Head Coach Bruce Arians

(Opening statement)

"Not practicing today were Justin Evans with his foot, Blaine Gabbert and Demone Harris – he just got sick. The other two guys just missed today, but Demone should be back tomorrow – [he] just had a flu."

(On whether CB M.J. Stewart or LB/S Deone Bucannon would line up at safety if Justin Evans is unable to play)

"It could be either depending on the situation and what personnel group we're in, but we've got two or three guys trained and ready to go."

(On if OL Earl Watford could line up at center if C Ryan Jensen is unable to play)

"Earl could do it – he's done it before, and Ali [Marpet] has been a natural center before too, so we've got three snap hands going into the game."

(On if it is nice to have K Matt Gay back at practice)

"Yes, birth of a healthy son and Mom's doing good. Oliver James is doing well."

(On if P Bradley Pinion will be handling kickoffs)

"Yeah, Bradley will handle kickoffs."

(On what tells him that the secondary is being fixed)

"Just the number of bodies and the number of times we've got our hands on balls in every situation – versus ourselves and whoever we've played. PBUs [pass break-ups], on our guys – the number of coverages that we can run and execute, whether it be man, zone, combinations – as an offensive coach going against them every day, it was tough. It was real tough."

(On what he has seen from CB Vernon Hargreaves III)

"First of all, he's been healthy. It's probably the healthiest he's been in a couple years and he's really bought into the system. It's what he did very well at Florida – press man, bail, some quarters – that he's played before and he's such a bright guy that he sees why we do things, so he can execute it very well."

(On what part of the team he's looking forward to seeing that wasn't shown during the preseason)

"All three phases. That's always the beauty of the first game. You've seen speckles of it throughout the preseason in practices – highs and lows. It's not going to go all our way, so it's just how we handle the ebb and flow of the game."

(On if he has to adjust his offensive philosophy when playing against a strong defensive line)

"No, I learned when I was in Cleveland, going against Kevin Carter and Jevon Kearse and that crew – if you kept them all in to help, nobody was open. There wasn't anybody to throw the damn ball to. [I decided to] get them out – the next time we played them, we were four wide's empty and we beat them. The quarterback got hit, but we beat them."

(On if the deep passing game puts a burden on the quarterback)

"Get the ball out of your hands. Don't hold onto the damn thing – they're coming."

(On if he has coached quarterbacks who he needed to calm down before games)

"Yeah, two or three. You never want to inhibit their true personality. We've talked about it, we'll handle it. Byron [Leftwich and I] – we'll script plays for the first 15 plays. I saw it in Pittsburgh – [Jameis Winston] was going through his skin [and] he went out and just executed perfectly. I never try to fool with a guy's personality that much."

(On what he thinks makes Mike Evans such a dominant receiver)

"He's deceptively fast. He's obviously got the size, but his catch radius is ridiculous. The only guy recently that I can compare him to – who was a little bit faster – was Calvin Johnson as far as size-wise and a catch radius. But his number speak for themselves. I have to laugh when I see these lists of where he's at. Having coached Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison – some really good players that are in the Hall of Fame – Hines Ward and some others – [and] he's not at the top of that list, but he's a hell of a player. I'm glad he's on our team."

(On Mike Evans' ability to get open on improvisational plays)

"That's the beauty of having a big, tall guy. He's easy to find, he's got great hands, so you throw those 50-50 – I don't mind 50-50 balls to Mike against any corner in the league."

(On if Mike Evans has a knack for using his size to shield off defensive backs)

"Yeah, he does. He's slippery for a big guy. He's very athletic and when he was coming out of college, I kind of thought he was a little stiffer than now with him – he's not stiff at all."

(On what is difficult about defending 49ers TE George Kittle)

"Kyle [Shanahan] does such a great job of getting him the ball out in space through all kinds of bootlegs, and he's a great run after the catch guy. Once he gets it in his hands, he's hard to bring down [with] his speed. It's going to be a number of different guys. When we're playing zone, we're going to have to be aware of him going backside and up and all those things that they do, so it's going to take more than one set of eyes on him to shut him down."

(On if it helped Jameis Winston to not be able to rely on Mike Evans and TE Cameron Brate during the preseason)

"Yeah, it helped build rapport with some other players. I think it hurts him when they're not out there, but that connection is already made. Jameis knows where Mike's going [and] he knows where Cam's going. It was good in a way. They've got fresh legs and we've worked some other guys."

(On how he keeps the kickoff return from being marginalized)

"Some teams still want to kick it to you. It's a challenge – the biggest thing for us is to be penalty-free, not pop one and have it called back. T.J. [Logan] can make the first one miss, so if everybody just gets on their guy, he can take it to the house. We're not afraid if it's two or three [yards] deep – come on out. Now, if there's penalties happening, stay in. We've harped on that extensively throughout the preseason [and] we're pretty good at it."

(On if he gets nervous or excited the night before the regular season opener)

"I get more excited than nervous. I've gotten to where I can get some decent sleep. As Sunday grows during the morning, it gets more and more intense. I can't take two 5-Hour Energy's, just one."

(On if drinking a 5-Hour Energy is a daily routine or just on Sundays)

"Just Sunday."

(On if he will act more calm on the sideline after the energy he showed during the preseason)

"There's no chance and that was nothing. I have to apologize for being on the TV broadcast last week, but it happens."

(On if his wife ever talks to him about calming down on the sideline)

"No, she knows better. It's not going to do any good."

(On if he likes Tim McGraw)

"I might come out and listen a little bit, yeah."

