GENERAL MANAGER JASON LICHT

(On the process of bringing WR Julio Jones to the Buccaneers)

"It's a scenario we had talked about for a while going back to OTAs and when he was released – that if it made sense, we'd potentially pursue it. I talked periodically to his agent all summer and I know that Tom [Brady] and Julio [Jones] had talked, and then it just kind of came to fruition here these last couple of days. We're really excited to have him [and] I know he's super excited to be here. What a mature guy, tough guy, competitive guy - he's just excited to have the chance to win a championship."

(On the sense of urgency of trying to get ahead of the possibility of any injuries and creating depth by signing Jones)

"100%, especially with a player like Julio, if you can do it with a player like Julio. It just can't be anybody. And our receivers were – we talked, Todd [Bowles] and I, talked with Mike [Evans], talked with Russell [Gage], talked with Chris [Godwin] – everybody was very excited about Julio just because of the reputation he has being a great player, but also being a great teammate, and being an extra coach on the field. [I] don't want to use all these cliches, but that's what he is. We had a lot of injuries last year, like you said, going down the stretch that really hurt us and we wanted to try to avoid that situation this year if we could."

(On former head coach Bruce Arians' role as a consultant, sound board and extra set of eyes)

"[He's] all of the above, all the above. It's great to have him. He and I obviously have a great relationship. I lean on him for a lot of things. We'll continue to do that. I know Todd [Bowles] does as well and all of our coaches. He's just great to have around."

(On T Tristan Wirfs' comparison to playing a video game after adding players like Julio Jones and Kyle Rudolph)

"I never really thought of it as a video game. I just think of it as having a lot of great players trying to make a push this year to win another Super Bowl and doing whatever we can to do that. Fortunately we've been in a situation here these last couple of years where we've been bringing in a lot of players who are on the downturn of their career, but still have something left – guys like Kyle [Rudolph], guys like Julio [Jones]. The past couple of years we've done the same thing, so I think these two in particular - Kyle and Julio – I think they're really going to help us."

(On a spot on the roster that could be improved)

"It would have to be a good fit. We're nonstop putting lists together, keeping tabs on players that are out there on the street, players that could potentially get released or traded. That's what my personnel department does and they do a great job of it nonstop. [I] wouldn't say one thing in particular. Right now, we feel very good about most of our team and the depth that we have, but we always keep an eye on everything."

(On if there is room for TE Rob Gronkowski if he decides to return)

"I don't want to deal with hypotheticals. We all know that 'Gronk' is a heck of a player – it would be hard to turn down."

(On the depth at receiver beyond the top four)

"A few years ago, early in my tenure, I would have probably been thinking too much about that right now. But now that I have a few years under [my] belt, [I] realize it's way too early to start playing that game. A lot of things can happen between now and cut down day – injuries, things of that nature – so, right now, we just want everyone to compete, and I think it will bring out the best in everybody."

(On C Ryan Jensen's injury)

"Right now, we feel terrible for Jensen. I don't have any update on that [and] we won't for some time. We have tests – some tests you have to wait a couple of days before you can get them. You have to wait for swelling and things like that to go down, so I don't have an update on that other than that it was a knee injury and we're hoping for the best, but we'll have updates on that later."

(On the somberness of practice after Jensen's injury)

"Well that usually happens when you have a player like Ryan who's such a - obviously a very good player - but also just a great person and a leader, and his toughness - things like that - about him that define him. When a player like that gets hurt and he's played through several injuries during his career without missing any time, it deflates everybody. But we'll wait to find out what it is, and like I said, we're hoping for the best."

(On drafting Robert Hainsey in the third round)

"Yeah, we took Robert in the third round for a reason because we saw a lot of potential in him. We saw potential in him as a center first, potentially playing guard, he played right tackle at Notre Dame, as well. We've liked the progression of Robert since we drafted him, since he came into the offseason last year and we have faith in him. We also have a lot of faith in Nick Leverett playing center, as well. So those two will get in there and they'll compete for the time being until we find out more about Jensen."

