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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers Transcript: Head Coach Bruce Arians (5/11/19)

Below is a transcript from Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians. Video from media availability with the team's rookies can be found on Buccaneers.com.

(On rookie mini-camp so far)

"It was such a good two days that I am going to cancel tomorrow. I'm really pleased with what we saw, especially the draft choices. The guys that came in – and there are a couple of guys that came in on tryouts that we are going to keep that I was very impressed with. I thought overall it was a great start. I can't wait until Tuesday when we can get everybody out here and get both practices going."

(On linebacker Devin White's pick-six during practice)

"He caught the pick-six this time. He had to, it hit him right in the chest. He better catch it."

(On what he saw out there today despite wearing pads)

"A lot of skilled players – the DBs, the linebackers, quarterbacks, receivers, the running backs. A couple of them made some really nice cuts. For the big guys, it's a detriment to put them out there. It's not fair to them because they can't use their physicality and that is how they play the game. For the rest of them, it's a real good judge on how athletic they are, how smart they are, how fast they can learn and if they can maintain it from a walkthrough through a practice to the next day to the next day."

(On the importance of picking up the playbook)

"It's everything. If they are going to contribute – first of all, special teams. Make your niche on special teams, find a spot. The fourth running back or the fifth safety is not going to be the best safety, it's going to be the best special teams player because you're going to dress on Sunday, so find your niche on special teams. We threw a lot at these guys and these guys coming out of college have so much to learn because so many of them, offensively, have never been in a huddle. They don't huddle, they don't get down in a three-point stance. Like I said yesterday, I said, 'Put your hand in the dirt' and the guy didn't know what I was talking about. That's the new wave – that's how we have to coach now. It's totally different than it was 10 years ago, but we are ready for it. Offensive linemen especially, it's a real tough learning curve."

(On Sean Murphy-Bunting's versatility)

"It's one of the reasons we loved him coming out because he played a lot of nickel as a corner. [Defensive back] Mike Edwards played nickel as a safety, so it gives us two different types of body types to put in there. When we go to six and seven DBs, they will both be down there. So, that was his position flexibility. That plays so much when you're drafting guys, that they are not a one position player. He has that length and quickness and speed as far as receivers, it's hard to be in the spot if you can't block because we are going to run the football. If you can't block, everybody knows it's a pass, what the hell good are you? So, there's got to be some size. I've had a lot of small guys who were tough as nails. [Broncos wide receiver] Emmanuel Sanders comes to mind, he would block his tail off and he's not very big. It's always the three best guys and we will find you a way to play there."

(On who impressed him out of the receivers)

"They all work their tails off. The way we run routes is so different. We count steps, so they are like one, two, three running slow as heck. Scotty [Miller] flashed yesterday. He ran a couple good routes today. The young kid from Richmond (Cortrelle Simpson) had a nice catch, I like him. The young kid from Buffalo (Anthony Johnson) had a nice catch. I will learn all of their names one of these days, but they made nice plays. They are going to get plenty of opportunities starting Tuesday because they will be on that field and somebody else will be on this field and everybody is getting 40-50 reps a day."

(On how the uncertainty on the defensive line changes how they plan)

"It's easy. When we get to training camp, we will have the guys that we want in there. When I was in Arizona, every year that last week we would always add the missing piece. We're looking for the missing piece right now. There is somebody out there. John Abraham came in, Dwight Freeney came in, guys that really impacted our defense and Todd [Bowles] did a great job of matching them up. We're nowhere near where we are going to be in September, so we will just wait and see."

(On the report that Jason Pierre-Paul will not elect to have surgery)

"Yeah, that's totally up to him. I can't talk about his injuries. Nothing has changed from yesterday for me."

(On WR Scotty Miller)

"Yeah, he's not a slot [receiver]. He's more of a John Brown-guy for me. For him to get in there and go block a linebacker – he's not going to last long. He'll give us speed in the slot, he'll give us speed as a wide receiver, but I basically see him as a wide receiver."

(On if running backs need to have pass-catching ability)

"Unless you're Earl Campbell or Christian Okoye. You had to take [them] out on third downs. It helps. When you've got a three-down back, you've got something special. I've been fortunate enough to be around Marshall Faulk, Edgerrin James, David Johnson – guys that never have to come out of a game. They can pass block, they can run 35 times a game and they can catch 10 passes, so that's what you're looking for at that position."

(On the addition of TE C'yontai Lewis to the rookie mini-camp roster)

"Yeah, the tight end we had in here from Fordham pulled a hamstring yesterday, so we called [Lewis] up and gave him a shot, gave him a look today."

(On the underdog mentality of players)

"I love that in everybody. We should all have that mentality – all you've got to do is ready the paper."

(On OLB Anthony Nelson)

"Long, tall – again, don't know until pads, but he's everything that we thought we drafted."

(On if Nelson will play DE or OLB)

"It's the same position. When we go to nickel, our outside 'backer is our defensive end."

(On using two tight ends and if he has had a combination like he has in Tampa Bay with Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard)

"No, never. We had traditional, blocking-type guys. John Carlson was probably the closest thing to Cam. When you don't play with a fullback, then the defense can't put eight in the box. We've got tight ends that can split out, line up tight, one can get in the backfield. It just gives you more down-and-distance calls from the defensive coordinator than personnel calls. You put a fullback in, they know the six plays you're going to run and you're limited in passing."

(On if a two-tight end alignment allows the offense to dictate the coverage)

"You can dictate a lot of things with two tight ends that can run and catch but still block."

(On if any of the quarterbacks at rookie mini-camp impressed enough to remain with the team)

"Nick's under contract and he looked pretty good. His future is going to be probably as a multi-dimensional role player, but he looked good enough as a quarterback."

(On OLB David Kenney)

"He gets to come back Tuesday. When you get past the quarterback on just about every play, that catches everybody's attention. Let's see if he can do it against the next group."

-BUCCANEERS-

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