HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On the second day of practice)

"I thought they did a good job [with] recall, both sides of the ball, execution-wise. The offense got some good plays in two-minute [drill] that they finished the game – defense has to learn how to finish. [There were] a lot of sacks and non-sacks and penalties on both sides of the ball that we've got to clean up, but the concentration was there, so we can start with that and go from there."

(On the performance of CB Zyon McCollum today in practice)

"Zyon is a heck of a player – he's probably one of our top three athletes. He's got vertical, he's got lateral movement, he's got speed and he's got awareness. He understands the game now. He's playing with a lot of confidence."

(On WR Jalen McMillan)

"[He is] still developing right now. We know he has outstanding hands and competitiveness. We know he can play all three spots. Obviously, you've got Trey [Palmer] and 'Rock' (Rakim Jarrett) and a lot of guys in there playing, but we're really high on him. He's very smart, he's very competitive, and he has a motor that doesn't stop. That's only going to help us. I think we're still unwrapping the things he can do to put in the offense to help us. When we get a good two or three weeks in, you'll see more of that."

(On how WR Chris Godwin has looked over the first two days of practice)

"Chris looked good. Chris looked good. I think he's leaner – I don't think he lost weight, I think he's leaner. He's quick. I think he's finally healthy. He looks great. The work he puts in the offseason is unmatched. The work he puts in and the way he came into camp right now and the way he's picking up the system has been great."

(On how he's looking for the young tight end room to make the jump to the next level)

"The jump is understanding the scheme, first. Obviously, the physicalness will take care of itself when the pads come on. Cade [Otton] has done a great job the past two years that he's been here. He feels like the vet of the group right now. The young guys have to catch up and come along. There are a lot of nuances that group has to take care of – they've done a good job thus far."

(On the potential of OLB Yaya Diaby)

"It's unlimited. The biggest thing for Yaya [is] he understands the defense now. It's still hard to gauge when we're not in pads. It's hard for the offense to really get hands on anyone without the pads. But, his effort and his concentration right now have been great."

(On how the offense and defense practicing against each other helps both units when he is the one calling defensive plays)

"I didn't call it today in the call-it period. Coach [Kacy] Rodgers called it today. In the call-it periods, I've got to do down-and-distance and personnel and all that stuff, so I'm kind of a referee, so to speak. Kacy does a heck of a job, [Larry] Foote does a heck of a job calling the defense. The competition with each other, I think that we're going to see throughout 16 [or] 17 games and not just the first or second game of the season. The things we're preparing for now, we're going to see on Sundays. The more we see it, the easier it will be."

(On if anybody complains about his officiating)

"Always [laughs]. Depending on which side I favor, I'm going to get cussed out from the other side."

(On what he sees from second-year players who successfully take the step to the next level)

"You see the shape they come in [at] and you see the understanding in the spring. Really, you see it when they're playing faster and not thinking. You see that with Yaya [Diaby] right now – you see him understanding the defense [and] not even close to where he was last year. He was just being brute strength. Right now, his technique, his awareness of the game and everything he's doing is outstanding."

(On how putting WR Chris Godwin back in the slot will transform the offense)

"This offense will be multiple, but primarily when he succeeds in there in the slot. He's a hell of a blocker, he's great in one-on-one coverage – underneath and down the field. He gives us a lot of options. With the third receiver with Trey [Palmer] coming on last year and [Jalen] McMillan coming in this year, you've really got to play us honest. You've really got to play us honest. Chris is kind of the key to that."

(On if having wide receivers who are good at blocking will alleviate pressures off of tight ends)

"It doesn't alleviate all of it. They have to do their job. A wideout isn't going to help out the tight end – the tight end has got to do their job and the wideout has got to do their job."

(On the challenge in trying to practice the new kickoff rules while still not going full speed at practice)

"It's different. It's different. Until we get in pads and probably get a scrimmage or two under our belt and see how we can cut the kinks out and how everybody is trying to play it, it's going to be relatively new. The preseason practices will be important and the game will be even more important [for] how we want to set it up and how we want to do things, as well as how we want to defend it."

