OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR ZAC ROBINSON

(On his excitement to see the offense in a regular season game)

"Yeah, it's a great time of the year. You've been working since the spring. You've got a ton of reps in OTAs. When you take a look at training camp, there's been over like 2,000 reps that you've accumulated over time. It's been really great to, first off, install the scheme, of course, but just get to know the guys. It's an awesome group to just be around every single day. Us as coaches, there's no more enjoyment than just watching these guys go play on Sunday, so that's what we're excited about. Obviously, we'll do our part as coaches to make the proper adjustments and the things that we need to do to win the game, but we're just excited to see those guys cut it loose. Bucky [Irving] and these guys, they've been practicing great. It's going to be a lot of fun to just, like you said, just kind of see how it plays out. Week 1 is always a mystery. There's always, hey, do they have new stuff? What do they have going? There's a lot of adjusting on the fly. It'll be a lot of fun, but I'm just excited to see this group play. They're ready to roll, and it's going to be a fun day."

(On how practicing against Head Coach Todd Bowles' defense prepares the offense)

"You've got to be ready for everything at all times, which makes you work through a lot of things maybe you wouldn't have to work through until Week 12 when something showed up. You get to see a ton of defense, a ton of different looks. It's definitely challenging on the quarterbacks. It's challenging on the protection. It can be challenging to run the football with how sturdy they are up front. We got a lot of great work against them. There was some good back and forth, which is a sign of a good team. It was a lot of fun to compete against them every day. The defense brought juice [and] made us better. We hope that we made them better as well. But yeah, it's a challenging defense to face every single day. I was certainly glad once we were done practicing against them for training camp. Now that we're on the cards and scout team and everything, it kind of eases your mind a little bit."

(On what he expects to be the strength of the offense)

"Yeah, I think the versatility stands out. I mentioned it a couple times, but the versatility of the offensive line…Everything starts with those guys up front. They've done a great job. It's great having Tristan [Wirfs] back out there and seeing the full collection of everybody working together. Those guys get the thing going from a physicality standpoint and their versatility. Then just the mix of the skill guys has been really cool to just see it come together. Of course, we would have loved to get more reps with everybody together, with, you know, 'J-Mac' (Jalen McMillan) and 'Mek' (Emeka Egbuka) and Cade [Otton] and Tez [Johnson], you know, but Ted Hurst [III] got a bunch of reps, so we kind of got to see some stuff from that. But yeah, I'm excited to just see the whole thing kind of come together and [see] those guys just cut it loose and play, and play free, and enjoy just getting to play games again. That's why these guys do it. We're certainly excited to see them cut it loose."

(On the challenge of facing Cincinnati Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence)

"Yeah, you've got to account for him at all times. He's very disruptive for how big he is – the athleticism and the pop that he has – snap in and snap out from a pass-rush standpoint, from a run-game standpoint. He's got everything. He's got every tool. So, you know, it's a great challenge for our guys. Obviously, you know, it's up to us to keep mixing up different looks and whatnot. But yeah, he's a handful up front. I know our guys are excited for the challenge."

(On his relationship with QB Baker Mayfield and whether Mayfield's new contract changes anything)

"Yeah, I would say, whether he got the new deal, you know, [I am] fired up for him, you know, he deserves it. Nobody deserves it more. I mean, he's just everything [that] football is all about. Obviously, what he stands for for the organization and his teammates, he's one-of-one. We're excited that that got done, of course. But I don't know if it really would have made a difference, to be honest. I couldn't tell from the day that training camp started when, you know, the contract negotiations were over…He was the exact same guy. He was the same guy when he came in the next day with the new contract. Of course, we were able to rib him a little bit about it and have some fun with it. Baker is the same guy from what I've known him in [Los Angeles] to now, even obviously a little bit closer now. But I couldn't tell a difference with any frustrations or anything – he was just out there playing ball. He's joking around with his teammates all the time. He's fun in the quarterback room, [he] just keeps things light. When he needs to turn it on, he turns it on. So, to be honest, I don't know how much difference it would have made, but it's certainly a relief, I'm sure, to him, as well to get something done."

