TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS QUOTE SHEET 7-24-24

HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On what he liked about what he saw on the team's first day of training camp)

"Guys were in shape, they had some recall. Obviously, we've got to polish up on some small things, but for the first day, not bad."

(On if he's had any conversations with OLB Randy Gregory)

"We're going to talk about the players that are here. He's not here. We'll deal with that internally. Obviously, he's on the Did Not Report list. We'll go from there."

(On if he thinks Gregory will show up eventually)

"I don't speculate on anything."

(On LT Tristan Wirfs being a full participant in practice today)

"I'm not surprised to see it. He loves the game, he loves to play, he loves his teammates. He did a good job today."

(On if any adjustments have been made to Tristan Wirfs' practice schedule)

"No, he's rolling."

(On if he likes the depth the team has at outside linebacker without Randy Gregory)

"We've never had him to begin with. He hasn't been here. We've been okay with the depth we've got. We've got some guys that can play and we're going to get them ready to play."

(On if there were any question marks with Gregory when the team signed him)

"I don't have any more speculation on Gregory."

(On what he saw from the outside linebackers in practice today)

"The fact that they knew what to do, mentally, was big for me. I'm not going to give them credit for sacks in shorts and t-shirts because the linemen don't have things to grab. I'm not going to give them that. But [Anthony Nelson] knows what to do, he's where he's [supposed to be], he's been doing that since he's been here. He's unassuming, but he always makes plays and we expect that from him. On the first day, I'm not going to give [anybody] a gold star."

(On if the team knew about OLB Randy Gregory's lawsuit)

"Again, I'm done with the Gregory questions."

(On the level of competition on the offensive line and if he's considered moving G Cody Mauch to the left side)

"Not at this time. We're going to move some guys around as we get going in camp, just in case of emergency – we do that anyway. We'll see how the battle pans out and we'll try to put the best people where they belong."

(On how different this year's training camp feels with QB Baker Mayfield solidified as the starter)

"Baker has the keys to the bus. He's driving it. He's comfortable, we're comfortable with him. We're both in a great place right now. He has to run the offense – we talked about this, as far as getting the ball out where he needs to get the ball out and understanding the offense and making the correct checks. I think he's taken it upon his shoulders. He came back in great shape and we expect him to do that. There's a lot more stability there than there was last year."

(On what guards Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta bring to the competition at that spot)

"They're both similar. They're both very powerful, very smart players. They got off the ball – that's what's going to make it a great competition."

(On how he feels about the leadership on the defensive side of the ball following the departure of CB Carlton Davis III, OLB Shaq Barrett, and LB Devin White)

"I feel great. We've still got Lavonte [David], we've still got Vita [Vea], we've still got [Antoine] Winfield Jr., obviously. The guys that are taking their places…Zyon [McCollum] has started nine games last year – he's played. K.J. [Britt] got a taste last year – he's a natural leader for us. Joe [Tryon-Shoyinka] has been here for us for a while. And, we've got some hungry young guys at those positions. When you have a lot of good players, you're either going to lose some to free agency, or some to retirement, or some to injury and you've got to start having somebody back behind them. I think Jason [Licht] did a good job of getting guys in here that can play and step in at the right time. They may not be the household names that you're used to, but as the season goes on, you're going to get to know them very well."

(On if he expects LB K.J. Britt to take a leadership role on this defense)

"The players vote on the [team captains] – we've got a lot of great guys that are deserving of that. K.J. has been a leader since he's been here – even when he wasn't starting, he's been a leader. He's a natural leader. He's very vocal – he's probably the most talkative guy on the field. I hope this never happens in camp, but if they get into a fight, I'm pretty sure it's probably going to be him because he does most of the talking about it. We've got to keep a good eye on that."

(On how WR Mike Evans looks and how the chemistry between him and QB Baker Mayfield is)

"The chemistry started last year. They both kind of know each other pretty well by now. Mike came back in great shape. He looks just like he did a year ago. He's a professional. He loves to play the game. He knows what time it is, he knows when to come back and do things the right way. He's been doing that his whole career. That's what makes him great."

(On Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen implementing his offensive system and how the guys are learning it)

"There's a lot to learn. We just put in the basics. There are so many technical things that you have to go with in this offense, but, from the base part of it from mini-camp and OTAs, they've [come] a long way. There's still so much more to put in – you just can't put it all in in spring."

(On what makes him believe that the rushing attack can thrive under Coen's offense)

"Liam is calling it – he's not blocking it. We've got to block it [laughs]. We want to be better in the run game, obviously. We have new coaches down there [and] hopefully with the scheme and the things we put in and the players we've gotten, we can get better at that as camp goes on. It's something we want to see, but we want to be balanced and we want to do what's right to win the game. Obviously, we don't want to be last in [rushing]."

