Tight ends Ko Kieft, left, and Bauer Sharp lock horns during drills this month.
If you just judge a guy by how many times he makes a play in practice, sixth-round pick Bauer Sharp out of LSU would make the Bucs’ roster.
Every practice Joe swears Sharp make a play, including rookie minicamp. It may not be an explosive play, but he’s making them, often on the second-team offense.
Meanwhile, fellow tight end Devin Culp may make a play a week, mired on the third-team offense.
The thing about Bauer is the Bucs brought him to town to first play special teams. In his first game wearing a Bucs uniform, Bauer on Friday night had two special teams tackles. Mind you, cornerback Josh Hayes, who led the Bucs last year in special teams tackles, had 13 in 17 games.
Bauer is more than a special teams player. He doesn’t have bad hands and he’s a willing blocker.
After practice yesterday, Joe asked Bauer what his mentality is about training camp. Is he trying to make the team as a tight end? Is he OK with just being a special teams warrior?
Bauer said his mentality is simple.
“It’s honestly whatever Coach has me do each play,” Bauer said. “Block for my running back? Block for my receivers? Go make a play for my QB? Or go down and make a tackle.
“That’s kind of my mindset. It’s kind of my life’s motto. That’s what I go by.”
As far as his two tackles Friday night on special teams in New Jersey, Bauer said, “I love it. I think tackling is one of the funnest things in football.”
Of course, Bauer confessed his love of tackling is a little payback to opponents for tackling him as a tight end.
“I don’t do it much but I’ve been working hard all offseason to do it,” Bauer said. “I was on special teams last year at LSU. I’ve had more success here.”
As for Bauer getting so many snaps each day, often with the second team and occasionally the first team, Bauer said he’s not worried about when he gets snaps, so long as he is getting snaps.
“I don’t care,” Bauer said. “Third team, fourth team, first team. I’m just doing what they ask me. It doesn’t matter when they ask me.
“[Whatever] they ask me, I’m doing it.”
Special teams is the key for Bauer. Joe isn’t sure Culp, who Bauer likely battling for a roster spot, is much of a special teams player, though he did log his fair share of snaps on there last year.
Bauer sticks out on special teams. And as an NFL general manager told Joe a long time ago, if you are not starting, you better be able to play special teams or you are an endangered species.