HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On if DL Calijah Kancey still has a chance to play on Sunday)

"He still has a chance to play. We're not ruling him out."

(On getting S Antoine Winfield Jr., LB SirVocea Dennis and OLB Yaya Diaby back on the practice field)

"It's good to have them back. We've just got to get the mental part of it down, but they're running around pretty [well]."

(On what he believes the strength of his team is heading into the season)

"That's yet to be determined. Obviously, you've got to get a lot of kinks out of the way the first couple of games. The trick is to win while you're doing it. We feel like we've got a lot of strengths and until we settle in on what we are in Week 4 or 5, we'll see. We feel like we're great in a lot of areas, but you've got to play the games to be sure."

(On the progress of QB Baker Mayfield from when he arrived until now)

"Just grasping the offense and making it his. The mental part of the game – there is so much you have to learn installing a new offense, as far as audibles and getting us into the right plays and everything else. I thought both of them for the most part did a great job at that, but Baker really kind of took off on it the last two weeks."

(On how Mayfield has made the offense his own)

"Just understanding it and getting us in and out of plays. Knowing what he likes and doesn't like, understanding what he can see and what he can't see and kind of tailoring it a little bit."

(On the moment he felt Mayfield won the starting job)

"I didn't have a moment. Maybe about two weeks ago, there was a point in practice when he was comfortable with everything, he was completing a lot of balls and he wasn't thinking about it. The ball was coming out of his hand and you [could] see that he had it down without thinking. That probably sold me."

(On if the negotiations with WR Mike Evans regarding a contract extension change anything about the day-to-day)

"It doesn't change anything. Mike is in great shape. He is ready to go for the season. He is excited about it. There is a business side of football as we all know. That takes care of itself, but there will be no distractions."

(On how the team goes about preparing for the Vikings defense with a new defensive coordinator and new players)

"It's different because he (Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores) has been in a few places, obviously Pittsburgh, Miami, New England. Brian is a very sharp guy. He probably learned a little bit from each place and will culminate it. You can kind of see a few things in the preseason. I'm sure they'll have some new wrinkles just like we will. We've got to read our keys and get a grasp of it as early as possible and make adjustments."

(On facing Minnesota's offensive playmakers outside of WR Justin Jefferson)

"They have a ton of them. They've got a ton of them. Obviously, the first round pick (Jordan Addison) comes in. He did a lot in college. We know what he can do – we scouted him pretty good. [T.J.] Hockenson – when he got to Minnesota – he made a heck of a bunch of catches. They've got two running backs who can play and they've got a third receiver, '17' (K.J. Osborn), who is maybe the most dangerous of them all because he can block, run and catch. He does a bunch of things. And, they've got three tight ends, so you're going to see different guys at all times. It's not just Jefferson, if you try to take Jefferson away, the other guys will kill you, so it will be a slippery slope."

(On whom he is most looking forward to seeing on Sunday)

"Hopefully, seeing us win. I'm not looking forward to seeing anybody – as long as we can win, I'm good."

(On the challenge of having a young roster in Week 1)

"Just the mental part of making sure they understand the game and the things that can happen to them [without] overloading them and making sure they play fast."

(On what has impressed him about RB Sean Tucker)

"Just his work ethic. He is a very talented guy. I mean, he earned it. We didn't give it to him. You sat there and saw the same preseason we saw. We go by production around here and Sean came back and came to camp with a purpose. He practiced like that, and he played in preseason like that. He has continued to play like that, and he has earned it."

(On what he has seen from RB Rachaad White from last season to the start of the current season)

"It's only his second year and his first year really starting. The maturity in which he has handled things has been great. You can have a second-year guy be a rookie mentally because he hasn't played. Rachaad hasn't been like that. He is always trying to learn new things. I think he is a tough back. I think he is itching at the opportunity to get the chance to run the ball and we like where he is at."

(On how much the new offense will help in White's production on the field)

"Well as long as the offensive line blocks, it will help him a great deal. That's in any system, but he is a sharp guy. He can play in any system. Rachaad is just one of [those] backs – he can go outside and inside, he can catch the ball and he can block. We just look forward to him having a healthy and good year."

(On former OLB Carl Nassib announcing his retirement from the NFL)

"Carl is probably one of my favorite players – just the energy he brought to practice every day, the effort he gave when he was out there. He always had a smile on his face, but he played with such tenacity, he played with such heart. You weren't going to bully him or run him over. He did a lot of things well and he had a good career while I was around him. I was just happy to be a part of it."

(On RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn's absence from today's practice and his status)

"We'll see tomorrow. He is healthy – it was personal reasons, and we will deal with it tomorrow and see where he is at."

(On if it was an excused absence)

"No, it was not an excused absence."

