HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On if there's an update on the health status of OLB Yaya Diaby)

"He has a sprained ankle. We'll monitor it. He should be ready for Week 1. We'll take him week-by-week as he goes and kind of go from there. He avoided a serious injury."

(On if it's good news that it wasn't a serious injury)

"As a coach, you try not to overreact, but you see the cart come out there and you've just got to wait and see, hopefully. Then, we got good news, so that worked out for the best."

(On which player is in position to take advantage of the additional reps in Diaby's place)

"All of them. We've only been in pads a couple of days. All of them have to step up. We'll see once the preseason starts."

(On WR Kameron Johnson not practicing for the last two days)

"He's nursing a rib injury."

(On CB Jamel Dean intercepting a pass in today's practice)

"Whatever he's doing, he needs to keep doing it."

(On LB Kalen DeLoach)

"We know he's fast and he plays fast. The mental part has to slow down for him. He's been making strides every day. I'm very interested to see him in preseason."

(On there being a few high snaps and a muffed exchange in practice today)

"Any time there's a bad snap, I'm concerned about it. We can't turn the ball over and we can't give the defense another chance."

(On if he's started to think about who will and won't play in the first preseason game)

"Not yet. It usually doesn't come up, probably, until the week of. I'll kind of sort it out and see who's playing what."

(On TE Devin Culp)

"He's feisty in the blocking game. We've got to work on his hands a little more. He can catch the basket ones in his chest – he's got to have more natural hands. He's been working on that and he's been coming down with some lately."

(On tight ends catching a lot of passes in practice today)

"That's just quarterback reads. They take what the defense gives them."

(On if he has a sense as to how many tight ends he might keep on the active roster)

"It has to do with the entire offense. Who's better at what spot? Who we're keeping on overload, who we're not keeping on overload – whether it's a tight end, the running backs, the [wide] receivers or an extra offensive lineman. We'll have to see."

(On yesterday's practice compared to today and which day was better)

"I thought yesterday. Today, we had a little more energy – we had a lot more mistakes, too. We didn't have as much energy yesterday, but we were focused. We were focused at times today, but [we had] way too many mistakes."

(On LG Ben Bredeson)

"Ben has been a great surprise coming into training camp. He's a vet, he knows how to prepare, he knows how to play, he came in in shape, he looks good at the position. He's been doing a good job."

(On LB SirVocea Dennis not practicing and who might fill in for him)

"That remains to be seen right now. We've got a slew of guys fighting for that spot right now. We're waiting for somebody to step forward."

(On there being a few more interceptions in practice as of late)

"Depending on which side of the fence I'm playing that day… If I'm on the defensive side, that's great. If I'm on the offensive side, we never want turnovers. It's a time to experiment and try things out and get your reads down, so it's not a problem at this time, but we know we can't have them in the game."

(On seeing the new kickoff rules in play in last night's Hall of Fame Game)

"It looked like how it looked. If you miss one gap, it's going to be a touchdown. If you hit them [well] and you get them behind the 30[-yard line], it's fine. It's a work in progress. I've got to see more. We'll see more next week when we play and we'll have a better evaluation of it."

(On if he watched last night's game to see the kickoffs)

"No, I looked at the first two or three kickoffs and that was it."

LINEBACKER LAVONTE DAVID

(On how camp is going so far)

"I'm getting into it really well. At the beginning, you know, it started off a little slow or whatever – no amount of training can you ready for this – [the] football movements and doing different things at a rapid pace. And then the second week is really where you start feeling more football ready, and right now, I think myself and a lot of the guys are getting to that level. You know, starting to have a little fun more, competing more, and executing more, so it's getting to where we need to be."

(On if training camp feels repetitive or if he mixes it up each year)

"I mean, when you've been doing something for a long time, you just try to stick to what you've been doing to get you ready. So, that's really what I've been doing. [The] only thing I really change up is my diet, depending on where I'm at at the end of the season [and] depending on how my body [feels] and stuff like that but for the most part, you know, you try to do as much as you can to get acclimated to training camp, as far as dealing with the heat and trying to be able to take on five plays in a row, and stuff like that. That's pretty much it."

(On his diet changes)

"I remember last year I cut out carbs and stuff like that, but this year I kind of added a little carbs back, but not a lot, because my weight was where it needed to be. So, I was able to, you know, keep a little carbs [but] no sweets and stuff like that."

