TAMPA—Back on the road, and with the 20th team I’ve seen this summer. And on the Tuesday I attended, Tom Brady was back out there and looked like, well, himself. What else did I see?
1. Akiem Hicks has had a fantastic camp—and at 340 pounds looks like he’s going to be an impact pass-rusher. He’s 32, of course, and has had his share of injuries, which is part of why things went sideways in Chicago. But over the past month, he’s been borderline unblockable in practice, and the Buccaneers have been judicious in managing his workload. Put him together with Vita Vea, who’s had a nice summer, too, and that’s a 700-pound problem for offenses. If the Bucs can keep him healthy, Hicks could represent a nice upgrade over Ndamukong Suh at the three-technique spot, which is more than most thought they’d get when they acquired him.
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