(On whether WR Ted Hurst III can play a bigger role than initially anticipated)

"Yeah, we'll see where he's at. Obviously, when the lights are on, that's when it'll count. But he's shown that, from his college days to now, I mean, he just goes out and plays, and nothing is too big no matter who he's matched up with, whether it's against our defense or some of the guys in the [New York] Jets game [when] he was playing against some of their starters and Brandon Stephens. Some of those guys have been good corners for a long time. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see just how everything plays out with him. He's done an outstanding job from a mental standpoint. That's always the unknown is just, all right, how much can these guys absorb in a short amount of time? It's a lot of verbiage. It's a lot of new stuff. He's done a great job really from that rookie minicamp. We were impressed with just how much he was able to pick up in a short amount of time. Then you look at where he started from training camp…Sometimes guys can lose sight of some things when they have that summer break. It took a little bit to get going once we got back from training camp. Then, really from Week 2 and on, he's just continued to ascend. He's doing a great job. It's great that Baker [Mayfield] got a bunch of reps with him to feel the movement and the different type of throws that you can activate with him out there. I'm excited for Ted, excited for all those guys, but he's done an outstanding job all training camp up to now."

(On having a variety of weapons in the offense)

"Yeah, it's exciting. You know, when you put together game plans, you've got multiple guys, you know, in mind that can get involved. Obviously, the two [running] backs have had a really good training camp. Those guys have fed off each other. They've got a really cool relationship, you know, on the field, off the field. The [wide] receivers have done a great job, the tight ends, I mentioned the offensive line, then we've got a cool quarterback room that's kind of gelled together, you know, with Jalon [Daniels] and Easton [Stick] coming in. So, it's a lot of fun to try to piece things together, get guys touches and then, shoot, some games one guy might get this amount just based on what the coverage is or based on how they're playing us…Where the ball gets distributed is based on coverage and the quarterback making the decisions and going with it, but it's definitely a lot of fun to just kind of piece it all together, and we're excited to see it come to life."

(On WR Chris Godwin Jr.'s training camp and veteran presence)

"Yeah, he's a total stud, human being, football player. I mean, you guys know 'C.G.' (Chris Godwin Jr.). He'll probably go down as one of my all-time favorite guys to be around and I've been around him just a short amount of time. So yeah, he means a lot to this organization clearly from his career here and his training camp was impressive, like seeing him come back from the injuries [and] where he's at right now. He's moving around great. He's had a great training camp. Obviously, Baker [Mayfield] has a ton of trust in him to throw in some tight windows and tight coverage. He's got strong, aggressive hands, all those things. Then, the stuff that we haven't been able to see is his ability with the ball in his hands to break tackles and do the things that he does. So yeah, I've been really impressed just with him as a person. He's a lead-by-example [player], and then when he speaks up, guys listen for sure. He's been awesome to just get to know. He had a great training camp. It's fun to see him rolling."

(On having the offensive line healthy after the unit missed so much time last season)

"It's huge. Yeah, I know it's been a long time coming for those guys. Even though I was not here last year, you know, seeing it from afar and seeing how much movement was required up front with Graham [Barton] playing tackle and, you know, they just never were together. So, getting Tristan [Wirfs] back out there now and seeing those guys collectively work, it reminds you of the '24 tape. Just throwing on the '24 tape and seeing how in sync they were, they were working well together, they were playing extremely physical. It was impressive to watch. You're getting kind of a glimpse of that in practice and [I] just can't wait to see those guys in real game action."

(On his time with the Cincinnati Bengals organization as a player)

"Yeah, it was a cool time. I was able to spend, like I mentioned, three years there. I was on the practice squad just fighting my life off, hoping to stay another day. But it was a cool organization. I didn't know much about the city of Cincinnati when I first got there but I ended up loving it. I have some great lifelong friends that I still stay in contact with – Clint Boling is one of them. [There were] a bunch of guys [so] it was a cool collection of players that [were] assembled there. Andy Dalton is still a close friend to this day. So, it was a really cool moment. I obviously never got any game action, but being in that organization, they handled things the right way. It was definitely a fun time to remember back on and [I am] looking forward to going back there."

