Below is a brief selection of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quotes from today's earlier media availability:

WIDE RECEIVER SOLOMON PATTON

(On having one of the hardest jobs in the NFL in returning punts)
"It's pretty tough. It's a big job because it's only you standing back there and you're hoping that your guys hold up. The ball is so high and you have guys coming at you full speed, it's pretty tough. There's a lot to think about, but you just have to block it out."

(On when he found out he would was being placed on the active roster)
"When we had our walk-through Saturday morning, I left the facility and then I got the phone call. I was really excited and my family was excited."

(On the goals he has set for returning kickoffs and punts)
"Just averaging beyond what they want me to do. They really want us to average anything over 11 yards. I just try my best to get past that, I just run hard and I count on my teammates to make those blocks and they're doing a good job. Everything is working out."CENTER EVAN DIETRICH-SMITH

(On the performance of the offensive line against Carolina)
"I think, for the most part, it's really just about us as a unit. It doesn't matter who we play: if we don't take care of our business as a group – starting with us, not who we're playing against – then it's not going to work. You can play against the worst team or you can play against the best team, but if we don't play well as a group, it's not going to matter what happens on Sunday because nobody is going to be able to do anything."

(On the difference he noticed in the team from the first three quarters to the fourth quarter)
"All I know is that I didn't want to get out of there with a goose egg on the board. It's a pride thing and I thought that we just started making plays. Guys were running and catching the ball, we were protecting, we got some things going, got a couple of long drives and we were able to sustain and we scored some touchdowns. Like I said, we played bad for three quarters and it didn't look right, but we still fought the whole way through and made sure that we didn't give up there at the end thinking these guys beat us. It's one of those things where you've got to play every snap until the clock strikes zero and I thought we did a good job of fighting and getting ourselves back into a situation where we could possibly go win it."

TACKLE DEMAR DOTSON

(On how the offense was able to correct their mistakes and score points in the fourth quarter)
"I think that when we scored those two touchdowns, we eliminated those mistakes and those turnovers. Unfortunately we had one at the end, but I think that's [the] only thing that we did better [in the fourth quarter]. We just when down there, our backs were against the wall and we knew we had to have it. I think guys put it together and went down there – the defense got a good three and out and gave us a chance to win the football game. We should have delivered."

(On what he remembers playing against St. Louis last season)
"They're a tough team, a tough front four. They rush the passer [well] and they've got two real good defensive ends that come off the edge and it's going to be tough. Me and A.C. [tackle Anthony Collins] are going to have our hands full. [Rams defensive end Robert] Quinn is a good football player and [Rams defensive end] Chris Long is even better. Chris Long is a relentless guy. That's one guy that every year I go against him – this will be my third year going against that guy – he just doesn't stop. He's one of those guys that just gets under your skin because he's good football player, but he just keeps coming, keeps coming like the Energizer Bunny and he just keeps coming. I've got to be on my stuff from start to finish and I've got to go to the echo of the whistle because that guy is not going to quit."

(On the difference between Carolina's pass rush and St. Louis's pass rush)
"I think they're a little bit more relentless. I think that Chris Long is a lot more relentless than what I faced last week. I don't know if he is better or not, [but] he's a guy that's going to give you 110 percent on every snap. When you go against a guy like that, you know that if you're going 80 percent, he's going 110 and he'll get you."

DEFENSIVE END LARRY ENGLISH

(On if the team told him there was a possibility he would be re-signed)
"I think there's always a possibility. It becomes a situation of need and whatever that need is, you might end up back. That's kind of what they told me. At the same time, you can't really depend on that either. So I just had to take the stance of making sure that I was ready individually and staying open to what the next opportunity was going to be."

(On his thoughts about the organization after he was released)
"I feel like I worked hard. I feel like I gained ground. But I'm not knocking the coaches' and the organization's decision. They made a decision based off of need and whatever other variables there might have been. There's no animosity or anything like that. I'm just happy to be here, happy to be back working."

(On if he watched Tampa Bay's game this past Sunday)
"I actually didn't want to watch the games. I kind of just wanted to concentrate on getting myself better and staying ready for the next opportunity. It's kind of hard at times like that. It was my first time not being on a team Week 1. It wasn't really something that I wanted to watch. But like I said, I had the weekend. I was focusing on just staying in shape and being ready for the next opportunity that was going to come."

LINEBACKER MASON FOSTER

(On what he remembers about playing St. Louis last season)
"It's mostly the players that you're going to face. But they had a good offense, good O-line, good backs, really quick receivers, good receivers. It's going to be a tough game, but we've got the guys over here to get it done."

(On former Tampa Bay guard Davin Joseph returning to play at Raymond James Stadium)
"Good friend of mine, worked out with him in the offseason. I know he's going to come with his 'A' game. He's a good guard too so it's going to be tough."

(On if he has watched tape of St. Louis' Week 1 game)
"I watched a little bit last night. But I'll probably really get into it tonight and come back ready to work tomorrow."

(On if the possibility of facing a backup quarterback changes the game plan)
"No, I never think about stuff like that. Because they're all NFL players. Nobody's that bad where you can just say, 'Take this out of the game plan.' So I prepare for everybody. They're going to have to prepare like they're going to have the best game ever against the Bucs."

(On what he took away from the defense's performance against Carolina)
"I learned that we've got a lot of talent, a lot of speed. But definitely, guys didn't give up, guys didn't quit – it could have been easy to be down 17-0 and easy to start pointing fingers at each other, kind of play it safe or turn it in, but guys kept fighting and we still had a chance to win the game at the end. Things don't always go your way, but it's something to build on."