HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On his thoughts on how OLB Yaya Diaby performed in practice tonight)

"He's playing well. He's playing strong, he's playing fast, he's playing intelligent football right now. Since [training] camp has started, he's had a hell of a camp."

(On his thoughts on the team's night practice)

"The energy was there. There's too many little things we've got to clean up. The speed and energy were there – we've got to play smarter, we've got to pick up the little things and we've got to get better."

(On what he told the players after a brief skirmish)

"Nobody wants to run gassers – they'd rather play football than run gassers, so it kind of settled them down."

(On if it was a veteran night off for wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, plus LB Lavonte David)

"Mike and Chris – a little bit on the turf. Lavonte, yes."

(On S Rashad Wisdom logging two turnovers towards the end of practice)

"He got the pick and he got the fumble right there. I knew he was tough coming in. He's showed he's learned and he studies hard. It shows up on tape, so we've got to watch it."

(On how a night practice can break up the monotony of training camp)

"Just being inside breaks up the monotony – it helps you play faster and it gets you tuned in. We were looking for some speed today on both sides of the football. The fans here get you locked in and get the guys amped up like it's a game, so we've got to be careful we don't hurt each other – but the energy was good."

(On OL Sua Opeta's injury)

"He hurt his knee, I've got to go in and see how bad."

(On his thoughts on WR Jalen McMillan)

"He's another one having a great camp. He's a good football player. Since he's come in, he's made every play since day one. He's very intelligent. He wants to be good, he wants to learn. The receiving group loves him and he continues to get better and better. I like where he's at."

(On how McMillan has looked since the pads have come on)

"He looks like he looked out of pads. He looked good then, he looks good now."

(On RB Sean Tucker)

"He's done a better job of getting downfield. He understands the offense now, he understands where his blocks are and he's setting them up pretty [well]. He's a very good one-cut runner. He has a lot more confidence this year and he's showing it in camp."

(On S Tykee Smith's football IQ)

"It's a huge edge. He's come in and he's picked everything up without missing a beat. He has the experience of a seven-or-eight year player, so it seems. He has some things to learn, but he plays so calm and he plays under control. He knows where everything is and can read everything, along with his toughness. He's a perfect fit for us."

(On S Jordan Whitehead getting reacclimated to the Buccaneers)

"He kind of picked up, mentally, where he left off at. I really like where he is, athletically, right now. His athleticism has gotten so much better since he's come back here. There's no hesitating putting him in on third downs. Him and 'Win' (Antoine Winfield Jr.) are almost interchangeable that way. The communication to the [cornerbacks] is really a big deal for us – getting them lined up and getting them set up for the things that they might see."

(On WR Chris Godwin looking leaner and where that shows up in his game)

"He's always played well, so it doesn't show up as much, but he just looks leaner. Rachaad [White] looks leaner, as well. A lot of guys came back leaner and in shape. Chris has always been quick, he's always been good on the inside, and shifty. He just looks leaner, body-wise, but he's the same great Chris he's been."

(On what he's learning about the new kickoff rules as he's seen it practiced more)

"It is a defensive play, just like it's kind of an offensive play. It's going to be interesting in the season, because if one defensive guy misses a hole, that ball is out of there. Obviously, if the offense misses their blocks, they're going to get killed back there. You want to see what kind of schemes people come up with in the preseason and we'll make determinations after that."

(On if he thinks he has a good play design for the new kickoff rule)

"We don't know what we have until we run it. We're not even tackling here, so we have to run some things in preseason just to know what we have. We may not have one, we may have one. We'll wait until we run it."

(On RB Bucky Irving potentially being a kick returner)

"He's one of the guys training back there, so we'll keep going. He's a very good one-cut runner. We just asked him to do what he did in college. He did that tonight."

(On if he told the players anything particular before the off day tomorrow)

"Just don't be the that guy that gets caught doing something wrong."

SAFETY JORDAN WHITEHEAD

(On the first week of training camp and being back with S Antoine Winfield Jr.)
"We picked up right where we left off. I kept in touch with Antoine throughout the two years that I was in New York. When we're on the field, it just feels like I never left. It's easy out there with him."

(On if returning to Head Coach Todd Bowles' defense was 'like riding a bike')
"The first week was a little bit [harder]. He's got a lot of calls, so it's getting back to studying again and just remembering all those calls. But now, it kind of feels like I never left."

(On if he feels like the defense has evolved since the last time he was here)
"Oh, for sure. They had two years to work on the defense and master the defense. [Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles definitely put some more wrinkles into some of the calls…The D-line and linebackers, safety blitzes, he's just dialing up more stuff. It's fun to be in this defense. You never know what's going to happen."

