Last season, the COVID-19 pandemic sideswiped joint preseason practices, which NFL clubs have used to get more valuable reps in during the summer. The hope is those sessions will return in 2021.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians told the Pewter Report Podcast that his team has tentative plans to hold joint practices with the Tennessee Titans before their preseason matchup.
"So much of that will depend on how practice goes," Arians said. "If we get in and have good OTAs and a good minicamp... As training camp's going on we've got a week set up with the Titans. Hopefully everything goes (well) so we can do that and we'll just judge where everybody is at (and decide) how much they play in the preseason."
As Arians notes, there are a few more hurdles to get through this summer regarding the pandemic before joint practices can be confirmed. Even so, the fact that we can discuss them signals the positive momentum toward a more normal football season.
The Bucs host the Titans for a preseason game on Aug. 21. The joint practices would be conducted ahead of that second of three preseason games.
Tampa had plans to get together for joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year before the preseason was canceled.