HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On DL A'Shawn Robinson not practicing on Friday)

"No, him and Chris [Godwin Jr.], we have them slated for days when they don't practice, and today was A'Shawn's day."

(On his reaction to QB Baker Mayfield's comments about his contract situation)

"I didn't have a reaction. He had a few things to say. He said it. We were all about ball today, and we moved on."

(On what he has seen from CB Damarion Williams)

"He's got good athleticism. That's what we saw when we signed him right there. Right now, with the rotation being off, everybody's kind of going ones, twos and threes, so we really don't look at who he's working with. He's got a very good athletic skill [set]. He has some nickel flexibility as well, so it will be interesting to see him in pads."

(On CB Ayden Garnes getting an extended look early in training camp)

"[He has] very good cover skills – very good cover guy for a corner that small. He's got great feet. He's got very good instincts, so I want to see him in pads as well."

(On the most difficult adjustment for a rookie entering the NFL)

"Really, probably the playbook. They don't have any playbooks in college anymore, so just understanding and making calls and communicating where they're not holding signs up from the sideline, and comprehending that and then putting that together with his game."

(On S Tykee Smith's ability to force fumbles)

"Well, they harped on it at [the University of] Georgia. It's one of the things I [had] seen when they did that, just being down there. [Georgia Defensive Backs] Coach [Glenn] Schumann did a good job of teaching those guys, and Tykee does a very good job. His hand-eye coordination…It was him, it was [Antoine] Winfield [Jr]. Lavonte [David] is gone now, but [those] three have a very good knack for that."

(On the team signing S Ifeatu Melifonwu, who adds height to the safety room)

"Not only a taller one, but he's played in the league before, and he's played a couple different positions, so that helps us out a lot. He's not young, so he doesn't have to come in dry. It's just a change in the terminology for him, and we were short at safety with a couple guys down, so he really helped out."

(On who has stepped into leadership roles following the departures of LB Lavonte David and WR Mike Evans)

"It's always been all hands on deck. Obviously, Baker [Mayfield]. Obviously, you've still got Vita [Vea]. You've got [Antoine] Winfield [Jr.]. You've got Tristan [Wirfs]. Luke [Goedeke] does a very good job. [Ben] Bredeson is a very good leader. Tykee [Smith] has stepped in as well. A'Shawn [Robinson] and 'Nacho' (Rakeem Nuñez-Roches) have done an outstanding job coming in here. So, we have a lot of guys speaking up, and we have a lot of the right guys. That's a plus."

(On T Tristan Wirfs' progress as he returns from injury)

"I mean, he's not practicing yet, but he's moving better and he's walking around better. So, we'll just continue to monitor it."

(On how quickly LB Alex Anzalone has grasped the defense)

"He's probably grasped the scheme the quickest since I've seen a new guy come in here. He's extremely bright. He's got very good cover skills. There [aren't] many things he hasn't seen that fool him. [He is] very good with the guys, very good with the room, a very good communicator. So, I'm extremely happy to have him."

(On his confidence in the secondary)

"The experience with the safeties helps. They're very communicative. Obviously, Zyon [McCollum] and [Jacob] Parrish are there. We've got to stay healthy. The rest of them are fairly young. [Benjamin] Morrison is in his second year. Even though it's Parrish's second year, everybody else is kind of new right there. I feel like the athleticism and the speed are there, and we've just got to build the chemistry right there."

(On what S Antoine Winfield Jr. brings to the defense)

"Winfield probably had the best spring and, so far, [the best] three days of anybody from a mental and physical standpoint, even though the action is not coming to him. Him understanding where he needs to be to anticipate plays and take things away and make them go away without the ball coming, I think has been outstanding. He's always looking for ways to get better where he can make a play, and so he's kind of dissecting the defense inside out to how he can help himself. I think that's outstanding."

(On his thoughts regarding QB Baker Mayfield speaking publicly on his contract situation)

"I've heard a lot worse, so I don't really have any thoughts on it as long as they're doing their job and they come to work every day. If there are conversations that need to be had, we'll have [them] as a team, and we understand that as well. So, we're good."

(On the timeline for T Tristan Wirfs' return)

"[I'm] not sure yet. Right now, they're saying day-to-day, week-to-week, so I'll know more as he gets going."

(On if he's pleased with the team's mood and focus at the onset of training camp, considering the outside media coverage)

"We're exactly where we need to be. We're exactly where we want to be. We have great leadership in the room, so the outside doesn't matter to us."

(On what he has seen from QB Jalon Daniels)

"He's very bright. He's very bright, full of energy every day, and he's very smart. Once you get the pads on, you can see it. As he gets the offense down, there are different things that go on every day. He had great recall from the spring. He can really zip the ball, and he's very athletic. So, I really want to see him in real time."

(On the importance of increased reps for T Ben Chukwuma filling in for T Tristan Wirfs)

"I think the reps for him have been critical. He made great strides last year. He's got a lot of confidence this year. He's a very good football player. He's confident in the scheme now. He understands where everything goes, and it's just a matter of reps. So, these are great reps for him with Tristan being down, going up against Yaya [Diaby] and [Rueben] Bain [Jr.] every day."

