On Monday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles disclosed some important information regarding the team’s offseason schedule. In an appearance on the PewterReport podcast, Bowles announced that the Bucs would be participating in joint practices with both the Tennessee Titans and the PIttsburgh Steelers prior to their matchups with those teams during the preseason.
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The Bucs were already set to host the Titans in Tampa on Aug. 9th before they travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers in Pittsburgh in a matchup on August 16th. Now, it appears Bowles and his coaching staff will get an extended look at these teams during joint practices.
It’s always fun to see two NFL teams get their competitive juices flowing by practicing together. Although these practices can often include plenty of ‘extra-curricular’ activity between opposing teams, it’s a valuable opportunity to increase the competitive nature of practice while at the same time providing coaches with an additional chance to observe how their players compete when lined up against a real opponent.
Another intriguing element of these joint practices is the fact that the Buccaneers will get a first-hand look at No.1 overall draft pick Cam Ward. The young quarterback took the nation by storm last year, putting together a remarkable season after transferring to Miami from Washington State. Ward’s lone season with the Hurricanes resulted in him setting program records in total passing yards (4,313), TD passes (39) and completion percentage (67.2). Although he wasn’t awarded the Heisman Trophy at season’s end, Ward earned himself the honor of being drafted into the NFL before any of his peers in the 2025 class.
Not only will the Buccaneers get a first-hand look at the Titans’ new franchise quarterback, but they’ll also get to see how their young defensive backs handle such a talented player. Not only that, but Ward will get some valuable experience matching up against Todd Bowles, a defensive coach who is known for his aggressive scheme that can be challenging for veterans to handle, let alone a rookie passer with no NFL experience.
