Building chemistry with new teammates is a challenge even in a normal offseason, and the 2020 NFL offseason has been anything but normal.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced teams to conduct all meetings and offseason programs virtually. While it's possible to learn the playbook and do other tasks away from the football field, building a strong rapport with teammates is difficult without any on-field work.
Tom Brady recently took his talents to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, and he's making a strong effort to learn the Bucs offense and get on the same page with his teammates by organizing multiple on-field workouts in the Tampa Bay area.
One player who's been at those workouts is Buccaneers running back Dare Ogunbowale, who, in an interview with The Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio, described what the Brady's led sessions have been like.
“The way (Brady) runs our workouts is like a practice,” Ogunbowale said. “Instead of just telling us run a dig or something like that, he’s telling us the full play call. He’s doing his cadence as if we were in a game. He’s making adjustments, doing the hots and sights. With a guy like him, it’s really easy.”
The NFL Players Association recently recommended private workouts among players be halted until training camps open. There's been a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in several states, and Florida has been one state in particular that's dealing with an increased number of cases.
These recommendations haven't stopped Brady and Bucs players from working out, though, and it doesn't look like these sessions will end anytime soon.