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Big moment for running back Kenny Gainwell.
The Bucs, obviously, are very high on three sons of former NFL players on the roster: rookie inside linebacker Josiah Trotter, banged up cornerback Benjamin Morrison and Antoine Winfield, Jr.
But there’s another son of a former player impressing.
That would be running back Josh Williams.
Joe forgot to mention the breakaway run against the Jets defense by Williams in Tuesday’s practice notes. Yeah, it was with all backups on the field, but it was an explosive run behind right guard that Williams toook about 40 yards.
It was the best run of Tuesday and Joe talked to Williams about it after practice. He is simply in a one-snap-at-a time mindset to prove what he can do. Williams was an undrafted free agent last season after five years at LSU as a secondary running back there. He flashed a lot of talent last summer, but his rookie season was cut short in November — six games erased by a league suspension for performance enhancing drugs.
It’s somewhat impressive the Bucs were willing to bring him back after that. Williams said he’s very hungry to make the most of the many carries he’s likely to see in preseason starting tomorrow night.
On Wednesday, the final day of joint practice, the magic run moment went to newcomer veteran Kenny Gainwell.
In first-team work, Gainwell took a handoff up the gut, didn’t like what he saw and bounced it outside right with extremely quick feet. Gainwell was going the distance. Jets beat writers watching practice made Joe laugh, ‘Damn, Bucky Irving is quick.’ No guys, it was Gainwell.
Given that Gainwell and Irving have a very similar stature and Irving wears No. 7 and Gainwell wears No. 1, Joe understood the confusion.
Joe hopes to be a littled confused this season, too, if Gainwell and Irving are each dazzling fans with breaking runs.