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Bucs cornerback Ayden Garnes is gaining "valuable experience" playing with the first team during joint practices this week with the Jets. ©Jefferee Woo
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Baker Mayfield and the Bucs made a habit of thriving when games were on the line, winning five times in the final minute to open last season. But fourth-quarter collapses ultimately became their undoing, which made Wednesday’s two-minute drill at the end of their joint workout with the Jets all the more meaningful.
And the most encouraging part? Rookies were at the heart of both sides of it.
Undrafted cornerback Ayden Garnes broke up two passes, while rookie receiver Ted Hurst hauled in a pair of catches to set up Mayfield’s touchdown strike to tight end Cade Otton.
Could you script a better ending to two days of practices with the Jets, one remembered more for skirmishes than what happened at the line of scrimmage?
“No, you can’t. That was kind of awesome,” Bucs center Graham Barton said. “We kind of marched down the field. Receivers made some good plays. From what I could tell, we at least protected well up front. Yeah, that’s what you want for your first live look at a two-minute drill.”
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Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, right, talks with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield during Wednesday's joint practice.
The Bucs had the football first and Mayfield was efficient. The protection held up. His most popular target was Hurst, the 6-foot-4, 206-pound receiver from Georgia State.
Hurst has the unenviable task of trying to replace Mike Evans as the Bucs X receiver (typically split wide on the opposite side as the tight end).
Hurst caught passes of 8 and 25 yards before drawing a pass interference penalty in the end zone. A run play was stuffed for no gain, but the Bucs beat the waning clock when Mayfield connected with Otton in the end zone.
“The run look was tough. It made it hard on our backside combinations,” Barton said. “To be able to get stuffed, get back up to the line and be able to call a play, get the blocking scheme right, get the snap off and find an open receiver that quickly is not easy. This early in August to be able to execute like that, it’s pretty cool. Definitely a good building block for us.”
On defense, the Bucs found an unlikely hero. Keep in mind that rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. applied lots of pressure. But it was cornerback Ayden Garnes, an undrafted free agent, who made sure the lead was safe.
Garnes, 23, played at Duquesne, West Virgina and Arizona. With starting cornerback Zyon McCollum sitting out with an undisclosed injury and second-year pro Benjamin Morrison close to returning from a hamstring strain, Garnes got valuable first-team reps with Bowles’ defense.
“He made some (plays) in two-minute (periods), and he’s got some things to learn in the other periods as well — red zone,” Bowles said “… As far as team periods, he’s got to understand situational football, but he’s getting a crack at it with the ones right now, so he’s getting valuable experience playing against (Jets receiver) Garrett Wilson. He made a play at the end of the two-minute (period). He’s a very confident guy and he’s very athletic. It’ll be great to see him play Friday night.”
Quarterback Geno Smith came out firing, but he was matched with Wilson, who owns three, 1000-yard receiving seasons. Garnes had him smothered and broke up the pass. The Jets neared midfield, but on the final play, Bain would’ve recorded a sack.
“The effort was outstanding on both sides,” Bowles said. “I think we got a lot of work done. Guys got a chance to play against different guys and different schemes so to speak and they got thrown in there early so there’s a lot of things to correct. A lot of things to learn from.”
Defensively, there have been quite a few offseason changes, and they appeared to have paid off during the two-minute work Wednesday.
“Super impressed,” Barton said. “You’ve all seen Rueben and what he can do and his mentality and stuff. (Josiah) Trotter is another one of those guys who’s super physical. Definitely makes us better as an O-line going against guys like that. It’s been super impressive to see all of them, really. Just the edge — them and the free agents that have come in.
“Guys like A’Shawn (Robinson) and (Alex) Anzalone and ‘Nacho’ (Rakeem Nuñez-Roches). That defense is just playing really physical. I think you saw it out here in joint practice. ... There wasn’t a lot of time for Geno (Smith) to get that ball out, you always like to see that, so it was good.”
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PRESEASON OPENER
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