(On his expectations for the offensive line from a physicality perspective and in short-yardage situations)

"Well, we've got to be able to get a yard when we want to. When they know it's coming and we know it's coming, we've still got to be able to get it. Toughness is always the first thing on the offensive line. Assignment football is the other thing and technique is the other thing. We're looking to continue that and hopefully we get better at that during the year. We showed some signs of it in the last preseason game and the proof is in the pudding. Regular season… we feel like we have a good group, so we'll go from there."

(On if the two guards will be key in the physicality aspect of the run game)

"I think they're tough enough to help. We've just got to push – it's all willpower at that point when you've got to get a yard."

(On starting the season on the road with a young team)

"For us, we don't look at road or home, other than the fans. The field is the same, the grass or the turf is the same – it's 100 yards, we know what we've got to do. We've been on the road before. Even the new guys that have come in, they've probably been in [front of] bigger crowds than we've been in because some of [those] stadiums hold over 100,000. We're comfortable where we are playing, so we've just got to have a good plan and be ready."

(On if Minnesota is one of the tougher places to play)

"I don't know if I've been here since they got the new stadium, so it will be a first for me."

(On the rationale behind waiting to name captains)

"Since everybody wasn't here in the spring, you want to see how everybody jells together and then you want to wait awhile before you make a decision because the other guys are still getting to know everybody and you want to make a rational decision, so we're going to wait for a little while."

(On OLB Shaq Barrett's performance during training camp and the preseason)

"I didn't see him much early on. The last preseason game, I saw flashes of the old Shaq. He was quicker than normal. His pass drops were good. His pash rush was good. That was a positive sign. And he's walking around with a smile, so that's a good sign for us."

QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD

(On how excited he is for Week 1)

"It's finally here, yeah. It's what you work all year for. The real thing is finally here. We're ready to finally go out and play somebody else for real and just see all the things that we've been working on – see how it comes to life, all the little details, all the offseason workouts, the foundational stuff that we've been trying to get installed and to see how it plays out and just to see how guys handle it throughout the game. It's football. It's the highest level you can play at, so there are going to be ebbs and flows, ups and downs during the game. We're built to handle that adversity and I'm excited to see how we do."

(On how Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales has helped him the most)

"His mindset – he's so positive – it's just the next step mentality. The next play, make it the best one. Even if it's just a simple handoff where we're not doing anything besides carrying out a fake, make it your best one. That mindset to give it absolute 100% each time, it's refreshing, even though it might be an off play for us, we still carry our weight and we're still a factor in it, so do your business. He's so fresh and that mindset is awesome."

(On if his play has been elevated due to Canales)

"I think there's time where you overthink things. You can harp on the last play, but the most important one is always the next one – I say that, but it's easier said than done and Dave truly lives by that. It's a refreshing thing to have in the room."

(On when he thought he won the starting quarterback job following Canales saying the first preseason game and the week following was an 'aha' moment)

"I think throughout camp it was a great battle, to be honest with you. I don't think I had one of those moments. It was the next day mentality of, 'Alright, I've got to bring my A-game, because our whole room is extremely competitive.' I just try and do that each day. I don't think it was one play – for them, they're looking at it from a different perspective – but it's always fun to get in there and throw the deep ball to Mike [Evans]. He makes your life easy."

(On if he's been able to make the offense his own)

"I think the command of it. Once we got into that Jets week, I really started to see all the little checks at the line of scrimmage. We had the whole foundation and now it's about adapting to what the defensive is giving you. From there, I think I just took control of it. I think you guys saw a little bit of it when Dave [Canales] started getting on a roll in that last preseason game, so you kind of saw what our offense is supposed to be – getting the ball out and taking care of it. That's when I really felt it."

(On if his mental approach has changed going into this season)

"To be honest, every year is different. This one, for me, I had the whole offseason to work with this group, [it's a] new offense for everybody, I've worked a similar offense in the past. [I am] just trying to learn and not act like I have it figured out each day. For me, it's now going into year six, so I act like I've been here, but I also still have the young mindset. I always have room to grow and learn, but also take command of it – be a leader and just show that instead of just focusing on the gameplan only. Yeah, I have to do my job, but also bring everybody else along at the same time."

(On if he relishes being a road underdog)

"I think any time you go on the road, it's a special opportunity – especially in that environment. I've only played there once but their crowd is awesome, the stadium is great, and you're going up against a good team. Defensively, they've been good in the past. We're looking forward to a new challenge with [Defensive Coordinator Brian] Flores calling it. You look forward to the challenge of all the pressures – the crowd noise and all the different variables that they're going to throw at you. It's something about your team, your guys only in that stadium, against theirs. It's always special."

