Turnovers
Throughout the offseason, Head Coach Todd Bowles emphasized the desire for more turnovers forced by the defense. On Wednesday during practice, his wish was granted. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. nabbed two interceptions, while cornerback Bryce Hall posted an interception and a pass breakup, along with safety Tykee Smith, who had a PBU of his own on the grass.
On Winfield's first, Baker Mayfield heaved a pass to Mike Evans and the ball soared through the arms of Evans and into the chest of Winfield. On the next, Mayfield lobbed the ball to Evans again, but it was initially intercepted by Zyon McCollum in tight coverage. McCollum bobbled the football, and it went through the fingertips of Evans, who tried to re-gain control, and into the outstretched hands of Winfield. No.31 perfectly tapped both feet in bounds to punctuate the takeaway as the defensive sideline cheered.
"Tweeze is everywhere," noted wide receiver Jalen McMillan. "He is a ninja on the field and we have to key him a lot. That is what makes our offense so good is the defense; they push us everyday in practice. It is iron on iron."
Hall showcased his ball skills, as well as his ball tracking during the 11-on-11 period. Quarterback Connor Bazelak let the ball rip to Dennis Houston on an out-breaking route and Hall blanketed the receiver and knew where signal-caller intended to go with the football. Hall tracked it perfectly and crowded the catch point, knocking the ball down as it arrived. Last season, Hall was placed on injured reserve following the Week One clash. He was carted off the field after suffering a dislocated ankle and underwent surgery. With a positive outlook and dedication to rehabilitation, Hall made a mark on Wednesday during his comeback.
"From what he had to how he came back to where he is now is unbelievable," said Bowles. "From what I saw of him, he is a tireless worker. He is in great spirits all the time. He worked at it. He earned it, and he had a heck of a day today as well."
Return of Lavonte David
Legendary Buccaneers' linebacker Lavonte David has returned for Year 14 with Tampa Bay. The stalwart seems to age in reverse without slowing down and once again showcased his speed and instincts on the practice field. The 35-year-old flocked to the ball like a magnet and got the defense lined up. After taking off minicamp and OTAs, he quickly worked from Point A to Point B, building off his stellar 2024 campaign. Last season, David amassed 122 tackles, nine tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and 5.5 sacks (second best of his career). He sets the tone for Todd Bowles' complex, blitz-centric system and has arguably been the most consistent player at the linebacker position for the last decade-plus. On Wednesday, Bowles expressed what David has meant to him personally and to the organization as a whole.
"He has meant everything to me," said Bowles. "He is the second coach on the field. Obviously, he gets everybody lined up, he talks to everybody, and he inspires everybody. He corrects everybody and he understands situations. He can call out plays when he is out there and he makes plays all of the time, so he has been a God-send for us."
Confidence of Center Graham Barton
Last year, Graham Barton began the transition from left tackle to center. Barton, the Bucs' first-round pick out of Duke in 2024, made a smooth transition to the pros. He tied for fourth in fewest sacks allowed among centers in 2024 with Miami's Aaron Brewer and Buffalo's Connor McGovern at 2.0. Barton assumed a heavy workload, including blitz/stunt adjustments and setting protections. Throughout the offseason, he focused on communication at the line and being on the same page as Baker Mayfield. With a year under his belt and familiarity with the offensive system, Barton's confidence has spurred growth. He has taken ownership in 2025, anchoring the unit.
"Graham handled his rookie year even so much better than I did, especially being the center," described Cody Mauch. "It is such a bigger mental task, and I think he handled that so well last year and you could just see going into minicamp and OTAs, everyone on the offense is confident with Graham in there at center. No one is second guessing anything. Graham is setting the points. Graham is giving the MIKE calls…We all have the most trust in him and I think he is starting to feel that trust and is playing a lot more confidently as well."