(On having QB Tom Brady as a recruiter)

"Oh, it's huge. I think any GM with an established veteran quarterback has an advantage, but when you have Tom Brady as the greatest, it's even more of an advantage and I'm never going to apologize for using him to help me bring in players for this team."

(On the signing of DL Akiem Hicks)

"He had some unfortunate injuries last year that ended his season early, but he's healthy now and he's come in and he's a big man – he's very athletic, very powerful. He's got very good quickness for his size, and he's been a great addition to that room. He's a veteran leader, he's a very mature guy, and everyone's been very high on him since he's been here. I think he's going to have a hell of a year."

(On the example that Tom Brady sets for the team)

"I think that has rubbed off on a lot of players, just the way he prepares, the things he does to keep his body in the shape that it's in. I don't think I ever have to grab a player and point to Tom Brady. I think they see it firsthand pretty quickly when they come in here. The entire locker room has the utmost respect for him."

(On how Brady plays a role in recruiting efforts)

"If I'm thinking about a player or we are as a staff, I'll give him a call and see if he can help us out and he's always willing to do it."

(On if Brady and him have the same players in mind)

"We're usually on the same page with that. We didn't have to kick too many weeds to find out about Julio Junes. We've known about him awhile, and Kyle Rudolph was the best tight end that was available. But, we're usually on the same page. We have a lot of communication – so does Todd [Bowles] and Tom [Brady] and myself. We talk a lot about players."

(On the team's unselfish culture)

"It's humbling, it's awesome. That's what we aspired for and that was our goal a long time ago – it's all about the culture. And when you have a player like Tom [Brady], that certainly helps, and it resonates throughout the whole building and will continue to resonate for years to come. This is what it takes to win, so we have the best locker room that I've ever been around in my career in terms of the professional attitude and maturity and the goal-minded players all being on the same page of what we're trying to achieve."

(On members of his staff being worthy of consideration for NFL GM jobs)

"Not just John [Spytek], but I could name them all -- we have a great group. I hope they all become GMs at some point. Somebody has to be in the top spot, but there's different roles and nobody looks at it that way. They all have a job to do, just like the players [and] we all have a goal in mind and that's to win a super bowl. I couldn't be happier with the group that I have."

(On the competition between offense and defense)

"There's a lot of chatter, a lot of banter, and a lot of smack talking going on and that's a good thing."

(On WR Julio Jones' role)

"We passed him on the physical, we feel good where he is at, and he looked damn good today. We did our homework, and from what we have seen so far, we are pleased from the signing. He can run, he can catch, and he's a super competitive guy, so he's going to help us out."

(On the recent free agent signings and their desire to be a part of a championship culture like the one the Buccaneers have created)

"I don't think it's a coincidence. I think in all those negotiations one of the top priorities that they had on their list was going to a team that they had a good chance of getting a ring, and how they want to end their career -- not necessarily end it this year, but have a chance before their career is over to win a Super Bowl. It's a very attractive [factor]. I'm not saying that we're definitely going to win the Super Bowl--we have a long road to go here and short time to get there. We just all feel we'll on the same page and we have a good chance."

(On if there are any rookies catching his eye in training camp so far)

"Right now, they all are catching our eye. I would say Rachaad White has done a fantastic job. He's got a very mature approach, reminds me of [Chris] Godwin when he came in as a rookie — wanting to get all his ducks in a row before training camp so he could focus just on football. Logan [Hall] has done some great things for us — Luke [Goedeke] is competing his butt off in there at guard. Both tight ends have shown a lot of good things in different areas -- Cade [Otton] catching the ball, his route running, his knowledge of the offense, and blocking—then Ko [Kieft] is just a tough blocker that can be used in various roles as a blocker, but he can also catch. It's way too early but they all are catching our eye one way or another."

