Tag: Tampa Bay Bucs

Twitter reacts to Gronk’s latest Madden rating

See how fans on Twitter reacted to Bucs TE Rob Gronkowski’s latest rating in “Madden NFL 21.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will certainly have the look and feel of a team straight out of Madden NFL 21 when the 2020 rolls around.

Not only will the team be sporting a new look that evokes memories of their championship days, but they’ll be led by the greatest quarterback to ever play the game in Tom Brady. The six-time Super Bowl champion shocked the world this offseason when he opted to leave the New England Patriots and head to the Sunshine State to lead the NFL’s third-best offense.

Making Brady’s transition to a new offense a little easier will be the fact that he’ll have tight end Rob Gronkowski right by his side. The former Patriot ended his one-year retirement this offseason after the Bucs traded for him.

Gronk has been busy getting himself back in game shape, and already looks great in a Bucs uniform. Still, he hasn’t played in over a year and will be joining a new offense just like Brady. That might be why some fans on Twitter were a bit surprised to see Gronk’s 95 rating in Madden.

Here are some of the reactions:

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Buccaneers 2020 Training Camp Preview: What to watch for

With training camp set to get underway for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, here are some things to watch for.

NFL training camp is set to get underway soon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the rest of the league. As the team embarks on their quest for their first playoff berth since 2007, let’s take a brief look at what to watch for.

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Devin White is pumped and ready to go

Bucs linebacker Devin White posted his excitement on Instagram for the upcoming 2020 season.

The Buccaneers defense will need to play up to par with their high-powered offense in 2020 if Tampa Bay is going to make a serious run at a championship.

Tom Brady is in at quarterback, and the Bucs are hoping the soon-to-be 43-year-old QB will be able to get them back to the postseason for the first time since 2007.

On defense, the Bucs retained key veterans like Ndamukong Suh and Jason Pierre-Paul, and have reigning sack champion Shaq Barrett returning after he signed his franchise tag tender offer.

But the biggest cornerstone for this Bucs D is linebacker Devin White, the fifth overall pick in the 2019 draft. White had a strong second half to his rookie season last year, and seems to be everything the team had hoped for.

The star linebacker and cowboy took to Instagram today to show his excitement about the upcoming season.

Take a look.

And it seems his new quarterback was feeling this post, too.

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Bucs players could be wearing this in 2020 to help fight the spread of COVID-19

With the NFL looking for ways to combat the coronavirus in 2020, a new mouth shield could be an answer.

NFL teams are set to report to training camp in the coming weeks under a cloud of uncertainty as the country continues to see surges in cases of COVID-19.

For now, the NFL plans to act like the 2020 season will start without a problem, but if and when players do take the field this season, the league will need to find a way to help protect them on the field as much as possible.

And this mouth shield by Oakley may be one of the ways to do so.

Starting a season in the midst of a global pandemic is new territory for everyone involved. It’ll be interesting to see what further measures the league takes. They’ve already banned postgame jersey swaps for this upcoming season.

All we know for certain is that 2020 will be a season unlike any other.

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RB Devonta Freeman is in the market for a new agent

Free-agent RB Devonta Freeman will need to find a new agent to represent him after his former one terminated their relationship Sunday.

Free-agent running back Devonta Freeman has been looking for a new team to call his own ever since the Atlanta Falcons released him earlier this offseason.

For a time, it seemed the idea of Freeman coming to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had some legs to it, with the running back even telling the Bucs on Twitter to reach out to him directly.

Freeman’s presence in a young Bucs backfield would’ve provided some veteran experience behind quarterback Tom Brady, but no deal ever materialized.

Now, with training camp set to get underway in a few weeks, Freeman may have an even tougher time finding a new team after his agent terminated their relationship over the weekend.

Per NFL.com:

“NFL Network’s Mike Silver reported that Freeman’s agent, Kristin Campbell, notified the free-agent running back that she’s terminating their relationship. Campbell notably negotiated the five-year, $41.25 million extension Freeman signed with the Falcons in 2017 that made him the highest-paid RB in the game.”

Freeman just turned 28, so may have a few more good years left in him if he can find the right team to join. For now, he may have to wait until training camp begins and a running-back needy team needs some extra insurance in the backfield.

Hopefully, he can find a new agent to represent him before then.