(On when he realized that S Antoine Winfield Jr. had the potential to be a special player)
"When he came in as a rookie. Not everybody just comes in and can do everything like he did when he was a rookie. I remember talking with 'Shady' (LeSean McCoy) at the time and he was like, 'Winfield is special.' Just the way he attacked practice everyday, you wouldn't even think it was his first year. He still practices. His first day here was the same as how he practices now – it says a lot."

(On if any of the younger players have caught his eye)
"Defensive-wise, Tykee Smith. A lot of the corners are doing [well] out there. There's a lot of guys. But, mainly, Tykee coming in – playing nickel [cornerback], safety…Just being with him and seeing him, he's definitely learned a lot. When I came in, he's definitely ahead of me from my first year."

(On his thoughts on CB Zyon McCollum)
"I watched Zyon last year a little bit, just from the TV and he was playing all types of positions at safety, nickel [cornerback] and corner. He definitely was somebody who stood out just because he was playing every position, but just being here with him in this first couple of weeks of camp, he's been doing a great job out there defending Mike [Evans] – he's had a lot of good plays against Mike this camp. He's a smart guy, he's fast, he's strong, he plays man[-to-man coverage], he's long. He has it all to be a great corner, and he's been working. Ever since I came in in OTAs, he's been working. He's been doing great so far."

(On what excites him most about this team)
"It's just the competition right now. With 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) out there at quarterback, he brings a high level of competition every day at practice. He's looking to make the right throws. He's not forcing throws. He's going through his reads, scrambling around and making some exciting plays back there. That's on the offensive part; defensive-wise, it's always exciting with [Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles' defense – a lot of different things, a lot of different guys moving around. Team-wise, it's going to be interesting to see how it goes."

(On his impressions of WR Jalen McMillan)
"He's sneaky fast. He's deceiving when he gets up on you quick. He has a lot of good stems and movement, head-wise, in running routes. It keeps you on your toes as a defender [because] you don't know if he's going to stop or go deep. He's always just playing around with you. Then, in zone [coverage], he's getting open and he finds the open spot. We'll see how it is coming into our first preseason game – I'm excited to see the young guys play."

CENTER GRAHAM BARTON

(On how training camp is going for him)
"Obviously, so far, it's relatively similar to OTAs [but] obviously the days are a lot longer and there's more football involved, but now, putting pads on, we're taking that next step with yesterday being the first day that we put pads on. I thought it went well. I think, just kind of introducing the physicality and the speed at this level, I think I'm going to adjust well. I'm excited – now we're playing football for real. It's fun and I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of training camp holds."

(On going up against defensive linemen Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey)
"It's fun – it's awesome to go against guys like that now, because they're some of the best in the league, and around the league, that I'll see all year. Being able to go against guys like that, it's sort of the sink-or-swim mentality. You either lose a rep and you learn from it against those guys or you win a rep and you build a little bit of confidence. I think building on that and being able to go against those guys over and over will make me a better player. I'm super grateful for guys like Vita and Calijah and all those guys in that room – we've got a super talented D-line. It's really awesome to get to see that everyday."

(On the mental burden of the center position)
"As opposed to guard or tackle, maybe a little bit more, just because you're sort of setting up the play for the offensive line. It starts with your identifications and your calls. It is slightly more of a burden, but I'd say the offensive line position [in] the NFL as a whole is more of a mental burden that people may not necessarily realize. You see a lot throughout the year from different defenses and you've got to be able to block all of it [on] any play. I think just adjusting to that is going to take some time, but I think I'm coming along well and just trying to take it one day at a time and keep learning and keep growing and keep adjusting to this offense. I think it's going well so far."

(On which teammate has helped him with the transition to the NFL the most)
"I think it'd be tough to just name one. I think it's a testament to our offensive line room and how helpful all of the vets have been – even the rookies. Rooming with Elijah Klein and being able to talk football with him in the room and sort of study what we need to study….But, all the vets: Tristan [Wirfs] has been great, Ben Bredeson has been awesome, Sua Opeta – they've all been great – Rob [Hainsey] has been awesome, Cody [Mauch] has been great, Luke [Goedeke] has been great. I could list the whole room. Everyone has been awesome. We have a great presence in there, a great veteran presence. Just being able to be a rookie with this O-line room, I'm really fortunate to have the guys that I do."

(On how comfortable he feels in this offense)
"I think it's coming along. Obviously, we're only five days into training camp, so there's a lot of relationships to be built and trust to be worked on. That comes through practice and reps. It'll get there eventually, but that's something that, as a center, you've always got to continue to work on. That'll be a point of emphasis for me – being good with my communication and being loud and definitive. I think that's something I need to continue to work on, for sure."