(On if his hydration is something to keep track of during games in the heat)

"I think for everybody, yeah. Everybody in the stands also. What kind of fluids are you putting in your body? Be careful."

(On who the team captains are)

"Offensively, Jameis, Mike Evans and Ali Marpet. Defensively, Lavonte David and Carl Nassib, and special teams, Dare Ogunbowale – I figured that one out. He's made me learn that name."

(On if Carl Nassib has two different personalities)

"I just think he's crazy. Whether all the time – I don't know if he's got two of them, but the one I see all the time is not normal."

(On how Carl Nassib is not normal)

"He's Carl."

Quarterback Jameis Winston

(On facing former teammate and current San Francisco 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander)

"I think he did some excellent things here and that's why he got what he deserved by being signed by San [Francisco]. There is definitely going to be a lot of respect, but at the same time there is going to be a lot of brotherly competition between us because I know he is going to give us everything he's got. I know we've got to do the same for him."

(On being named a captain for the 2019 NFL season)

"I am just humbled that the guys would choose us to be their leaders. Having that 'C' on your chest definitely means a lot. It is my duty to serve my teammates to the best I possibly can."

(On OLB Carl Nassib being named a defensive captain)

"He is just a great teammate – one of the best teammates you can ask for. Guys really look up to him. He definitely stepped up in training camp and has been doing some great things. He has been a very great leader by example and vocal leader for us this training camp."

(On Nassib's personality)

"Any time you play on the defensive side of the ball, you've got some screws missing. He is definitely just a great teammate and I am very excited for him."

(On the thought of being in his fifth season in the NFL)

"It is definitely a blessing. But in terms of years, I am just happy I get a chance to play football again and the season is starting up. On Sunday at 4:25, we kick off another great season for the Bucs. That is what I look forward to every year, being ready to quarterback our team and win games. That is what I am really excited about."

(On if there is added confidence for the team having Bruce Arians as a head coach)

"Yeah, you've definitely got a lot of confidence in that guy because his résumé speaks for itself in B.A. (Bruce Arians). I can't stress enough having someone like Coach Byron Leftwich being in my position before, playing in this system and just coaching from that player's perspective. It's really a blessing having a great guy like Clyde [Christensen] as a quarterback coach, who has had a similar résumé to B.A. as far as the quarterbacks that he has prepared in this league – it's really great for our room too. But as far as the team, every team has a new story. One thing about football is you will never have the same team no matter what. You will never have everybody on the same team from the previous year, so I think this team is going to develop another essence. We are going to be able to say we are different, but it definitely starts with action and execution."

(On having an honest and open relationship with Offensive Coordinator Byron Leftwich)

"You are always going to have honest relationships with your coaches, no matter what. But again, the relatability that we have and the credibility that he has with being in this offense, it just helps you so much because he has been in this offense. He has seen San Francisco [and] he has been in that division the past three years, so there is definitely a lot that you can grow from with developing a relationship with him. There is also a lot that you can learn from him in terms of [the fact that] he has played this position for 10 years."

(On the start of the regular season)

"Those are just pop quizzes in preseason. Now it is the real thing, so I am excited to experience a whole game with this team, not just the coaching staff, but with this team. It's going to be exciting."

(On the notion that Winston feels he has to win the games)

"I think just as a competitor you are always constantly trying to take on more than what you should. I strain so hard to win, but that is something that coach has expressed to me is to allow everyone else to help. We have tremendous players on the offensive side and on the defensive side, so that's been my main focus is to go out there and do my job. Do my job right and let everything else fall into place. Hopefully we will execute and win games."

(On the strides that he has taken to get the ball out quicker and how important that is for this offense)

"Every year my role is to get the ball out quick – that is just part of being decisive and making good decisions with the ball."

(On if getting the ball out quickly is even more important against San Francisco this Sunday)

"Every game that is my main goal."

(On how his relationship with WR Mike Evans has grown over the years)

"It is a blessing to have someone like Mike Evans who you can just throw the ball to on every single down. I know our relationship off the field has grown, but if you just watch practice, you can see the rapport that we have together. Most quarterbacks have that guy. Fortunately, I have that guy as well, with Mike Evans. That allows the other guys around him to step up and take the heat off of him because the other teams know, 'Okay, the Bucs have Mike Evans.' That is something that Mike accepts, and he is always going to accept that challenge because he believes no one can stop him. I believe that too."

(On having a high percentage of contested catches completed when throwing to Evans)

"With Mike, what makes him so good is his ability to bend on every other route. Him stretching the field out vertically and his ability to stop on a dime and come back downhill, it really puts defenders in a standstill, and they don't know. They are always trying to anticipate because that's what a defense does – they react. Mike, he knows what he is doing. When he knows what he is doing, when he recognizes the coverage and especially when he recognizes man – he is a nightmare."

(On Rams QB Jared Goff's new contract and what a similar contract would mean to him down the road)

"I have just been thinking about having a great season and winning ball games. That is a blessing for him and his family, but as the Bucs, we just need to execute and have a great season. All of that other stuff will come when it comes."

(On his advice for ILB Devin White playing in his first NFL game and having the responsibility of leading the defense)

"I would just say play your best game. I think that's one thing that he does great is how he compartmentalizes everything and just goes out there and executes. The guy was born to play football. He really has a deep passion for this game – he loves it. I am not the type of person to feed too much into him. I know he is going to be prepared with the way he carries himself around here. Definitely being a rookie – and I have been a rookie before – I see a confidence in him that you don't see in 11-year vets, so I am excited to be playing with him."

-BUCCANEERS-