Tom Brady was 'on fire' in his return to Bucs camp after a mysterious 11-day absence

• Tom Brady returned to Bucs training camp on Monday after an unexplained, 11-day absence.
• Brady was reportedly extra sharp during practice, impressing teammates and onlookers.

Tom Brady apparently didn't miss a beat in his return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 44-year-old quarterback missed 11 days of training camp due to an undisclosed personal reason. Speculation ran amok, from Brady going on a pre-planned vacation to filming "The Masked Singer." So far, neither the Bucs nor Brady have elaborated on why he was gone.

However, according to reports, Brady was sharp in his return.

Ric Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times reported that one member of the organization said Brady "was on fire." Stroud also wrote that Brady's passes were "perfectly placed between the numbers."

ESPN's Jenna Laine wrote that Brady was in "command" of the offense.

Bucs tight end Cameron Brate told reporters that Brady was "firing on all cylinders."

"If anybody can get away with the 11-day break during training camp, it's Tom," Brate said. "He came back, kind of firing on all cylinders again. We're all excited he's back and ready to move on."

Brate called Brady an "omnipresent being."

Bucs linebacker Lavonte David told reporters that Brady brings a notable vibe to practices.

"His presence is different, just the leader he is, the type of guy he is," David said. "It's great to have a guy like that back. He came back ready to take off where he left off."

Could the Bucs still run into trouble?

Brady's absence was unusual for a player who has historically touted the importance of practice time and repetitions.

That Brady also briefly retired last winter only further fanned the flames around his absence. And though he looked sharp in his return to training camp, it was just that — training camp.

Brady likely wouldn't have played the Bucs' first two preseason games anyway, but his absence has cost him valuable time with his teammates.

Brady, after all, has said it takes years to form true connections with his receivers.

"The longer I play with guys, the better it is," Brady told NBC's Peter King at Bucs' training camp last summer. "The shorter you play together, you can't cover everything in five weeks of training camp. Or in two years together. Five years together? Maybe. Seven years together, okay, that's pretty good. You play seven years together with a receiver, you can make a lot of magic happen. But after a year or two, there's still things. There's so many variables that you gotta get right."

Challenges may present themselves on offense this year. Wide receiver Mike Evans returned to practice on Monday from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since August 5. Chris Godwin also participated in 11-on-11 drills for the first time since tearing his ACL last December. Those are the two receivers Brady has spent the most time with over the past two seasons.

The Bucs also brought in receivers Julio Jones and Russell Gage this off-season. Gage has been out with a leg injury. Brady and Jones have reportedly connected during scrimmages, but those have obviously been limited.

Rob Gronkowski retired, leaving Brate as the starting tight end, one Brady has less familiarity with.

Elsewhere, the Bucs are dealing with injuries, particularly on the offensive line. Starting center Ryan Jensen may be out for the year with a knee injury, while offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs strained an oblique. Meanwhile, guard Aaron Stinnie also tore his ACL and MCL, forcing him out for the season.

The Bucs will have basically a new, makeshift line this season — hardly ideal when the QB they are protecting is 44 and wants to get the ball out quickly to avoid hits.

The Bucs have a tough start to the season, too, with their first four games coming against the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, and Kansas City Chiefs, four likely playoff teams and possible Super Bowl contenders.