(On Head Coach Todd Bowles encouraging a fast defense)

"Yeah, man. I smile when you talk about speed because you'd think a guy like me is not included in that, but you know, when he talks about speed, I believe he said that he's talking about the speed of the defense. Everybody [flies] to the football, and you know, everybody being on the same page and that allows everybody to fly to the football and stuff like that. So that's really a positive outlook on everything. Everybody's in tune when [we're] out there. A lot of people [are] communicating. A lot of people [are] talking, and that's one of the things that Coach Bowles emphasizes every year since he's been here – just communicating and stuff like that. You know, right now, it's been better then what it usually [has] been in the past."

(On OLB Yaya Diaby and DL Calijah Kancey making improvements going into year two)

"Yeah, [they're] playing fast. It just goes to show that those guys are learning. They understand the game more. They understand their responsibilities more. They're understanding what they can do and what they can not do within the defense. That gives you the opportunity to play fast and you see it in those guys. Young guys like that who [were] very productive on the field for us as rookies – they automatically just become leaders in a natural way. You know what I'm saying. People look at them. Those two guys are people who we lean on to make plays for us, and you know, it's showing – that growth [is] really showing because they [were] counted on, for sure, last year."

(On WR Jalen McMillan)

"He [has] a motor, man. He goes. He understands, he takes coaching. That's something that I noticed from the first day. He takes coaching. He looks you in the eyes, you know, 'Yes sir, no sir,' and just wants to get better. Me and him talk from time to time. We won't talk about ball really. We just talk to get to know each other and stuff like that. So I see that he's one of those guys who's going [to], you know, definitely contribute early for us. He's a playmaker. You see it out there already. Baker [Mayfield] is finding him. He's getting open. He knows how to get open and he's real savvy for a young guy. He's definitely going to make plays for us."

(On balancing rest vs. reps as a veteran)

"I think we do a great job – me and the training staff, and the coaching staff – of just learning how to control all of that. It's a respect thing. Like you said, being at 13 training camps, they know I know how to prepare for it, so we have a good rapport there. We talk, we communicate and things like that. These training camps haven't been like training camps in the past for sure. We've just found ways to hold back a little bit, but still get the amount of reps that I really need and stuff like that. That's what I really like and respect – Bowles, he's an open-minded guy. It's an open-door policy. As long as you just communicate, everything just gets taken care of."

(On Head Coach Todd Bowles and other players suggesting that the culture this season is the best it has ever been)

"I do agree. Outside of football, [there] are friendships that are built. In this game right here, as much as people go in and out, at the same time there have been great people that [are] coming in, so you want to build those type of relationships with those type of people. That's what we have. I feel like they've been drafting those type of people. With the type of people that we are getting, the relationships are going to last for a very long time outside of football. When you build those relationships outside of football, on the football field it makes everything go easier. You know how to talk to somebody, and if you talk to somebody a different type of way, they won't take it as disrespect and they won't take it as criticism – it's just constructive criticism. That's the type of team we have. I think starting with Coach Bowles, those guys implemented that and it's trickling down to the leaders to be able to carry it out through the locker room. I think we've got a great group of guys, and a great group of young guys, too, as well, who just come in and work and want to be great, and at the same time be great people on and off the field."

(On LB Kalen DeLoach)

"He's one of those guys. I got the opportunity to work reps with Kalen, too, as well. He's one of those young guys who comes in and listens, takes the coaching. Obviously, college ball is way different from NFL ball. The defense that we are in is very complex and there's a lot of moving parts to it, so he is one of those guys who is wanting to learn and willing to learn. I think when me and him are in there together, I can tell that he's listening and he's understanding of what he needs to do. He wants to make plays, and he wants to contribute to the football team."

(On if it inspires him seeing teammates land big contracts)

"It does, it really does. When I saw Tristan [Wirfs] get his contract, I was so happy. I don't think I've been happier for somebody to get what they [deserve] in a while. He's one of those guys who just puts his head down and just works. I love the way he works. I love the way he carries himself. I think because we're the same Zodiac sign, me and him are similar people. I was very happy. I came up to him and gave him a big hug, told him congratulations. [The wait] was well worth it. I told everyone, 'If Tristan is happy, everybody is happy,' so I'm glad they got it done."

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN BEN BREDESON

(On how training camp has gone for him so far)

"I think it's been going very well. We're getting some cohesion in the line, getting reps together. To be honest, playing next to Tristan [Wirfs] is really nice. Things have been going well and it's nice to settle in a little bit."

(On how rookie C Graham Barton has adjusted to playing center)

"Center in the NFL is tough, especially coming in as a rookie. The mental capacity to pick up an NFL offense is a lot more than people think, especially when the defense gives you a front that's [not] scouted and everyone's looking at you to figure it out. There's a lot on Graham, and he's coming along very well. He's picking things up. He's getting a lot of experience through these first two weeks of camp so far."