(On the biggest thing he's learned over the last three months since getting drafted)
"I think the biggest thing I've learned is just try to be patient – listen more than you speak. Learn from everyone and just sort of be a sponge. There's a lot I don't know – that'll continue for years and years. I just think trying to learn as much as you can, whether that's in the meeting room, on the field, in the dining room talking about football…Just learning the ins and outs of the organization and the playbook, I think that's the biggest thing I've learned. I just sort of need to sit back and soak in everything I can. The NFL is a pretty crazy place to work, so [I am] just trying to take it one day at a time and process that."

(On fellow rookie OL Elijah Klein)
"I think Klein is really talented. He's got great feet, great hands. You see it come out a lot in pass protection – sort of the way he can just move his feet and mirror defenders and sort of react at a pretty high level. He's great with his hands. He throws his hands off the jump, he creates disruption. I think you see a talented player in there and, just like me, he's got to continue to develop and continue to learn but there's the building blocks of a really good player, for sure."

(On what he's learned about LG Ben Bredeson)
"Ben has been so great to me, especially just coming into OTAs and then now. Just being a veteran presence for me, when he's at left guard and I'm right there at center. He's really helpful at the line of scrimmage. Obviously, he spent some time at center there in New York and so he's got a lot of experience. He's seen a lot of different people and played a lot of different teams over the years. Just having his experience and having a vet like that next to you at the line of scrimmage can be really helpful. He's very aware of where I stand and how new I am to this and the position, so he's been super helpful. I can't say enough about Ben and how helpful he's been."

SAFETY TYKEE SMITH

(On adjusting into a new defense and new team)

"Training camp has been going really well. I'm getting adjusted to the Florida heat… not something I'm used to from where I'm from. [I've] been adjusting really well. [We're] running something similar to what I ran at Georgia, just different terminology but similar system – very similar."

(On the most difficult part of picking up this defense)

"I wouldn't necessarily say [anything] has been difficult – just coming out and looking for new challenges [like] the installs that we've been putting in. So, just trying to come out there and make sure that I put my best foot forward."

(On him being big on film study)

"I think once I got into college I kind of learned how to watch film. I think I was really good at West Virginia, but once I got to Georgia, it went to another level. Getting the chance to learn from Coach [Kirby] Smart and Coach [Glenn] Schumann – the system that they ran there is very similar to here so being able to talk [about] ball with them I think helped me be prepared for that moment."

(On the draft process with Tampa Bay)

"Through the draft process I met with them twice – at the combine, and then a visit so I only met them two times through the process."

(On the transition from college to professional football)

"I don't think the speed necessarily changed – the game speed. I went to the University of Georgia so I went against a lot of the top guys there every day. I think that's another reason why I transferred to Georgia, just to get that exposure and be on that level and go against that competition every day. I think that definitely helped me for this level."

(On his preparation and studying outside of practice)

"A lot of preparation [has] been going on behind the scenes and then getting the chance to learn from the older guys. The vets in the room take me under their wing and show me the ropes like that."

(On S Antoine Winfield Jr. helping him transition on and off the field)

"[He's] helped me very well, just like I said. [He's] telling me what to do, what not to do. When he sees certain stuff, he's been communicating [really] well when we're out there on the field together, and just helping me be in position."

(On what he can accomplish at both the safety and cornerback positions)

"[I] bring a lot of versatility to the position – playing the box, cover the slot, set [an] edge. I've been having a lot of fun covering that and then also [I've] been cross training at safety."

(On what he likes most about the team)

"Just the connection part. Everybody being there for each other. Everybody holding each other accountable. I think that's the biggest thing. When you finish one-a-days strong, and then they kind of call the defense up and kind of demanded that we need to be better – just holding everybody accountable."

(On Tampa Bay's similarities to his two championship teams in college)

[It's] player led. Georgia was [really] player led. The vets on the Georgia team would step up and hold everybody accountable so I think that the vets of this team [are] doing the same thing – holding everybody accountable like I said before. The other day we didn't perform well at practice and the vets on the defense kind of called us out about it and demanded better."

(On if any offensive players that he's covered have really impressed him)

"Slot receiver, Kam [Johnson], No. 9, I think he's been doing a really good job. I think he will help us. Like I said, we've been competing every day, but I think Kam has really impressed me."

(On practicing with the starting unit)

"Coming in and learning has been definitely a blessing. Like I said, [I'm] trying to come in every day and continue to learn."

(On the safeties he looks up to in the NFL)

"I got this question throughout the draft process. I really like [Antoine] Winfield Jr., [Tyrann] Mathieu, [Budda] Baker They're not the biggest guys but they play the biggest. I think they do a good job in their preparation on being ready on Sundays for games and coach [Nick] Rapone had the chance to coach all three of them so that's another blessing, being able to learn from him."

-BUCCANEERS-