Bucs’ Todd Bowles Gives Concerning Update About Tom Brady’s Absence

Getty Tom Brady missed practice for a second time this week on Friday, August 5.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady didn’t attend practice on Friday, August 5, due to a personal matter, and head coach Todd Bowles hinted at a possible longer absence.

“We’ll let him do what he needs to do. If he’s back tomorrow, that’s great. But we’ll keep in touch and we’ll monitor that,” Bowles told the media on Friday.

Bowles couldn’t verify if Brady would just miss one practice, and the Bucs practice both days this weekend ahead of next week’s practices. Brady also notably just had a day off on his 45th birthday on Wednesday, August 3, followed by the team’s day off on Thursday, August 4. The absence also follows the Tuesday, August 2, news of the Miami Dolphins’ sanctions for tampering with Brady, but an NFL spokesman already said Brady won’t be punished for prior talks with the Dolphins.

“The league took care of it,” Bowles told reporters on Tuesday. “It doesn’t have anything to do with us. We try to keep outside noise to a minimum, and there’s nothing to be said on that front.”

“It doesn’t bother me,” Bowles added. “There’s just not a lot going on in sports right now, so we’re not making anything bigger than this.”

More Work for Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask

Brady and other veterans won’t play against the Dolphins in the preseason opener on August 13 at Raymond James Stadium.

“There will be a lot of starters that won’t play in that game,” Bowles said on Wednesday. “They’ll get plenty of work in practice, though, the two practices we’ll get to play similar to a game for those guys.”

“We want to see some of the younger guys play that I’ve mentioned and try to build our depth a little bit and go from there. …[Brady] will not play in that game,” Bowles added.

It means more reps in the preseason opener for second-year quarterback Kyle Trask and fellow backup Blaine Gabbert. Both also took more reps at the last two weekday practices with Brady out. Trask had ups and downs with interceptions both days while Gabbert made strong throws to veteran receivers Mike Evans, Russell Gage, and Scotty Miller on Friday.

“Mentally, they’re getting a lot of reps. It can only help them,” Bowles said. “It can only help them get reps and see everything full-speed and going against the first defense. Blaine [Gabbert] is seasoned, obviously. He’s getting some good looks and Kyle [Trask] is getting a lot of experience.”

Bowles on Trask: ‘He’s Confident’

Trask’s biggest day of practice on Wednesday resulted in back-to-back interceptions in the end zone and a dropped pick according to Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times. However, Trask had some good moments with downfield passes to wide receiver Vyncint Smith and tight end Cade Otton, Knight noted.

“He’s confident in where he’s going, he’s understanding things,” Bowles said of Trask on Wednesday. “We’re putting him in a lot of situations where he’s getting some experience. That’s all we can ask for right now.”

Unfortunately for Trask, he threw an interception again at practice on Friday with a pick by cornerback Jamel Dean.