Bucs journal: Nick Folk's training camp has perfect ending

TAMPA — Maybe it's a harbinger of things to come. In the final training camp practice Thursday, the Bucs kicking game was … good!

Nick Folk, who won the job over cut beleaguered incumbent Roberto Aguayo, went 5-for-5 in field-goal attempts on the "skinny" posts, where the uprights are 81/2 feet wide instead of the regulation 181/2 feet.

"Yup, he had a good day," coach Dirk Koetter said. "I joked with (Folk) that we were going to move the skinny goal posts over to Raymond James (Stadium) because he's been killing it on those skinnies."

BACKGROUND: Bucs turn page (quickly) to Nick Folk.

Folk is 3-for-4 in field-goal attempts in games this preseason. Last week against the Jaguars, he was very Aguayo-like. He had an extra point blocked and missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt wide right.

The Bucs are banking on Folk at least hitting his career average for made field goals, 81.2 percent. Last season for the Jets, Folk connected on 87.1 percent.

That's a wrap

The Bucs concluded training camp with the final practice open to the public. They will continue with closed workouts in the morning until they begin preparation for the Sept. 10 season opener at Miami.

"What you want to do is get everything installed that you're planning to use in the season," coach Dirk Koetter said. "You've got way more plays on offense, way more schemes on defense that you could ever use in one game. But you want to teach it to the players, get it on tape, review it, and then you can pull in and out of that as the season unwinds.

CANNON FODDER PODCAST: A wrapup of the final day of training camp.

"We feel good about the amount of scheme we have in. Now these last couple weeks heading up to Miami, you're going to polish up and gear everything toward Miami."

Koetter said the Bucs have their deepest roster since he arrived as an offensive coordinator in 2015.

"You know, it's going to be tough (making roster decisions) at the end," he said. "It's going to be tough because we've got depth at several positions."

Finale tuneup

The Bucs have their first preseason home game Saturday against the Browns. Coach Dirk Koetter indicated they likely will be without several key starters.

WR Mike Evans, LB Kwon Alexander and CBs Brent Grimes and Demar Dotson are not expected to play. WR Josh Huff did not practice Thursday. WR Donteea Dye and G J.R. Sweezy returned to practice.

Starters on offense and defense are expected to play into the third quarter against the Browns.

"You want to see crisp execution," Koetter said. "But we have to temper that with it's still a preseason game. You're building your stamina for your guys, but at the same time, you're going to hold some guys out that aren't at 100 percent that maybe would play if it was a real game.

"For the guys in the game, you want to see crisp execution on both sides."