(On if he has an idea as to the timeline for NT Vita Vea's return from injury)

"Not at this time."

(On if he's the most excited person in the building to see the first padded practice on Monday)

"No, there are a couple people more than me, but I'm right up there. I'm right up there. I'm right up there. There are a bunch of players and coaches [that are excited]. It's hard to simulate certain things out of pads, so you can really get down to a couple of things when they get the pads on."

(On if there's one player that he's excited to watch once the pads come on)

"I've got to watch them all."

SAFETY ANTOINE WINFIELD JR.

(On what allows him to be locked in and focused on football)

"I think just my work ethic. My goal is just to be better than I was the previous year. Having that mindset, I [have] to be better than I was last year. I [have] to come with a different mentality this year. [I am] just really locking in and trying to be the best version of myself."

(On if there is a spark of energy for training camp)

"It's a spark every year. Around this time, the jitters start coming, [the] season is almost [here]. It's like a natural reaction in my body, at least for me, 'Alright, it's time to go.' It's my seventh camp, which is kind of crazy to say out loud, but I'm just excited to be out here playing football still."

(On how the veteran players are bringing stability to the defense)

"I think the chemistry just grows. The longer you get to play with guys, the more you understand how they are, how we communicate and just being on the same page [with] things. I feel like it grows every year, especially if you get the same group of guys."

(On if he's taken on more of a leadership role with LB Lavonte David retiring)

"Yeah, that's why I'm here. I want to bring everybody with me and it's one of those type of things where you just [have] to watch me and just see what I do. Then also, when something needs to be said, something will be said. It's one of those things; I try to put out my best effort so people can see that and then they just follow along."

(On his impression of LB Josiah Trotter)

"He's an athlete. He's one of those guys… he's fast, he's big, he's physical. He can cover running backs, receivers, tight ends as well. He's going to have a great role in our defense."

SAFETY TYKEE SMITH

(On forcing a fumble in Thursday's practice, and if he trains at punching the ball loose)

"I think that's been a big part of my game. I think that's one of the reasons I [was] brought here. This season, I'm trying to create as many turnovers as possible just to change the momentum of the game and help the offense in any way possible to get the ball back."

(On what it means to hear Head Coach Todd Bowles call him a leader)

"It means a lot coming from the head guy. The biggest thing I'm trying to do is be more vocal. I bring a lot of younger guys on, because we don't know what part of the season we're going to need them, but we're going to need everybody on the team. [I am] just trying to make sure their confidence is through the roof."

(On if the veteran secondary will help stabilize a defensive that has several new starters)

"Yeah, I think the chemistry in the back end [will play] a big part. We're expecting a lot of guys from year one, year two, to make that big leap. I think CB Jacob Parrish is going to have a really big year as well."

(On his conversations with former Buccaneers' LB Lavonte David)

"Me and [Lavonte] still talk to today. It's crazy, right before camp started, I asked him what did I need to do in order for me to take that next step in that leader role. He just gave me little tips I could do and then [told me] just keep leading by the way I play on the field and then everything [will] fall into place."

(On what stands out to him about CB Jacob Parrish)

"Versatility and toughness when he plays. He doesn't say much, but when he plays on the field, he plays bigger than what he is. We can play him at outside corner, nickel – he can play anywhere in the back end. Then, like I said, it's toughness."

GUARD CODY MAUCH

(On how his knee is feeling after getting season-ending surgery in 2025)

"Good, good. Three days in, no issues at all, so it's feeling great. [Minicamp] was [a] good testing process to see how it is, how it was feeling. There [were] no issues then, and [it's] good again now to come back to this and no issues again. Pretty pumped about that – just put that kind of behind me now, and now we're onto this year and find things to get better at."

(On QB Baker Mayfield saying the Buccaneers have a top-three offensive line in the NFL when healthy)

"It's great to have him trust us just as much...We trust him more than anything back there too. I think we play well when we're together – I would absolutely say that, but also if one of us gets beat, 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) is going to go make some plays back there. It means a lot that 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) has that much faith in us. [We've] just got to go out and keep getting better now – top three turning into the best offensive line in the league here."

(On adjusting to Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson's new offense)

"I'm sure everyone's said it when they talk about it, but we're getting the wide zone game going a little bit more, and I think it [will] be good for us. I'd say we're all pretty athletic up front; tight ends are athletic – so not only [is] the wide zone getting us moving, getting the running backs moving, but [it is] complementing the rest of our game as well. We'll still get to our gap scheme, we'll still run some duo and stuff, but just us being efficient at this wide zone to help us set up everything else – so, really excited about what we're doing so far."

(On how playing with RB Kenny Gainwell has been)

"I really like what I see from him so far. I think, especially with all this wide zone we're doing, [it] kind of seems like that's right up his alley. [He's a] nice, quick, shifty guy who, once he sees a cut, is not afraid to take it. That's what the wide zone is all about – stretch and find a cut, and Kenny has been doing that. [I'm] excited to see how the run game starts to come together once we get pads on – this is hardly real football – but once we get pads on and see how that goes, and how the one-two punch of Bucky [Irving] and Kenny goes. I mean, I'm freaking excited for that."

-BUCCANEERS-