Here are some of the best Bucs quotes following their the team’s training camp practice on Monday, August 7.

Bucs Head Coach Todd Bowles

On today’s practice:

“I thought there was a lot of give and take. I thought it was one of the better practices we’ve had since we’ve had pads on, especially in this heat. I thought there was a lot of give and take. I thought we got a lot of work accomplished as far as offensive line with continuity, and as far as defensive line and seeing certain blocks. That’s what we tried to get done today.” 

On how this week differs with a preseason game on Friday:

“It’s camp for us right now. We’re going to play it like a preseason game. We’ve got things that we want to get accomplished that we’ll work on every day – we’re going continue that.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo By: Cliff Welch P/R

On if he has discussed playing time with the starters for Friday night’s preseason contest:

“No, not really. Not until we finish up a couple more days of pads. Then we will get into that. We’re going to treat it like a preseason game. Everybody needs to be available to play. If I choose to put somebody down, I’ll work with them then.”

On when he expects to see Bucs C Ryan Jensen ramp up his participation in practice:

“That’s a good question. I don’t know, honestly. I just go by what the doctors and trainers tell me and go by how he is feeling and [his] progress. Some days are good, some days are not as good. I will just wait for the answer and kind of go from there.”

On if Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett is fully back from his Achilles injury:

“He looks like he is back to normal. The first two or three days you could see him being a little hesitant. Naturally, obviously, after missing that kind of time, but he has kind of settled into his own and doesn’t even think about it anymore, so he is looking a lot faster.”

Bucs Quarterback Kyle Trask

On what’s been working for him in training camp:

“I think a lot of the stuff that I worked on in the offseason – the guys that I’ve trained with in the offseason – to be able to come back and implement that in this offense. I’ve kind of almost surprised myself [with] just how I’ve been able to take what I’ve worked on in the offseason… I think it has helped me a lot, coming back this camp. That’s just going to be my focus: if I ever get out of rhythm, just getting back to what I was doing previously since that’s been working for me. Staying grounded, staying focused and just trying to keep playing clean.”

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

On his assessment of where the Bucs quarterback competition stands:

“I’ve been in a lot of quarterback competitions in my football career and I think the main thing you can focus on is just playing the best that you can. There’s a lot of things that are out of your hands, in terms of the competition, like you were talking about. It’s the same for me: stay focused on what I can do. I know it’s obviously cliché but it’s the truth – I’m just focused on getting our offense in the best play, the best checks that I possibly can.”

On if he feels more confident and like his voice carries more weight:

“[My voice] has 100% absolutely grown since last year. I was just a young quarterback in the NFL, trying to call a play in the huddle. It’s kind of hard. You don’t realize how much studying it actually takes. You really have to make it your livelihood – to go home, study, make sacrifices with your time. I’ve just been trying to study as much as I can. I feel like [it] personally pays when I come out here and I’m able to just be confident and play fast. I’m just going to continue to do that.”

Bucs Linebacker Devin White

On his mindset returning to the Bucs:

“You know, I just wanted to be the guy for a long time, but after really just sitting down with Coach Bowles and Jason Licht, and just understanding their plan for me, what they got in play, just coming up with [those] guys just to see how I can be better moving forward, I think we all came to a good agreement. That’s why I’m here, just focusing on the season now.”

Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo By: Cliff Welch P/R

On if he has any regret about asking to be traded:

Yeah, as far as regret, I don’t think there is [any] regret. I don’t think it’s just about being paid. It’s just about being a guy who was drafted here and doing a lot for this program. I just want to be the long term guy, you know, just want to be a guy like Lavonte [David] –  he’s been here forever. I wanted to be that next guy. We just didn’t make it happen when I wanted to, and that’s why I kind of got a little selfish. Even knowing I still had the fifth-year option, and that was a thing in play.

I guess early on, you don’t realize it, like, ‘Hey, I’m at the end of my contract, let’s get it in and lock me in.’ I know I feel comfortable here, I love the coaching staff here, all the teammates, and even fans, you know, the ones that went against me and the one who are still with me, it’s all love. At the end of the day, I thought that was best for me, and at the end of the day, I’m still here. I came back with a positive mindset, and I’m locked in. I know you all have been watching practices, and I’ve been getting it in, I’ve been trying to be the leader for this team, because we [have] a great bunch this year. I think we can get it done.”

On contract issues:

“My first day I came in, I’m the one that led the huddle, like I said, it is business, all business at the end of the day. It’s going to happen, and I hate that it had to happen that way because I love being here. I can’t over-express that enough. Everybody knows, my love for horses, I’ve got a nine stall barn in Florida, so I want to be here. I want to be established here, but that’s in the past. Now, I’m going out there, and I’m trying to focus on what I can do better to set myself up for what I want, so that it can’t be denied.

Bucs ILBs Devin White and Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I think that’s the only thing but even with me doing that I’m still doing it within a team effort. I’m just trying to be the perfect teammate for my guys. I want to be a captain again, that was one thing that was hard. Sitting out was hard, and I wasn’t really sitting out because I still came in a building, because I want to be here.

But at the end of the day, man, that’s over with. I’m on the field going hard, and I’m embraced by all the guys. I’m out there working and making them better and they [are] making me better.”

On if it’s his goal to lead the Bucs in sacks:

“No, that’s not my goal. I want to be a complete, overall linebacker. I want to be like, ‘Hey, he’s the best linebacker, not just the best blitzing linebacker.’ I’ve got a lot of work to do, but I’m willing to do it. I’m willing to hone in on everything I don’t do [well] because that’s the title I want. Right now, there are two guys that have the title and I think me and Lavonte [David] – we [are not] too far.

But Fred Warner and Roquan [Smith], [those] two guys, they set the bar pretty high last year. I know where work needs to be done and I’m going to do it. I know what I’m capable of and I told Lavonte [David], ‘We’re going to push each other,’ because we always need to be the guys where they’re talking about being the two best linebackers in the league. We’re fighting for one and two, or 1A and 1B. That’s just my mindset. I can put it out there. I can tell anybody. That’s what it is.”