(On why WR Chris Godwin played primarily outside last season)

"I think it was more philosophy and scheme. I don't really think it was for any reason to move him out there. When different offensive coordinators come in, they have a different offensive scheme and different philosophy. Having him back inside is Liam [Coen's] philosophy. He comes back inside right now where he excelled previously, so everybody is comfortable with that. I think he can do both, but he really excels on the inside."

(On if there's an update on the status of RB Chase Edmonds)

"Not at this point. He was just nursing an injury."

(On how he sees WR Sterling Shepard contributing to this offense)

"As he gets the system down, he gets more comfortable. Everybody has got a head start on him, but when healthy, he's a heck of a ballplayer. The competition is going to be tough."

WIDE RECEIVER CHRIS GODWIN

(On how it feels to be back in the slot)

"Honestly, it's been a lot of fun. I've had a lot of success there in the previous four years before last year. So, I think it feels good to be back in there. It gives me a lot of versatility. But, I think, situationally and formationally, I might end up outside sometimes, back to what I was doing before. But also, I think that we have a lot of good guys, too. We have a really great room. We've got a couple of vets in me and Mike [Evans] and 'Shep' (Sterling Shepard), and we've got a bunch of young guys that are hungry and ready to step up and make some plays. I think you saw a lot of that today."

(On teammates saying he looks as good as he ever has)

"I'm feeling pretty good, man. I think that any time you're coming off the injury that I did, it takes a few years to kind of get back. I've always been the type of person [where] I'm never really focused on dwelling on the past – I'm just trying to do the best I can with what I have. The last two years…two years ago, the first year off the injury, I was doing pretty good but I could tell something was a little bit missing. Last year was a little bit better, so this year, I'm looking to step back up again. I think only time will really tell how things play out, but I'm feeling pretty good about this year. Honestly, I'm just eager for the opportunity."

(On if he did any different training this offseason than in years past)

"I think every year, I change things up a little bit. I think if you're ever just doing the exact same things, I feel like you're kind of being complacent and I never really want to take that approach. I'm always looking for different ways to be a little bit better. That comes from recovery, training, the whole nine [yards]. Like I said, I'm excited about the year, man."

(On the feeling around the team right now heading into the 2024 season)

"Being perfectly honest, last year, it didn't matter to us either way what anybody else thought. I think I said that. It doesn't matter what people project before the season – not just for us, but for anybody – it doesn't matter until we get on the field. You go out there and you play the games for a reason. If it was just on paper, there'd be no reason to play the games. You'd just pick whoever people perceive to have the best roster and crown them champions, but that's not how it works. Regardless of what anybody outside the building thinks, last year we were confident, and this year, it's the same way. We have our core nucleus back and now we have the opportunity to go out there and win games. If we don't go out there and put the work in during training camp, we're doing ourselves a disservice and we won't be able to go out there and execute on the game field. I think guys are just confident. We're having a lot of fun and I think that we're very unified. We feel really good about who we have and guys are just enjoying being around our teammates."

(On being a mentor to WR Jalen McMillan and what he likes about him as a player)

"First, I think you hit it on the head with him and the situation he's coming into. When I came in, I had Mike [Evans], but I also had 'D.Jax.' (DeSean Jackson) and Adam Humphries – I had a good group of guys ahead of me that helped show me how to be a pro. I think I was able to come and fit in and learn from those guys and apply what I could to my game. I see a lot of those same things in Jalen. He has a really good feel for the game – you can tell that already [with] the way that he moves. He's coming in and playing with confidence. He's doing a really good job of taking in the advice from the vets – from me and Mike [Evans], from 'Shep' (Sterling Shepard), guys who have played a lot of ball. He's really taking in that advice and applying it. Definitely, like we saw, [he has] a long way to go and that's what I was telling him today, but I really appreciate his enthusiasm for the game. He makes a big play and he's celebrating, and we're trying to get more of that. It's not just business as usual. If we score a touchdown, let's celebrate. This [stuff] is fun, you know? I think he's off to a really good start, but again, it's day two. We've got to put the pads on, and progress to preseason games, and then to the regular season, but [he is] off to a good start and I think he's a great addition to our group."

CORNERBACK ZYON MCCOLLUM

(On whether guarding WR Mike Evans carries extra significance)

"Sure. I mean, I've been dreaming of being matched up with him since I was a little kid. I was in high school when he was in the league, and I look up to him, and he's a hometown hero, basically. So, of course, it means a little bit more making a play against him, especially the caliber player that he is. But as training camp goes on, I am going to win some, he's going to win some; It's going to be a great match up all fall."

