When Jameis Winston drops back to pass this season, he'll almost certainly know where No. 11 is on the field. While he and his new wide receiver, DeSean Jackson, aren't familiar enough to read each other's mind yet, the pair have succeeded in jumpstarting an on-field relationship that the Buccaneers believe could be instrumental in a push towards the postseason.
WATCH: WEDNESDAY'S OTA HIGHLIGHTS
"Yeah, we already have that chemistry down pat now," Winston said during a press conference after the Buccaneers' first OTA practice on Tuesday.
Getting on the same page with Jackson has been a priority of Winston's, and it appears just as important to the veteran wide receiver. OTAs are voluntary, and Jackson opted to skip out on the first two weeks of the Redskins' workouts a year ago. But he was in the building for Day 1 with his new team.
"It's going great," Jackson said of his budding relationship with Winston. "I'm excited about it. It's still early. We have still been getting some good work in, so I'm looking forward to once training camp [starts] and July, August and getting ready for the season. That is what I look forward to."
Although the two hadn't been able to practice together at team facilities, Winston and Jackson have been in touch since Tampa Bay signed Jackson as a free agent. From what he's seen so far, Jackson has been impressed with the Bucs' third-year quarterback.
"He has a strong mentality and he's a worker," Jackson said. "He's one of the guys out there, he is a big-time vocal guy. If someone is not doing something right, he is going to get at them. So, as that being your franchise quarterback, that is the first thing you would need in a quarterback. A vocal guy and someone that is not too shy to speak their mind and if you see a guy that is not doing something right, tell them about it. It's not like he's just barking and not showing. He's out there actually barking and he's working.
"He's one of the first out there. He's going to be running around from drill to drill. His excitement, his camaraderie with the team, it's what you need in a quarterback. I think he has that and that's why this franchise has him as their starting quarterback."
The on-field results appear to echo what each player has said. Jackson ran a handful of deep routes against Vernon Hargreaves on Tuesday and caught a deep touchdown pass during Wednesday's workout. To watch his catch, click the video below.
