HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On QB Baker Mayfield not practicing on Friday)

"He's got a sore hand. We gave him the day off. He's day-to-day. We're not worried about it."

(On if Mayfield hit his hand somehow)

"It's just been sore the past few days. It's an accumulation of days and we just thought we'd give him a day off."

(On how QB Kyle Trask looked on Friday)

"It's probably the best he's looked since we've been in [training] camp. It was one of his better days. He made quicker decisions. He got the ball out of his hands. He did some good things. I probably have to see the tape to see the rest of it."

(On WR Garrett Greene's performance in practice on Friday)

"He's a former quarterback, so putting him at wideout has been a work in progress. He's been coming along fine. He's very quick, he's got a lot of speed, he's got a skillset to develop to learn to play the position. I think he's coming along nicely."

(On what he's seen from OLB Jose Ramirez)

"I know he's a good pass rusher, we just want to see him hold up against the run and understand the scheme a little better."

(On WR Tez Johnson missing practice on Friday)

"He's day-to-day, as well."

(On how concerned he is that a lot of wide receivers are missing practice already)

"That's every training camp. That's why we bring a lot of them in – they run more than everybody, along with the [defensive backs]. The tweaks will happen, but they'll be fine."

(On how OLB Haason Reddick has looked in training camp)

"I love where he's at right now. He's very good in the scheme, he's very good with the scheme – understanding things and helping guys out. He's one of our leaders early on, already. I love the position he's in, mentally and physically. Hopefully he just looks to make more plays when the season starts."

(On how the back-up center competition is going)

"It's coming along [well]. I mean, the preseason games will tell a lot. There's very little to learn in practice when you're not game planning and guys are doing different things on different days. They're all doing a decent job in there and we're waiting to see them under the lights."

(On if the team is considering bringing in another quarterback for training camp)

"Yes, we're working on that."

(On the defense punching out a few forced fumbles in Friday's practice)

"Depending on what side of the ball I'm on…Defensively, I'm happy, offensively, I'm not. We want to get the ball out on defense, but we've got to take good care of the ball on offense. I'm not talking out of both sides of my mouth – I'm just talking as a head coach. You're happy if you're on the defensive side; you're not if you're on the offensive side. It's great that we're emphasizing that on defense and it's getting done…Offensively, we've got to secure the football or drives won't last long."

(On how he feels OLB Haason Reddick has meshed with the defense)

"He fit right in. The first day he came, he just fit right in. He picked up the scheme very well coming into minicamp. He picked it up very well. He talks to the guys, he communicates with them well, he has a great relationship with all of the guys up front. It's like he's been here the whole time."

(On NT Desmond Watson's progress)

"He's coming along. He's working at it and he's coming along. Hopefully we'll see him soon."

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER HAASON REDDICK

(On how Tampa Bay's defense compares to others he has been a part of)
"At this stage in my career I [have] played in a couple different systems. It's pretty similar, [there] isn't too much that I haven't seen. [I] definitely love it – I love the techniques, the plays that they're calling and the things that they have me doing here. That definitely works in my favor and I am happy about that."

(On his thoughts on the defense)
"I think we could be as good as we want to be. We've had really good days so far -- of course we're not anywhere near where we want to be. We [have] to keep taking strides, as you said earlier, it's only day eight but you definitely see the talent. You see it on all levels of the defense – from the young guys on d-line, the older guys that we have, the guys in the middle and even the guys on the back end. I think we have the opportunity to be a special group and do some really good things and change the narrative as far as last year. As of right now, it's just about how good we want to be and the energy, the plays that [are] being made out here, the attitude towards practice. It's showing that we're trending in the right direction."

(On helping out the younger players like OLB Chris Braswell Jr.)
"Speaking of 'Bras' (Chris Braswell Jr.), [he's] a tremendous young guy, asks a lot of questions – all the young guys, they're constantly trying to pick my brain and learn the game. I would say that the advantage that we have is that we have a guy like (Run Game Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach Larry) Foote in our room as well. We're giving them all types of knowledge, not even just pass rush, formational awareness, situational awareness. Things that [are] going to make them great players in the next few years as long as they continue to soak up and retain the information that we're giving them. But everybody is asking questions and that's good to see. Even between the outside linebackers and our defensive interior, the way that we're meshing, talking, trying to figure out and making sure that we're on the same page, getting to know each other. It's been tremendous so far and I'm happy to be here around [this] group of guys. [I'm] in my ninth season, they're making it easy for me. I'm excited to come out to practice every day."

(On being reunited with Run Game Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote)
"It's amazing, especially to see him in a bit of a different role – before he was just a position coach. Now he has the opportunity to call some plays and I would say he's doing a hell of a job to be honest. That's why I said we're lucky to have a guy like him actually in our room because we're getting situational awareness. Long story short, I used to be a (Pittsburgh) Steelers fan so I watched 'Footie' coming up and to see what he learned in the league and transitioning to him being a great coach, I'm extremely happy for him. Like I said it's just paying dividends… I'm still learning from him and I know the young guys are definitely picking up and learning from him as well."