(On how the team having faith in him has affected his personal confidence level)

"Yeah, it lets me know that they trust me. I trust myself, and I just hope that I gain the respect of my teammates, my coaching staff, and the upper office. So, when they can give me a nod like that, it lets me know that I'm doing something right and to just keep my head down and prove them right, basically."

(On how improving his performance from day one of training to day two of training boosts his confidence)

"It means everything. A lot of these situations that we are put in in training camp, we're going to see these exact same situations in a game. Coach Bowles does a really good job of scripting up practice, working on third downs, and working on two-minute drills. I remember last year, we were in a lot of tough situations, late in ball games, and struggled to get off the field on third down on a couple of occasions. So, being able to be put in those positions now this early helps me be able to get out of all the negative and just focus solely on just making plays, making plays, making plays, making plays, to the point to where it's like second nature by the time the season starts."

(On how his speed and quickness fit into Head Coach Todd Bowles' defensive schemes)

"Definitely in man coverage – I don't have to cover everybody at super speed, so I can be really patient. When somebody gives me a release, I don't have to be on top. I don't have to be in a dominant position. I can kind of just play with them a little bit because I know that they can't separate from me. So, it just allows me to be more comfortable, backpedal a little bit slower, anticipate breaks a little bit more, and so just use my speed in that way."

(On the expectations McCollum holds for himself going into the 2024 season)

"I'm trying to [be] a big-time playmaker. I want to make my name heard all across the league. I want to put my hands on balls. I've been telling my wife all offseason that I'm trying to get six interceptions, and I just keep repeating that over and over and over again. If I don't get it, I will be disappointed because that's what I've been working on over and over and over again. I'm not going to sell myself short; I'm shooting for the stars."

WIDE RECEIVER JALEN MCMILLAN

(On having a good start at training camp)

"I'm just taking in everything that Chris [Godwin] and Mike [Evans] are teaching me and everything 'B-Mac' (Wide Receivers coach Bryan McClendon) is teaching me, so [I'm] just being levelheaded and staying confident in my abilities."

(On the advice he's received from teammates)

"[They told me] not to complain about the weather. Just to stay levelheaded at the end of the day. There's going to be a lot of stressors on you at practice, such as the heat, the sweat, so I'm not trying to make any excuses. I'm just trying to focus on the next play and honestly just fix the small details of my game."

(On his relationship with QB Baker Mayfield)

"Obviously [he's] someone I look up to. Just watching him growing up – it's something crazy to be able to [have] him be my quarterback now. Ever since day one, he's been giving me a lot of game. During routes out here, he'll make sure I go with him so that we can get a good timing down and just giving me small tips on my game and on his game too so that I can adjust. Great leader. He just knows how to put the ball in the right place."

(On gaining QB Baker Mayfield's trust)

"One of my biggest goals for camp is to make Baker [Mayfield] trust me with everything in his body. Whenever he throws the ball my way, I just want to be able to catch it, bring it in, and just make myself be a target to him."

(On what he thinks of the offense)

"This offense moves you around. No matter what position you play, you're going to be in different spots, so at the end of the day you have to know every position. You have to know every small detail in that playbook, but also you just have to be a dog. They're going to give you a ton of opportunities. Just catch the ball and make plays."

(On the chance to be in the NFL)

"My last college season I got hurt. I wasn't able to play that whole season until the very end so I'm hungry. I feel like I should've gotten drafted higher, but at the end of the day God puts you in positions that you're meant for, and I feel like I'm meant for this moment, and I feel like this isn't too big for me. The fact that I'm playing with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, I mean why not? I'm blessed to be in this position."

(On the ability to integrate himself into the offense)

"I think it's just the small details that I incorporate into my life. I'm on a routine, I like staying on that routine. I don't like being outside any routine that I'm in. [I] always focus on the small details of my life and focusing on the relationships that I have with them, because at the end of the day, when me and Chris [Godwin] – Mike [Evans] and Chris, they're my locker mates – when I'm with Mike and Chris before practice I know that they're expecting a lot from me and I know that with them being leaders of the receiver room, it's up to me to make good plays."

-BUCCANEERS-