(On his hunger to return to the postseason)

"100%. I mean, that's why we all do this. You know, players, coaches, this is a bottom-line business no matter what happens. Nobody cares what your record was, what happened. You know, if you don't make the playoffs, nothing matters. So, definitely, you know, it's tough to miss the playoffs by a game each year. Same thing, you know, with the guys from last season's team. So, you feel the eagerness and a hungry team on both sides of the football. But yeah, shoot, we're looking forward to cutting this thing loose and seeing where this thing can take it, knowing that it is a long season. The ebbs and the flows of the season, you've got to roll with it, the weekly ups and downs. I'm looking forward to seeing us handle adversity when we need to handle adversity and all the things that come with playing in the NFL, knowing that every single game is tough. We're definitely all eager to just get out there and let the chips fall where they may and just take it a day at a time."

(On which players have stood out for their versatility)

"Gosh, all of them. I think you mentioned the [running] backs, the versatility between both of those two guys and how interchangeable they can be has been a lot of fun to just see up close. But really, the [wide] receivers, the tight ends…Cade Otton has always had, from afar, [my] appreciation for the way he plays the game, and he's got a great feel and just has some separation tools that are very savvy for a tight end. So yeah, it's hard to really pinpoint a specific guy. They've all done a great job, but the backs with Kenny [Gainwell] and Bucky [Irving], that's been pretty fun."

(On wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan getting back up to speed after missing time in the preseason)

"Yeah, like you said, the good thing is they have some experience. 'J-Mac,' (Jalen McMillan) you know, going into his third year, knowing the system [though it] has been tweaked and whatnot this season, but he's a smart football player. It is hard to not play football. You need to play football to get better. I think a lot of that is just getting the reps again, getting their feet back under them, seeing the ball in tight windows and all the things that happen in those split seconds from an instinct standpoint. It takes a little bit of time to get that stuff back, but they're moving around great and we'll kind of see where we're at."

(On studying the Buccaneers' 2024 offense and incorporating elements into this year's scheme)

"Yeah, I've watched all those games, watched all the games from last year. You can kind of compare, contrast, but it was easier to see with the collection of guys that were here. Obviously, Mike [Evans] was on that '24 team and a lot of things went through him, so that part is a little bit different. But yeah, it's an impressive group when they're all clicking and rolling together. I was definitely able to see some of those things and maybe some stuff that we didn't have in [Los Angeles] or Atlanta that was brought here, whether it was from Dave [Canales] or it was Liam [Coen], some of the new tweaks that were added that just naturally come up year to year just based on your players. It was cool to just look at all of it and kind of tailor it our own way and keep some stuff and maybe change some verbiage with this or add this. It's a lot of work from the coaches. The coaches, we hunkered down there for the spring and even through training camp to try to figure out what we want it to look like. You also know that Week 1 to Week 8 could look completely different. The Rams' 13 personnel took off in whatever week that [was], Week 6? They weren't even playing in 13, but they were forced to. Then, the next thing you know, that thing takes off. So, knowing that you have to have some flexibility and ability to adjust in this league based on personnel or based on what you end up being good at that you might not think you were going to be good at. So, that's the fun part of it, but we're looking forward to kind of putting it all together."

(On his confidence in WR Emeka Egbuka entering his second season)

"Yeah, extremely. Emeka is just a really good football player. He's been a great football player from the time [I was] studying him at Ohio State. You just saw somebody that was very instinctive. The skill set speaks for itself. Football makes sense to him. He knows the ins and outs of the scheme, [the] quarterback's reads. I don't know, he might know the run-blocking schemes better than most [wide] receivers do. [He] knows defenses, knows leverage, knows how to use leverage to his advantage. So, everything he does from a preparation standpoint sets him up to just go play free and play fast. That's what's been really cool to see with 'Mek.'"