(On lining up against T Luke Goedeke)
"Luke is a tremendous talent. We're out here and we're battling every day. Iron sharpens iron. It might sound cliché, I know everybody hears that a lot but we're really out here battling. I love going up against him because he's a tremendous talent. He has strong hands, really strong hands. [If] he gets his hands on you it's going to be really hard to get them off [of] you and I love to see that. For me it makes it – it's actually putting me against somebody that I have to work against which is actually going to make me better and I know it's the same thing for him. Sometimes he'll come up and ask me, 'What did you see here? What did you think about this?' And I love that from him because at the end of the day he's still a veteran, a little bit younger than me but he still wants to be better, he's still trying to get better. I think as long as he continues that mentality [with] the work ethic that he has, he is going to be a really great tackle in this league."

OFFENSIVE TACKLE LUKE GOEDEKE

(On providing advice to T Tristan Wirfs during his rehabilitation process)

"My best advice is to just keep your head up. There are going to be low points when you get injured, but I am a firm believer in that God always has a plan. Whatever it may be in life, there is a reason that it happened, and whatever reason that may be, grow from it and come back stronger and better than ever. Injuries -- they suck -- they are a part of football, unfortunately, but they give you time to reflect as well."

(On his impressions of OLB Haason Reddick)

"Yeah, Haason [Reddick], he is an elite pass rusher. It is a great battle going against him every day in 1-on-1s and team drills. He brings speed, he brings power, he kind of brings it all as a pass rusher. I am excited to see him on Sundays. It is like one of those old adages: 'iron sharpens iron.' So, I am excited -- he is definitely a great player."

(On the NFL announcing the new "Protector of the Year" award for offensive linemen)
"I think it is great for our position, since there really is no metrics to say who was the best of the year. I think it is cool that they are doing that for some offensive line recognition. We are kind of hard-hat, lunch-pail kind of guys at the end of the day. It would be phenomenal to win it, obviously I am going to give it my all; I do it day in and day out, and whatever happens, happens. All in all, it is a cool award they came up with."

(On the new additions to the offensive line)
"We just brought in Michael Jordan and [Tyler] McLellan, they are both solid guys. [We also brought in] 'Chuk' (Benjamin Chukwuma) and 'Raq' (Raiqwon O'Neal); 'Chuk' is definitely growing in everything, he definitely has potential and is learning along the way, but [he is a] physical player in pass protection and the run game. It is just about development, but I really think he can be a special player at the end of the day. I cannot thank the second-string guys enough. They come out here -- bust their tails -- whether it is giving looks, practicing as well, and they are all great players. They are all here for a reason and it is a special group that we have."

(On taking the offense to another level)
"I just think continuing to grow, continuing to present different pictures to defenses -- so we are not predictable -- giving different pictures, whether it be motions. We had a really good offense last year, so we are looking to grow off that. The goal is to always be the best offense in the National Football League. I think 'Grizz' (Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard) brings different nuances -- whether that is presenting it from the picture, or different ideology on why we are calling a certain play and when -- just to what the defense is presenting and what we can call the play to. He is a tremendously intelligent human being, and I think he is only going to help our offense get to the next level. The continuity between the offensive line, the wide receivers, the running backs, 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield), and we have Emeka [Egbuka] this year. The sky is really the limit for this offense. As far as the offensive line, the sky is the limit for us, and I am very confident that we can be the best offensive line in the NFL."

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER CHRIS BRASWELL JR.

(On what he did this offseason to get leaner)

"I watched my diet, cut down a little bit. I just conditioned more. I was not necessarily out of shape or too big, but I kind of wanted to cut down more in weight."

(On how comfortable he is with the defensive schematics going into year two)
"I definitely feel a lot more comfortable. I was able to really digest the whole playbook and see what I need to improve on. It definitely feels a lot easier this year. Obviously, it is a hefty playbook, and it is still hard, but I definitely feel a lot more comfortable coming into year two with the playbook."

(On finding a stride by the end of last season)
"Last year, at the end of the season, I started to really feel comfortable with the playbook. I feel like my game changed a lot from the beginning of the season to the last couple of weeks heading into the playoff game."

(On what OLB Haason Reddick has meant to him as a mentor)

"It means a lot. I used to watch him while I was in college, when I was young. Everybody looked up to him, and I am glad to have him here on this team. He has definitely been giving me a lot of pointers -- also been giving a lot of other guys in our position group pointers as well. It is definitely great to have a guy like that who [almost] led the league in sacks, had [16]. Definitely great to have a guy like that come in and give us the little, small pointers that we might not have if he was not there."

(On what Head Coach Todd Bowles has been emphasizing for the defense during training camp)

"Turnovers. We had a whole meeting about turnovers, punching the ball out, and getting interceptions. So, I would say the biggest thing is just being physical, being locked in mentally; when it gets towards the end of practice and it gets hot, so you lose your mental aspect of the game -- start jumping offsides and stuff like that. So, staying onsides and causing a lot of turnovers is pretty much the emphasis for the defensive line, but as a whole -- as a defense -- turnovers for sure."