McCoy is mentoring 1st round pick Adrian Clayborn at IMG Academies Camp This week a good majority of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took to the fields in Bradenton at the IMG complex. While football isn’t back yet officially a few leaders of the Bucs took it upon themselves to gather the team for a few days of organized workouts. Gerald McCoy along with Josh freeman and Tyrone Mckenzie set up this three day non official minicamp. This unofficial minicamp essentially marks the end of the dog days of summer and the offseason. Most of the players will now take a break before they have to be back before training camp (assuming a new deal is signed and they are allowed to have training camp).
All of the players have different ways of staying in shape and getting ready for the grind of a football season. Gerald McCoy, the Buccaneers first round draft pick last year, has really taken it to another level. McCoy started his summer not on a sandy beach or at a plush resort; instead Gerald took a trip to war torn Rwanda in Africa with a group called pros for Africa. Gerald, along with other NFL players, helped build wells, supply medical equipment, and get hearing impaired children fitted with new hearing aids. It appears this trip was a real eye opener for McCoy as he returned with a better sense of what’s important and where priorities should be.
After the trip McCoy returned and promptly got back to rehab and training in California with well known trainer Todd Durkin. McCoy’s goal according to his agent Kelli Masters was to gain strength in his upper body because that is what he needs to be better next season. While training out in California McCoy didn’t hesitate to invite other Bucs such as Kyle Moore and Adrian Clayborn along with other buccaneer D-linemen.
McCoy has said that many people such as his friends and family have asked him to take time off and enjoy the fruits of his NFL labor but McCoy says that he doesn’t have time to rest. That brings us to this week’s unofficial minicamp in Florida. Multiple sources such as Joebucsfan.com, St. Pete Times, and the Tampa Tribune that attended the workout have said that McCoy is not only putting in good work but also acting as a fill in coach for the D-line; Especially taking rookie first round pick Adrian Clayborn and showing him some of the pointers that he has learned and been shown.
All of this offseason work doesn’t guarantee McCoy is going to have a 10 sack year but it definitely shows McCoy’s willingness to become a leader on this team and how he truly is becoming a Professional at his craft and is willing to put the work in to get it.
Steven Thompson is one of our new writers who will be bringing you the Captain’s Log feature. Stay tuned tomorrow as you will meet our new staff .
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