(On if this year's team feels different in terms of their goals and expectations)

"It's no different than any other year. You've got to set a tone at the start of training camp. Nobody wants to shoot for just a division title – that doesn't do anything for us. We're in this to win the big thing. They've got to see the big picture. There's a lot of small steps along the way that we've got to take. Our focus, ideally, is that's where we want to go. We're talking about going from good to great and it starts there. We start at square one. We've got a lot of baby steps to go before we get there. The guys understand that and that's what we're working towards."

(On what the first day of training camp means to him)

"It's always great for me, especially when you have younger guys. It's exciting. It's [about] trying to see how the team can come together, how the coaches can come together as a group. It's always exciting to see what kind of pieces you have to move, what kind of adjustments you have to make, what kind of technique things you have to work on from a daily basis – as long as we're moving towards that goal. The first day is always exciting for the coaches."

(On if he's noticed any change in QB Baker Mayfield since signing his contract)

"He's probably got a bigger chip [on his shoulder] now. Baker is going to be the same every day. He works his tail off to be the best he can be. The guys believe in him and would run through a brick wall for him. I don't see any change."

(On how the team is in terms of their conditioning)

"This is probably the most in shape that we've come in in about three or four years."

WIDE RECEIVER MIKE EVANS

(On how he spent his offseason)

"I had a great offseason. I usually always have a great offseason. I get to spend time with my family, relax, recover, and just do things I like to do – that's work and just hang out with my family, play video games, go to the movies, do all that fun stuff. I got it out of the way, and I'm ready to work."

(On raised expectations for the Buccaneers compared to expectations entering the 2023 season)

"Last year, we heard all the talk about us: we lost Tom [Brady], we're going to be trash and things like that. But we knew the caliber of players that we had, and this year, we're going to be better, I feel like. It's already showing. I know it's just day one, but OTAs were different than they were the year before. We know Baker [Mayfield] is going to be the guy. Last year, we didn't know that preparing. So it's a lot more continuity and just learning a new offense, and we'll be good."

(On whether the Buccaneers are aiming to win the NFC South Division for the fifth straight season)

"Yeah, you start with the division, but everybody's goal is to win the Super Bowl."

(On new Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen)

"I like him. I talked to him even before I re-signed. That's another reason I wanted to sign back; he had all these plans to continue giving me the ball. I love to hear that. That just makes me happy. I like him a lot."

(On a third-down pass connection between him and QB Baker Mayfield with DB Zyon McCollum in tight coverage)

"Zyon, that's my guy. You know, Galveston, [Texas], that's my guy. We've been getting a lot of work his first three years now, and he's improving and improving. Baker has really good ball placement. That was a third-down play. He puts it where only I could [get] it. That's just our repetition."

(On how he feels entering his 11th season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

"It's a blessing, always, to start a training camp healthy and go out here and just do what I love to do and live out my dream. Obviously, it's not easy. It isn't easy, but I'd rather be nowhere else than here. I'm happy I get to do this. I've been seeing pictures of me, my first camp when I was 240 pounds and out of shape, but I was just a young, just hungry kid, and I still have that same hunger. I just got smarter."

(On his expectations for WR Chris Godwin in 2024 now that Godwin has fully recovered from his 2021 knee injury.)

"A great year. I mean, y'all saw him today. He looks like he's in midseason form. He's making plays, going deep. He looks like the 2019 Chris Godwin. He's always been an unbelievable leader and player for us, and I expect no different this year."

(On how he continues to self-motivate after a highly accomplished first half of his career)

"Well, I'm super competitive. Y'all know that about me. Y'all have been covering me for a long time. I'm down on myself more than anybody else could be. There's more for me to do in my career. There's more that I feel I need to do. I love to win, and I'm chasing history."

(On aiming to win a fifth straight NFC South Division title after not making the playoffs in his five seasons with the team)

"It's going to be five straight, right? Dang. We came a long way. We came a long way. We had to have some things happen free agency-wise and with the team and our players getting better over time. Our management team has been doing a great job. I look back on those times, and I never want to go back. We are always trying to fight to get in the playoffs. Then obviously, when we get in the playoffs, you see what we can do."

SAFETY ANTOINE WINFIELD JR.

(On playing with S Jordan Whitehead again)

"It's fun. Every opportunity that I get to go out there with Jordan [Whitehead], it's cool. It's so weird because obviously we played with each other my first few years in the league, and then he wasn't here and then I have him back. It's still surreal seeing him next to me because I didn't think we'd play with each other again so it's been fun. He's a great player. He communicates and just his energy out there brings a lot to our defense."

(On rookie S Tykee Smith)

"He's smart. He's cerebral. He knows his stuff. He plays physical. He plays hard and he has a great mentality towards the game which I love."

(On how he continues to challenge himself)

"It's doing what I've been doing. My goal every year is to do better than I did in the previous year and staying true to what I do every single year and every day I'm out here. I try to get better. It's not like I'm complacent or anything. I still have goals that I want to reach and I still have things that I want to do and so I still have that mindset that I'm going to come out here, put the work in, and get better."

