On Friday, the Buccaneers will take the field against the Browns for their third preseason game. Some of the Bucs referred to this game as a "dress rehearsal" with Head Coach Dirk Koetter saying that he expects his starters to play into the second half. This third game is usually the last time the starters get significant playing time; the fourth preseason game is often reserved for backups hoping to squeeze into one of the last few roster spots.
For Jameis Winston, the opportunity to play into the third quarter is an exciting one.
"Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to that," he said during a press conference on Wednesday. "Our last of these preseason games have been teasers. Now you just have to have the mentality like, 'Hey man we are [going] to ask you to play a whole game.' You've got to go into any game saying like, 'Man I'm preparing like this is a real game.' But then when you get taken out you're just like, 'Ah, I wish I could have kept playing.'"
Lavonte David echoed a similar sentiment.
"During this process [of] preseason, you're just trying to see where you're at," David said. "Conditioning-wise, and also mentally going through a football game because that opening week, you're playing against at least 65 plays plus. So being able to come out here and play a full first half and then probably play some of the third quarter, it should give you a good feeling for how a regular season game's going to be."
Pictures from the Bucs' training camp practice on Wednesday with the Cleveland Browns.
Bucs Cheerleaders
Bucs Cheerleader
Bucs Cheerleaders
Bucs Cheerleaders
Bucs Cheerleader
Bucs Training Camp
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
Bucs Training Camp
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
Bucs Training Camp
3 QB Jameis Winston
Bucs Training Camp
44 LB Micah Awe
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
67 T Martin Ifedi
Bucs Training Camp
19 K Roberto Aguayo
52 LB Jeremiah George
4 QB Ryan Griffin
84 TE Cameron Brate
17 WR Donteea Dye
83 WR Vincent Jackson
3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston
92 DE William Gholston
86 TE Danny Vitale
Bucs Training Camp
96 DE Cliff Matthews
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
43 RB Peyton Barber
43 RB Peyton Barber
89 WR Russell Shepard
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
11 WR Adam Humphries
80 WR Kenny Bell
13 WR Mike Evans
69 T Demar Dotson, #62 C Evan Smith and #3 QB Jameis Winston
43 RB Peyton Barber
46 LB Luke Rhodes
84 TE Cameron Brate and #82 TE Brandon Myers
13 WR Mike Evans
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves and #45 TE Alan Cross
24 CB Brent Grimes
84 TE Cameron Brate
62 C Evan Smith
13 WR Mike Evans
97 DT Akeem Spence
3 QB Jameis Winston
Bucs Training Camp
14 WR Andre Davis
Bucs Training Camp
79 DT Travis Britz
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach Todd Monken
Bucs Training Camp
75 DT DaVonte Lambert
83 WR Vincent Jackson and #3 QB Jameis Winston
16 WR Freddie Martino
16 WR Freddie Martino
Bucs Training Camp
3 QB Jameis Winston
91 DE Robert Ayers
24 CB Brent Grimes
3 QB Jameis Winston
83 WR Vincent Jackson
11 WR Adam Humphries
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
87 TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins
3 QB Jameis Winston
69 OT Demar Dotson and #62 C Evan Smith
Bucs Training Camp
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
Defensive Coordinator Mike Smith
Defensive Line Coach Jay Hayes
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
17 WR Donteea Dye
17 WR Donteea Dye
Defensive Coordinator Mike Smith
8 QB Mike Glennon and #72 C Ben Gottschalk
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
3 QB Jameis Winston
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
17 WR Donteea Dye
52 LB Jeremiah George
44 LB Micah Awe
3 QB Jameis Winston
17 WR Donteea Dye and Assistant Wide Receivers and Game Management Coach Andrew Weidinger
93 DT Gerald McCoy
4 QB Ryan Griffin
4 QB Ryan Griffin and #67 OL Kyler Kerbyson
82 TE Brandon Myers
3 QB Jameis Winston
44 RB Russell Hansbrough
83 WR Vincent Jackson
83 WR Vincent Jackson and #70 DT A.J. Francis
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
22 RB Doug Martin
22 RB Doug Martin
45 TE Alan Cross
81 TE Tevin Westbrook and #46 TE Kivon Cartwright
21 CB Alterraun Verner
44 RB Russell Hansbrough
26 CB Josh Robinson
3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston
21 CB Alterraun Verner
89 WR Russell Shepard
The Bucs' third preseason game will also be their first in front of their home crowd at Raymond James Stadium. It will be the Bucs' first game at home since the installation of the stadium's brand-new, HD video boards. The Bucs will be home on Friday and again on Thursday before the start of the regular season.
"It'll be exciting to play in front of the home crowd, that's for sure," Koetter said. "And with the new stadium, with the scoreboard and all that, I know the players are excited to see it. That part will be good. Typically [in] preseason games, the crowd's not much of a factor, home or away, but we're definitely excited to be home for the next two games."