(On what he remembers about the last time he played at U.S. Bank Stadium)

"The 'SKOL' chant is awesome. It's one of those traditions that you kind of look around and you enjoy it as an away team. They're extremely loud on third down and when you're backed up in the red zone or close up, about to score. It's just a fun environment to play in and those are things that you always look back…it's one of those football moments that you truly enjoy as being an opponent."

(On what stood out to him about Head Coach Todd Bowles' defense)

"You mentioned it – it's all the guys they can possibly bring. You get different looks, you get different pressures. It's not like they have one guy they really want to blitz every time, but they'll give you different looks and bring guys off every edge. It just presents a different group of challenges for you. You have to really be keyed into the whole defense – not one guy is going to give it away. You have to be keyed into different clues. It's great when you're learning and going through training camp to have to go up against a challenge like that, so I'm really thankful that we had to do that."

(On if he's viewing this season as a fresh start for him)

"It is. It is a fresh start – a new organization, they do it extremely well. This is a veteran group – yeah, we have a lot of new, young pieces, but there's still a lot of key veterans that have won a lot, a lot of games. For me, it's to cherish that moment – take advantage of the opportunity. I know what's at stake here, but it's one game at a time. If I take care of business here, we're going to win a lot of football games."

(On Carolina QB Bryce Young and the pressure that comes with being a No. 1 pick)

"Quarterback is one of the hardest positions to play in sports, especially for him coming out as a number one pick. Obviously, if you're the number one pick, you're going there for a reason – [the team] hadn't had success. He's trying to go in there and be the guy that he was in college, but it's a different game. He's trying to translate what he knows he's best at, but at the same time, command a locker room full of grown-ass men. It's different, all over the place. You've got kids and families – it's different relationships that you really have to grasp and be able to relate to. It's a challenge. Bryce has a great head on his shoulders. I have no doubt that he's going to have a long career. I'm looking forward to seeing what he does – except for two games out of the year."

(On if it's unfair to judge a rookie quarterback by wins and losses)

"No, when it comes down to it, it's all about wins and losses. Unfortunately, for his situation – similar to mine – you've got to overcome a lot of obstacles. There's a lot of adversity. You're learning a new offense, trying to command an NFL locker room – there's a lot of things happening all at once. So, how can you hone in on just about winning and losing? Limiting your mistakes as a rookie is key, but it's also hard when the game moves pretty fast."

(On what he's looking forward to most on Sunday)

"To see everything that we've been working on [and] to see it come to life. I think our group truly understands the system that we've put in [and] what we're trying to get accomplished. To see them fly around and enjoy it and play for each other – that's the best part. Preseason, you've got guys rotating in quite a bit. Now, it's just about getting our guys in, getting them on the same page and letting them have fun. We'll know what to do come time for the game, but it'll be fun when it hits."

(On if he still gets nervous for Week 1)

"I think you always get the little butterflies, but we've done this so many times. You've got to take yourself back to that. You've had so many reps at this, you've worked so hard for it, so just enjoy it. It's what Sundays are for – you get to finally go out there and compete."

(On why he's 'the most excited he's been for a season' in a while)

"I think I've hit on it quite a bit, but just the organization as a whole. What they tell you is what you're getting. There's no behind the scenes drama – it's all about winning here. How can we put our guys in the best position to win? It's rare, unfortunately, in the NFL to have an organization like that – that's why I'm so happy to be here. I've had [up-and-down gesturing] like this for my career, so just to be able to enjoy it [is why]. Like I said earlier, we have a bunch of veterans that also know how to do it, as well. I'm pumped up to be around a bunch of guys that have done it before, know how to do it and we get to bring the young guys along, too."

(On what he's seen from WR Trey Palmer)

"He's a heck of an athlete. I think that's why he's on our team. Just his grasp of the offense, as well. Normally, rookies are kind of swimming a little bit when they're trying to learn the system, but he's been able to take the system but still play fast – which is what he is, he's a fast player. I think the great part is we've seen him make contested catches and great plays under duress. To see him grow – he's only going to continue to get better, so we're excited for him for sure."

(On if former Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has texted him)

"Nope."

(On going up against Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins)

"I think Kirk is a great quarterback. He's been doing it a long time – he's had a ton of success. I don't see him as underrated – that might be the public's eye, but I think he's a great QB who delivers the ball well to skill guys. [He] commands the offense, great leader, great guy. I think that reputation goes throughout the league for him. Always a great guy to compete against, even though we're not directly going up against each other."

(On if he was approached to be on the Netflix show 'Quarterback')

"Yep, the last two years. When it comes down to it, I've been criticized for my commercials, but when it comes to the season, I'm locked in. I think there's a time and place for that. I don't exactly love you guys in the locker room and all the cameras around – no offense to y'all. When it comes down to ball, I want to be around our guys and have fun."

WIDE RECEIVER CHRIS GODWIN

(On how he feels about Week 1 against Vikings)

"We're excited, excited to go play a good team, [and] excited to play in a cool stadium. It will be a good atmosphere for Week 1."