(On Todd Bowles' goal to win the Super Bowl)

"Super Bowl, that's the goal. We have a lot of the players back. We have some young guys that are good – that are filling some roles that we need and I feel good about this season and I definitely feel better than I did last year."

(On improving the Buccaneers pass defense)

"Our goal is obviously to get better. We want to be the best that we can be, and that starts with me commanding that secondary to be better. That's our goal and that's what we're out here for – to work, to do better than we were previously."

(On the speed and skills of the defense)

"We have some guys, especially our younger guys. I feel like they fit well in our system and I feel like we did get faster, we got smarter, and I feel like we have playmakers all over."

(On having a bigger leadership role than previous years)

"The more years that you're in the league, [the more] guys gravitate towards you and watch how you practice. I don't necessarily do anything different - I just be my own self and I work hard and hopefully the guys see that and they want to be like that because that's what I did when I first came into the league. Coming in, watching guys like Tom [Brady], watching guys like 'A.B.' (Antonio Brown), 'Gronk' (Rob Gronkowski), and all those guys – how they worked when they were here, that's something I picked up on. I feel like I'm starting to get in that role of being the older guy and I have eyes, people looking at me, seeing what I'm doing and I just hope they pick up the best qualities of how I work."

(On LT Tristan Wirfs being at training camp)

"It says a lot about his character. Tristan loves playing football. That's one thing I admire about him. He tries not to let that get to him. You don't understand that it's a business at the end of the day and I think they're going to work things out. I hope Tristan gets everything that he deserves."

(On the chemistry between WR Mike Evans and QB Baker Mayfield)

"The chemistry has been phenomenal. Even the progression from last year to this year – you can see it. I feel like they trust each other more. I feel like they're way more on point so it's going to be nice watching them and practicing against them throughout this training camp."

(On practicing against a new offense)

"They give us a lot of different looks, and I feel like that's good for us because they're giving us looks that a lot of the teams in the league do. Being able to practice that now in training camp helps us out as well, as much as we are working against each other, for them. I feel like that's been a good thing for us, just to see different looks and things like that."

(On CB Zyon McCollum and S Kaevon Merriweather's improvement)

"Zyon [McCollum] – I feel like the biggest thing for him that he's improved on was his mental aspect of the game. He's a freak athlete, super-fast and athletic, but I feel like the big thing for him is, cerebrally, he's gotten better. Same with [Kaevon] Merriweather – he's been getting it mentally, and he's a great player all around. He's communicating more. He feels better about being in the system and I can expect good things from him."

LINEBACKER K.J. BRITT

(On how it felt to be back out and practicing again)

"It felt good just to be back out there with my teammates, having fun and trying to make sure we're planting a foundation that's going to lead us into the season."

(On the responsibility of taking over a starting role on defense)

"I'm just working. I'm just working each day to show my teammates and show my coaches what I can do – and showing myself what I can do. I'm just going out there and making sure I do my part."

(On Head Coach Todd Bowles referring to him as the 'unquestioned leader' of this team)

"I talk and we have a good time, but I try to lead by how I work. I just try to go out there each play and give it my all and make sure everybody around me can see it. I just try to make it evident and try to make sure everybody knows what's going on – the whole defense…What plays are going to be [called] against us, the down-and-distance and everything. [I am] just being a student of the game."

(On his expectations of the defense this year)

"My expectation is for us to be the best defense in the league – that's what we're working for. We've got all the pieces, we've got all the people, we've got the want to. We're going to go out every day and make sure we're doing our thing."

(On how much the playoff loss against the Lions showed him that this team can play with the elite teams in the league)

"I thought we should have won that game. Any loss is going to sting in this league, especially a playoff loss and a Divisional Round loss. Any loss that's going to send you home is going to sting. The thing about the last loss is you've got all offseason to think about it. So, looking at how we made it to that game and then we didn't succeed, it stings because we still have to watch the tape. We still have to watch it. That feeling – how it was when we got to Detroit and the hype – it's always going to sting. We've got to make sure we get better so when we get back to that position…we've got to go right back up there. It's going to be [like] another playoff game, but it's going to be early in the year. We've got to know when we get back up there, what they're going to get and what we're going to get. We've got to see what's what."

(On playing behind a slimmed down NT Vita Vea)

"That speed on the defensive line is going to make sure the linebackers can fly around. The offensive linemen are going to have to address them, and if they address them because they're moving so fast and so quick, by the time they address them, me and Lavonte [David] are in the second level. We're going to make sure we can fly around. It all helps the defense – everybody helps everybody. The defensive line helps the cornerbacks, the cornerbacks help the defensive linemen, the defensive linemen help the linebackers, the linebackers help the defensive line – it's defense. It's beautiful. We've got 11 people who can work together. It's a thing of art. It's not just one person – it's everybody helping everybody. Everybody slimming down, getting faster, getting leaner – it's going to help the whole entire piece of the puzzle."

-BUCCANEERS-