(On the returner competition)

"That's going to be ongoing right now. We think Jaelon Darden has shown a lot of improvement from last year. We have some young guys that are going to compete for that. We have 'Gio' (Giovanni Bernard) who has done a nice job for us in the past. So there is going to be a lot of work there to see who is going to be the best one for us."

(On QB Kyle Trask)

"That definitely is one of our goals is to find out as much as we can about Kyle during the preseason."

(On what it's like going home after free agent signings)

"Well with social media today — and they're not in school -- I have an eight year old that gets all of his information from TikTok and will call me before it even gets out it seems like. It's a lot of fun to go home and talk about the things that we've done — but when I go home I get humbled pretty quickly."

(On QB Kyle Trask reps in the preseason)

"He's going to play a lot."

HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On the injury suffered by C Ryan Jensen in practice)

"All I know right now is he went down with a knee. We'll see when we go inside going forward and go from there."

(On what he has seen from WR Julio Jones)

"Well, he can still run. He's a big target and he's still quick. His first day was pretty good. It's just a matter of getting him caught up on the scheme."

(On what stood out about the second day of training camp)

"It was better execution, obviously. We're settling into a groove where it's a grind-out period and everybody understands what they have to do. We just have to understand, out of pads, we've got to take care of each other."

(On how much better the offensive line is with Tristan Wirfs back in the lineup)

"Well, he's a heck of a player. Any time you get a good player back – and he's a great player right now for us and we've got continuity – that's always good. You've got to protect your quarterback with bookend tackles first."

(On how important it is to get WR Julio Jones a lot of on-field work)

"Well, I think it's important for him to get reps. He's got to get the scheme down, so we threw him in there with everybody else and took a look at him. He ran some things; some things we obviously had to keep him out of. But we're pleased with where he's at right now. We've just got to continue to get the mental part down."

(On how S Mike Edwards has performed in camp)

"Mike has been great. He came in camp, looks good, he's moving around, he's a lot more vocal than he has been. Anytime you're in a scheme a while, you should be. Right now, he's having an excellent camp – for two days as much as you can say. He's been great."

(On some of the players wearing soft-shelled pads called Guardian Caps on their helmets)

"It's a good idea. They're moving in the right direction. I don't know if it's…you're out of pads and you're in helmets and we're trying to limit and make the game safer. So, I understand from that standpoint. Anybody can get those, as far as DBs and linebackers. So, we try to take care of each other mentally, and the Guardian things are something that we try to make the game safer in the first couple weeks. So that's fine with me."

(On which rookies had a good first day of training camp)

"I don't think any of them had a good first day. They didn't have a bad one. It's assignment t-shirts-and-shorts football for us. It's more about the mental part of their game. The physical part and the athletic part will come in once we put the pads on. The evaluation process right now is mentally, fundamentally. Once we get into pads it will be more physically and how they play the game as a whole."

(On if he has decided when the pads will go on)

"Oh, it's decided for us. We've got to have four days out of pads and then they'll come on after that. It's a league-wide rule – there's nothing you can do about that."

(On WR Chris Godwin being on the practice field helping other receivers)

"I think it's good for the guys to see him out there. I think it's good for his psyche, going out there, understanding that he can be out there when he gets healthy. It helps to coach them up and it gives the guys a lot of boost when he's out there."

(On C Ryan Jensen's injury coming in a non-padded practice)

"We always have to watch taking care of each other, but we've got to play football, too. "It's unfortunate right now, because there was nothing fancy going on in there. We've got to look at the tape and see what happened. It didn't look like anything. As far as how it happened, I don't know. We've got to take a look at the tape and hope for the best."

(On if he is spending any more time with QB Tom Brady now that he's the head coach)

"A lot more than when I was a coordinator. We sit down and talk, or we stand on the sideline and talk when he's not in, and give defensive and offensive perspectives. We talk about different teams and what they try to do, and try to get on the same page. We're getting that vibe, getting along from that standpoint. Again, [Offensive Coordinator] Byron [Leftwich] calls the plays, but our relationship has a lot more communication than it had."