(On what he expects from the team for Week 1)
"Honestly, just how we develop over the course of the game and the season. I think we are still very early in developing our offense. It will be cool to see how it develops over the course of the year."

(On bringing the new offense into a hostile and loud environment)

"I think that's probably the biggest challenge. It's going to be hard to communicate, but I think there will be things that will help us later on in the year [that] we've been working on, [like are] our silent communication. You don't really know until you get there, so it will be cool to see how everybody responds. This will be the first time our full group is together, playing, and it's going to be a lot of fun."

(On wide receiver room and Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales)

"We have a lot of guys who can make a lot of good plays, and I think Dave [Canales] has done a really good job of getting guys involved, but also just empowering the players, empowering us to have our input on what we like or what we don't like, and just giving him feedback because he is growing with us."

(On his perspective on WR Mike Evans' contract)

"I think we all understand that it's a business, and everyone has to do whatever they feel like they need to in order to protect themselves, and their business. I think as professionals, whenever you're here, you go out and you play. I don't know if there is a better example of that than Mike. I feel like you wouldn't even recognize it in the building because of the way he handles himself. Again, that's a testament to him. He's obviously a pro."

(On the biggest growth he has seen from QB Baker Mayfield)

"I think he is getting really comfortable at getting the offensive scheme, getting comfortable with the terminology, and being able to effectively communicate what he is looking for with the receivers, and their relationship growing as a whole. As the weeks and days kind of start, I see him getting more and more comfortable with that."

OFFENSIVE TACKLE TRISTAN WIRFS

(On if he feels confident in the new offensive scheme)

"Oh, 100%. I think a lot of guys are really confident in this offense. Now, it's just getting dialed in, perfecting it and being as confident as we can in it. Now, it's time for us to kind of take over – not necessarily ad lib, but Coach [Dave] Canales said, 'Now is where you guys can kind of take control and do what you need to do.' I think a lot of guys have been great with it."

(On the biggest differences this year compared to the previous years)

"I think the biggest thing is not throwing the ball 70 times. Practice has been a little bit different – really committing to the run game. Nothing has really changed, I would say, from a schedule standpoint, from a tempo standpoint, from anything, really. It's just business as usual, really. Everyone is coming to work focused on getting better."

(On if he feels like one of the old guys now)

"A little bit. We've got Matt Feiler now – Matt is year 10, so he's the old guy in the room."

(On when he felt like it 'clicked' for him at left tackle)

"I think just getting those first snaps in the last preseason game. You're always nervous, everyone is nervous and excited at the same time – but once you go do it, you're like, 'Okay, I know what I'm doing, I'm alright.' So, getting that first snap out of the way, getting those first-snap jitters out of the way, then you're good to go."

(On if he's moved past learning a new position)

"I'm fine. It's kind of just business as usual, now. Focus on Minnesota, focus on getting better and improving, and focus on being a leader for the guys in the locker room."

(On where he's seen the biggest growth in QB Baker Mayfield throughout training camp)

"I think just Baker's confidence in our offense – being able to make the checks, make the checks at the right time, doing all that sorts of stuff. I think him and [Offensive Coordinator] Dave [Canales] have grown together in this offense. Obviously, Dave brought it, but I think it's been great."

(On the key to playing in a loud environment with a new offensive line combination)

"[Robert] Hainsey, really. He's going to get us all on the same page. We've got to be good with our silent communication, with our hand signals and everything and everyone being locked in coming out of the huddle. I think that's going to be huge for us."

(On C Robert Hainsey going into year two)

"Oh my gosh, there's not enough I can say about Hainsey. He's ready for anything – whether it would have been guard, center, wherever. I think he took some tackle reps in camp. I love him to death and he started 17 games last year – it's not like he hasn't done it before, he did great. He's ready for it, we're all excited to kind of have him be our center and be our commands guy. It's going to be great."

(On T Luke Goedeke going into year two)

"I think Luke has been great. We've obviously done a lot of stuff together – a lot of technique stuff, training all summer. I know he's super excited for this opportunity. I know he's going to do great. He's a fighter, he's a workhorse, he's going to do everything he can to help his team, help his teammates, help himself. I think he's going to be great."

(On what a win in Week 1 can do for a team)

"I think kind of just slingshot us. A win in Week 1 is a big confidence builder. Opening the season up with a 'W' is huge. Everyone wants it, but not everyone is going to get it. For us to do that is going to be big. I think [it would be] a good kick-start for the season."

(On what gives him confidence that the team is being underestimated)

"Just the guys in here that we have. I know how hard everyone has worked. All the guys that were here this offseason put in work together this training camp. I love everyone in this locker room and I know we all have each other's back and that's all we need."

-BUCCANEERS-