DEFENSIVE PASS GAME COORDINATOR GEORGE EDWARDS

(Opening statement)

"Tough opponent this week offensively [that] we're facing. I mean, I'm sure everybody has been talking about it. [Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe] Burrow is the quarterback; both receivers are outstanding. The running back is outstanding. We've got our work cut out for us. (Bengals Head Coach) Zac [Taylor] has done a great job offensively, and those guys have been in that system for a while, so they've given us a lot to really prepare for."

(On how preparing for a matchup like this is easier after adding talent to the front seven)

"I think our scouting department and (General Manager) Jason [Licht], those guys have done a great job. You look at us depth-wise, especially in our front seven, we've really added some guys that we're looking to come in and make contributions right away from A'Shawn [Robinson], to get 'Nacho' (Rakeem Nuñez-Roches) back up in the front, to drafting (Rueben) Bain (Jr.) in the first round, to our second level with (Alex) Anzalone being added to the mix and drafting (Josiah) Trotter. At every level, we've got a young guy, even in our secondary with Keionte [Scott] as a nickel working different packages and different things. At every level we've got a young guy, and at every level we seem to have gotten some guys with experience that can come in and help us. We're really looking forward to seeing those guys grow within what we're asking them to do

systematically in the different packages as we continue this journey during the season."

(On the importance of being able to get pressure up front on Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow to help the backend of the defense)

"Tremendously. I mean, pass rush and pass coverage [will] always go hand in hand. The more we can do to disguise our looks, [things] that we think will help us to get the extra step in the rush. I mean, all of those things are tied so well together. Whether we're pressuring or four-man rushing or whatever that number is rushing at the quarterback, those are all critical to us having success on the backend as well as a rush up front. We spent a lot of time this offseason emphasizing those things, and like I said, you're talking about a veteran quarterback that has seen a lot of disguises over the years. He does a good job of recognizing coverages and I mean, when you've got (Bengals WR Ja'Marr) Chase on one side and (Bengals WR Tee) Higgins on the other, it's pretty easy to just raise up and throw it to those guys and give them a shot to catch a 50-50 ball. Our work will be cut out for us. We're excited about it. We're looking forward to seeing the new pieces that we've added to us defensively and the different defenses and schemes that we'll run with those guys. We're excited to go compete. I mean, that's what this is about, competition at the end of the day. It's going to be a tough opponent. I think it'll be a long battle, and we're looking forward to it."

(On how much impact OLB Rueben Bain Jr. can have Week 1)

"I think you noticed him throughout the preseason. I mean, the one thing about him, and this is the one thing that stuck out with him in college, he's going to bring in a full day's work. He's going to work hard. He's going to play physically. He outworks a lot of people. I mean, he just…That engine just keeps going. We're excited to see him this week to get him going and the roles, different roles that we're playing him in. We're excited to have him and glad we've got him."

(On what he and Head Coach Todd Bowles want the defensive identity to be)

"Well, physicality is [one] definitely, but you want to have a smart defense. You want to have a team that goes after turnovers. You want a group that is excited to go have the opportunity to play together and take advantage of those opportunities. Like I said, understanding situational football. All of those things. So, it's all encompassing. Those are the things that we've really worked hard this offseason to get everybody caught up to speed, to feel comfortable with each other. There's a lot of new voices out there. Making sure everybody's on the same page in the situations that we're in."

(On what he sees from CB Jacob Parrish)

"Well, since Jacob has been here, I mean, he's done everything anybody's asked him to do, and he's done it at a high level. So, we're excited with his skill set, moving him around at different things and asking him to do different jobs. He's never said no, and he's always showed up to work and gone to work at it and done a great job at it. So, we're excited to have him. We're glad we've got him and look forward to him maturing here even more in his second year."

TACKLE TRISTAN WIRFS

(On how he feels seeing QB Baker Mayfield get his contract extension)

Yeah, it's awesome. Where's he at? He's not in here. I couldn't be more excited for him. Couldn't happen to a better guy. Super excited for him, Emily, the kids, and happy they get to stick around for a couple more years. We get to hang out some more, drink a couple more beers. No, it's huge. I think it's huge for this organization. He leads us week in and week out. [He] leads us on Sundays, leads us to victories through the ups, through the downs. He's the same guy, same badass, same dog. To see it get done and know that he's going to be here for the long haul is pretty cool."