(On if that increased communication with Brady gives him more of an understanding of how unique Brady is)

"I kind of understood that going in, not being around him. I was around him a lot last year, just watching him practice and seeing him off the field on a daily basis. He's a special guy and a special player, so that doesn't change. But you get that special by doing the everyday things and doing the little things, and he does that every day. He makes the hard things seem simple because he's so diligent at what he does."

(On the options at center if Ryan Jensen is out for a period of time)

"It's early in camp. We'll start moving some guys in there, and we'll get in pads. If [Jensen] has to miss any time then we'll go from there. We'll have some battles going in there as well."

(On versatile players in the secondary)

"They have a lot of position flex because they can do a lot of things. Between Mike [Edwards] and [Antoine] Winfield and Keanu [Neal] and Logan [Ryan], and Ross [Cockrell] even, they can do a lot of things. Depending on who we're playing and how we're playing, we'll tinker with some things and see what they do best together and try to work it out that way without affecting everybody else."

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER SHAQUIL BARRETT

(On his expectations for OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka)

"Joe – he's been ready for a while now. He just had limited reps last year, but I think he most definitely did take another step forward this year. He is more comfortable and confident out there and he is just trusting what he sees. He is going to be able to contribute to the defense a lot."

(On the development he has seen from OLB Anthony Nelson)

"I think it's similar to my situation when I was in Denver. I think he is ready to take the next step. He is ready for more responsibilities. It's just [a matter of] once he gets in there, taking advantage of it, and he does that. I think he is just going to keep doing that and when he gets in there, you will see him continue to make plays. I am real proud of Nelson and all of the progress he has been making."

(On adding DL Akiem Hicks to the defensive front)

"I enjoy having Akiem here. He is a good guy and he's been consistent over the years, so I know he is going to help us get to the promised land. Him and Vita [Vea] up front – nobody wants to see that ever."

(On going against T Tristan Wirfs)

"He most definitely is getting me better. Since his first year – after like the second week of camp – he took a giant leap. The first couple weeks I was getting him more often, but now it's few and far [between] when I'm able to get a win on him. It's just how good he has gotten. It's a measure to how great he can be for his career and how [well] he has developed already."

(On if Wirfs is as good as any tackle he faces during the regular season)

"He is the best that I've faced so far. He is the best."

TACKLE TRISTAN WIRFS

(On OL Robert Hainsey's development)

"Bob [Robert Hainsey] is so smart. I think he is one of my best buds on the team – we hangout quite a bit. He was here for half of the offseason and then in Arizona training with A.Q. Shipley. He has put in a lot of work in trying to be the best he can be. The kid loves ball. I'm excited to see how he does, and the competition for left guard as well, so it's going to be fun."

(On his relationship with G Shaq Mason)

"I think Shaq and I are getting along great. We got to have some time together in OTAs and minicamp. With [training] camp starting, [we're] building that cohesiveness and getting our communication down. He did stuff a certain way for eight years, and I was doing stuff a certain way for a couple years, so now it's about bringing it together and being the best we can be – hopefully the best right side out there."

(On his reaction to the signing of WR Julio Jones)

"It's like we're playing a video game. Since my rookie year I've gotten to be in the huddle with Tom [Brady], 'Gronk' [Rob Gronkowski], Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and now Julio Jones. There [have] just been so many guys I grew up watching and everything, and now I'm on the same field as them. Kyle Rudolph [too] – it's just insane. I think it's really cool."

(On QB Tom Brady's play approaching age 45)

"He comes out here every day – when is his birthday, like next week? It just doesn't make sense [laughs]. I love having him back there, but sometimes I'm like, 'Go sit down, take a break.' I love Tommy and I'm so glad I get to protect him. He does everything with a purpose and takes a lot of care of his body. That's how he is out here still. I think a lot of people – me, as well – can learn from it. The rehab side of the game and taking care of your body, that's how you get longevity. It's pretty amazing, and it's pretty special that he is out here doing what he does."

-BUCCANEERS-