The NFL handed the Buccaneers a setback this week. They cancelled one of the team’s OTA practices after learning that Tampa Bay’s sessions had become too physical for the rules governing this portion of the offseason. The decision stemmed from concerns that the Buccaneers were operating at a level of contact and intensity that exceeded league guidelines.

“We gave them Tuesday off; Tuesday was their day off,” Head coach Todd Bowles clarified after Thursday’s OTA session. “Wednesday, by the league, looking at the first practice, we had too many guys on the ground, so they took a practice from us. So Wednesday was by their doing; Tuesday was already set in motion for our doing. And they cleaned it up after that. We understand. We aren’t trying to get anybody hurt. That was the basis of it.” 

The offseason regulations strictly govern the OTAs to limit contact and reduce the risk of injury ahead of the training camps. During the OTAs, teams can conduct 7-on-7, 9-on-7, or 11-on-11 drills. But live contact is strictly prohibited. And if the practice field gets overly crowded, the risk of contact rises. The front office, players, and the NFL certainly don’t want that. But it wasn’t the entire practice session that got the Bucs in trouble.

“It was about three or four plays that reported us,” the head coach continued. “We’re trying to practice safety as well. We’ve got a lot of new guys trying to learn how to practice, but we cleaned that up and kind of took care of it.” 

In the 2026 NFL Draft, Tampa Bay acquired seven players. The list includes DB Deionte Scott, DT DeMonte Capehart, G Billy Schrauth, TE Bauer Sharp, LB Josiah Trotter, WR Ted Hurst, and OLB Reuben Bain Jr. These rookies needed to understand what practice in the NFL meant. And in their learning process, they might have made some unsafe plays. That’s what caught the league’s attention. 

This isn’t the first time the NFL has punished a team for contact violations. In 2024, the Detroit Lions had to give up a practice day because they had too many players on the turf. In 2023, the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears lost an OTA for being overly physical. And the year before that, the Washington Commanders had to give up two OTAs for similar violations. 

Nevertheless, the Bucs are moving forward. 

Todd Bowles is focused on moving the Buccaneers ‘forward’

Despite the league’s intervention, the players have refused to lose their competitive edge. Running back Kenneth Gainwell noted that the team must follow the rules. But he also acknowledged the need to stay above the ground and build the fire to get them through the season. 

Fellow RB Bucky Irving backed Gainwell by attending his first practice session of the season. It marked his return from the shoulder injury. And by the looks of it, he might heal completely and get ready for the regular season. Meanwhile, Bowles took note of the WR room. 

“The way our receivers went down last year, you need a ton of them,” Bowles said earlier this month. “So we’re going to need everybody in that room going forward. Hopefully nobody goes down but to draft a guy like Hurst to go with the other athletes we have in there, that just enhances everybody else’s competition.” 

Losing a valuable OTA rep is undoubtedly frustrating for a team trying to install a winning culture. But the young roster seems ready to clash for success in the 2026 season.