(On how Barton is handling the vocal aspect of the center project)

"Yeah, I think he's made a ton of progress, especially [because] he was a tackle coming out of college. We've been working with him through OTAs and he's made good progress so far through these first two weeks of camp."

(On his thoughts on Liam Coen's offense)

"I'm a big fan of it, and that's not just the company line. That's a personal statement. The way that you can attack the defense in multiple different ways with moving guys around, creating different running angles and being able to stretch the defense, then cut it back inside or get around the edge. There [are] so many different things you can do from a running-the-ball perspective. It's very intriguing. There [are] different variations we're installing all the time to try to make it as good as we can. It's genuinely an exciting offense to run."

(On G Sua Opeta suffering a season-ending knee injury)

"It's terrible losing a teammate to injury, and especially during training camp. We've been working with Sua since OTAs. We've been spending hundreds of hours together and to see him go down like that is terrible. You don't want that for anybody, especially for the season and for our room. We just want him to get healthy and it's tough for our room."

(On how losing a player to injury affects the offensive line's preparation process)

"The sad reality of the league is that injuries happen all the time and you have to be able to adjust. Somebody's going to have to step up, and we have to take care of each other. You lose a guy like Sua and we all have to rally together and pick the room back up a little bit. We'll get it done."

(On getting to know new teammates in such a close-knit group)

"It's an awesome room off the field. It's a great group of guys to hang out with. We spend however many hours here during the day, then go back to the hotel and we're all hanging out in each other's rooms anyway. We're doing a lot off the field. Like I said, it's a great, great room to be a part of."

(On Head Coach Todd Bowles)

"I've been really impressed and love being a part of his team. I think he's a great coach and understands what the players need and puts us in good situations."

(On practicing against defensive linemen Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea)

"They're two very good players and they bring different aspects to the pass rush. With Calijah, we were just talking afterward, it was a great battle today going back and forth. It's great that we can have that camaraderie. We can talk about, 'This is what I did on this set, how did you read it?' And kind of work off each other. Everybody's getting better. They're great defensive linemen and great pass-rushers. Vita's play speaks for itself; I don't really need to go in on that one too much, but obviously a great player to have in the middle, and Calijah's having a great camp. It's a battle every day out there."

(On if he thinks the offensive line is coming together well)

"I'm very excited for this line this year. I think there's certainly a lot of athleticism on it, and like we talked about earlier, the cohesion that everyone's kind of getting at, that only helps you on the field as well. It's going to be an exciting year and I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can do as a group."

CORNERBACK JAMEL DEAN

(On finding success intercepting passing in training camp)

"I try to make it a big emphasis to catch like 50 balls a day, so when an opportunity comes, it will come naturally for me."

(On Head Coach Todd Bowles joking around with him during practice)

"It doesn't surprise me. He gives me crap all of the time. It's never good enough. It's hard to make the guy proud, man."

(On why he emphasizes increasing interceptions)

"Yeah, it is a big emphasis. I know last year, I dropped like five interceptions. That is what separates you from Pro-Bowl and All-Pro [selections] and, basically, the rankings. So now, I just want to [emphasize] because I am putting myself in the right situations, but I just have to finish."

(On which of Tampa Bay's younger players have impressed him)

"'J-Mac' (Jalen McMillan) is coming along pretty [well]. He is going to be a great addition to our offense. A couple [of] the young guys on defense, too. Like the corner groups, like the rookie class coming in, they [are] learning. They kind of remind me of myself, being stressed out and all [of] that stuff, but they [are] actually making pretty good plays and picking up on the system quickly. I am very impressed by [how] they [are] going about everything."

(On the speed of Tampa Bay's defense)

"We are definitely flying around now. It is more the fact we are smarter now, so we all know exactly where the ball is going. By the time the quarterback takes his hand off the ball, everyone is already flying to where the ball is going."

(On his impression of Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen's offense)

"He does a good job making everything look the same. And then you may never know if you [will] get [to] run, play-action [bootleg] because all of the action looks the same in his scheme. It literally takes one bad step for the offense to get a positive play."

(On S Jordan Whitehead returning to Tampa Bay to again pair with S Antoine Winfield Jr. in the team's defensive backfield)

"Oh man, it is like bringing back the glory days, man. I was so happy when we got him back. I wish we [were] able to keep everybody, but things happen. But I am happy to have Jordan back."

(On if WR Jalen McMillan reminds him of other NFL wide receivers)

"No, for the most part, he [has] his own style, which I can appreciate."

-BUCCANEERS-