(On how it feels going into Week 1 with a healthy offensive line)

"Yeah, I think it's huge. I mean, us five have played a lot of football together and hopefully a lot more to come. I think we play well together. I mean, the nonverbal communication is there. The trust is there. The confidence is there. I think we all feel better when we're all out there together. I think Baker [Mayfield] feels better when we're all out there together. So, I think it's big time. I think it's fun. It's nice to be out there with everybody and have us all feeling good and flying around."

(On his thoughts on Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson's offense)

"Yeah, I think it's awesome. I think it's a lot of fun. It's been a long time coming…All through OTAs, minicamp, everything the whole offseason, and then through training camp and kind of dialing it in and getting things where we want it. It's been a good time. I'm excited. I'm excited to get things rolling, get to hit somebody new and showcase what we've been working on."

(On how the offensive line is preparing for the Cincinnati Bengals defense)

I mean, obviously, their front. They did a lot this offseason to acquire some good guys. I mean, obviously, (Bengals DT) Jonathan Allen and (Bengals DT) Dexter Lawrence are two pretty solid guys. All across the board, their edge rushers are solid. I told you guys last year, there's no bad D-Lines in this league. That's where the game is going to start, with us up front. Interiors [have] a big week. Me and Luke [Goedeke] have a big week. So, I think we've got to come out and set the tone. Like I said, in Jacksonville, we want to be the tone setters. We want people to turn on the tape and be like, 'Those guys are a bunch of ass kickers.' So, it starts with us up front. I think we're excited to finally get out there and get rolling."

(On how the offensive line can help the run game)

"I mean, what year? Was it 2024? Our run game was something else, like top five. That's when we're at our best. I mean, 'Kenny G.' [Kenny Gainwell] coming in, freak of nature, like Bucky [Irving] back, like literally a joystick, all these guys. 'Tuck' (Sean Tucker), Tuck is a freak. When Tuck gets downhill, it's hard to stop him. So, I don't know. That's where it starts. I think, again, it starts with us up front. We got to be on top of our stuff, on top of our combinations, moving the line of scrimmage, and getting them up to the second and third level, getting them in space. So yeah, that's when we're at our best, when our run game is going. 'Z-Rob's' (Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson) new offense, I think we got all the pieces to do it. It's just up to us. We [have] to go out and execute and start it off."

WIDE RECEIVER CHRIS GODWIN JR.

(On if he still feels Week 1 nerves and excitement as a veteran)

"I think it's a little bit of both. I mean, I get nerves before every game. I love what I do. I think the excitement before a game is kind of like what brings you back. Week 1 is always special. It's a brand new team. Another opportunity to get out there. Everyone is always like riled up and ready to go. So, I'm excited about the opportunity, man."

(On what fans should expect to see from new Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson's offense)

"I think we got a lot of versatility on our offense in general. I think that Zac, I think he does a great job of using that to our advantage. I'm interested to see how he's going to call things, but it'll be a lot of excitement, a lot of moving parts."

(On what it has been like working with new Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson)

"It's been great. I think I said this earlier in the offseason, I think he's done a great job of coaching and just teaching this game. I think he has a great feel for that. You can tell he's confident in who he is and what he brings to the table. That's held consistent throughout training camp. I feel like I've heard him yell one time. I think he was having a bad day. But yeah, he's been great at communicating the offense with us and being specific about exactly how he wants things."

(On QB Baker Mayfield saying this is the best Chris Godwin Jr. he's seen)

"Yeah, I mean, I really like to think that every year that I go into it, I get a little bit better. I think that at the end of the day, like when the season's over, we'll see if it was the best version. I'm excited about where I'm at. I've been moving around [well]. I'm excited to be healthy, which is the biggest thing. [I'm] just hyped to get out there and go play with the guys, have some fun."

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