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Ndamukong Suh’s family comes to his rescue

Buccaneers DT Ndamukong Suh got into a little bike trouble, but had his big sister ready to come help.

Ndamukong Suh has been celebrating a lot this offseason, and not just his return to the Buccaneers in 2020.

The former No. 2 overall pick has gotten married and been spending lots of time with his family ahead of training camp starting this month. Suh has also been staying in shape by hitting the bike trails of Oregon.

Today, however, his outing didn’t go quite as planned, thanks to a flat tire. Fortunately, he had family ready to come help.

Check out the documented incident from Suh’s Instagram story.

Suh’s older sister had a post of her own about the incident.

Seems like a great family to be a part of.

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Shaq Barrett is signing his franchise tender; not close to long-term deal

Buccaneers LB Shaq Barrett will sign his franchise tag tender, but he and the Bucs remain far apart on a long-term deal.

Shaq Barrett burst onto the scene last season, going from afterthought offseason signing to the 2019 sack leader.

Barrett led the league with 19.5 sacks last year, breaking the Bucs’ single-season franchise record in the process. Throughout the year, Bruce Arians and the Bucs were adamant that they wanted Barrett back with the team in 2020 and beyond, and for what it’s worth, Barrett was just as enthusiastic about remaining in Tampa.

But after being assigned the franchise tag by the team this offseason, many wondered if and when Barrett would sign his tender without the promise of a long-term deal. Well, it seems Barrett will indeed sign, but the sides still seem far apart on a long-term deal.

You’ve got to wonder if the Bucs are working on a one-year deal to try and see if Barrett can replicate his 2019 success. He seems like a perfect fit in Todd Bowles’ system, but if they are going to invest big money, long term, they want to make sure they’ll get close to the same production as they did in 2019.

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Tom Brady shows love for his trainer Alex Guerrero on Instagram

Bucs QB Tom Brady took to Instagram to show his appreciation for his trainer Alex Guerrero.

Bucs QB Tom Brady will be 43 years old when the 2020 season kicks off, but at the rate he’s been playing the past few years, you’d be forgiven if you thought he was only 33.

Brady has seemingly defied Father Time, remaining fit both mentally and physically thanks to his rigorous training program and diet, courtesy of TB12 Sports. And, he can credit his trainer Alex Guerrero for helping him prolong his career like has has.

Brady took to Instagram today to show love and appreciation for Guerrero. Take a look at some screenshots from his story.

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Chris Godwin is enjoying the dog days of summer

Bucs WR Chris Godwin is spending some time chilling with his pup.

Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin graciously gifted new quarterback Tom Brady his No. 12 jersey, opting to switch to No. 14.

The fourth-year receiver is coming off a career year in 2019, when he had 86 receptions for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns, career highs in all three categories. Now with Brady as his QB, Godwin could see his stock rise even more in 2020, so Tampa Bay may want to sign him to an extension sooner rather than later.

While the Pro Bowl receiver is readying for the start of training camp, he’s enjoying his last few relaxing days at home with his fiancee and pup.

Take a look.

Godwin and his soon-to-be bride Mariah run the Team Godwin Foundation, dedicated to finding homes for pets in need.

Godwin also posted the below image today on Instagram, which earned a comment from former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston, who is now with the Saints.

View this post on Instagram

🖌

A post shared by G Baby (@chrisgodwin) on

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Mike Evans is definitely training like a man on a mission

Bucs WR Mike Evans took to Instagram again to show fans the time and effort he’s putting in ahead of training camp.

History is on the line in 2020 for Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans, who became the franchise’s all-time leader in receiving yards back in 2018 in just his fifth season.

Last year, Evans tied Randy Moss for the most 1,000-yard seasons to begin a career at six. With Tom Brady under center in 2020, Evans could very well take the record for himself now that he has a Hall of Fame quarterback throwing to him.

But more than that, the 2020 season will offer Evans the chance to showcase his talents on the national stage, as the Bucs have been scheduled for the maximum five prime-time games. As talented as Evans is, he’s rarely talked about as the game’s top receiver, likely due to the lack of team success the Bucs have had during his career.

Hopefully, that’ll all change this season, which might explain why Evans is training like a man on a mission. Take a look at some more screenshots from his recent training session.

 

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