Tampa Bay tests its roster against AFC rivals, bracing for high-stakes simulations, old coaching connections, and a chance for rookies to prove they belong before the preseason kicks off.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have scheduled joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets, with one week of OTAs left and a three-day mandatory minicamp on the horizon.
Tampa Bay plays both of these teams in the preseason. The Buccaneers face off against the Jets in Week 1 and the Jaguars in Week 3.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn told reporters last Tuesday that there are two scheduled joint practices between both squads. New York and Tampa Bay held joint practices in 2023 and repeated history in 2026 with a different team makeup.
The Buccaneers had a quarterback battle between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask in 2023 after Tom Brady retired. Robert Salah coached the Jets that year, and they landed Aaron Rodgers, who tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the regular season.
Tampa Bay does not have two franchise legends, Lavonte David and Mike Evans, in 2026, but retains most of the 2023 roster. Glenn coaches New York now, and Geno Smith returns as the starting quarterback for the franchise that drafted him in 2013.
While Glenn said there are two scheduled joint practices, the two teams did not complete their second one in 2023. Saleh cancelled the second practice due to safety concerns, as there were too many fights between players.
As for Jacksonville, coach Liam Coen will practice against his former team. Coen served as the offensive coordinator in 2024 before becoming the Jaguars' coach last year.
He played a significant role in Mayfield's career year. Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, and added 378 rushing yards and three touchdowns to his totals.
Coen is also friends with the Buccaneers' new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Compared to the Jets, there is no history of bad blood between the two teams.
The Week 1 preseason matchup against New York should feature the starters playing significant snaps. It will be a perfect environment to see how Rueben Bain Jr., Keionte Scott, Ted Hurst and the other Tampa Bay rookies perform.
However, the starters will likely rest in the preseason finale against the Jaguars, meaning more emphasis on the rookies and undrafted free agents. UDFAs like Jalon Daniels, Eric Rivers Jr., Josiah Green and Caden Fordham should see the field for a majority of the game.
These joint practices will serve as a game-like simulation that helps players acclimate to the NFL's speed. It will be an additional evaluation for coaches to see things they may have missed during OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
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