Jameis Winston making small mechanical adjustments during Bucs camp Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer Saturday, August 8, 2015 9:57pm 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) works through a pass play while running drills during NFL training camp, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015 in Tampa, Fla. (Douglas R. Clifford/The Tampa Bay Times TAMPAJameis Winston still is learning to master the mental part of playing quarterback in the NFL. But like any rookie, his mechanics need some work, too.Last week, he made an adjustment to improve throws across his body to his left."Well, just mechanics. Opening up (my) hips so I can get my shoulder open on throws to the left," Winston said. "I'm just working on everything specifically, you know. You can't really jump on something right now. I'm just trying to get better and better every single day."One thing might be my drop, another thing might be (my) hip and another thing might be having my ball up. As a quarterback, you have to continue to want to get better and continue to improve on things just so I can be at the higher level of playing."Winston had plenty of success at Florida State. He has a big arm and can throw with anticipation into tight windows. Interceptions aside, most of which were simply bad reads last week, he could improve his accuracy, especially when he moves outside the pocket."That's a part of it also. It's not like we are going to change everything he has done completely," Bucs coach Lovie Smith said. "You are always tweaking what somebody does."If you look at the NFL — 32 teams — every quarterback does something a little bit differently. We are fine-tuning some things with Jameis."Defensive improvement: The Bucs struggled on defense in 2014, especially in the first half of the season. But as players began to learn the nuances of the Tampa 2 scheme, production improved.During training camp this year, defensive backs have done a better job of competing for the football and have at least been in position to make plays. That's especially true of cornerbacks Alterraun Verner and Johnthan Banks, who stood out the first week of camp.However, the team is alarmingly thin at cornerback. That's why Sterling Moore, originally signed as a free agent from Dallas to play inside at nickelback, has been getting more reps outside."Well, we're concerned about our depth at corner, so we wanted to create competition along with depth," defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said of Moore. "He's played both. He started at nickel, he played a lot of corner a season ago, so he's capable of doing both."But right now we need the competition, we need the depth at corner."Standing out: The Bucs have to be happy with their 2015 draft class since nearly every player has shown flashes during the first week of camp. That's what teams look for, to confirm what was on the tape they scouted.Winston, T Donovan Smith, G Ali Marpet and WRs Kenny Bell and Kaelin Clay have proven the jump from college to pro football won't be too big for them.Marpet, considering he was a Division III player at Hobart College, might have been the most impressive with the way he has looked in pass rush drills and playing with the starting offense against DT Gerald McCoy.But if you're looking for a long shot to make the team, keep an eye on WR Rannell Hall, an undrafted rookie out of UCF. Hall has earned the nickname "Speedy." That's exactly what the offense lacks, a burner who could also return kicks.
