are one of the easiest ways to lose games and this is pretty uncharacteristic when considering the team finished in the bottom-5 of accrued penalties, last year.
