TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — From the offensive players that spoke with the media Tuesday, the consensus was that there is certainly room for improvement, but they like where they are in their progression from OTAs and grasping Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales’ scheme.
“I kind of looked at it like a final exam,” said Bucs quarterback Kyle Trask. “We’ve been studying all throughout OTAs and then you’ve got three days to kind of put it altogether. So first day, still working through some things, still tightening up some things, but altogether I think we’re really getting all of the concepts down very well and looking pretty solid.”
“I think it was a good first day,” said Bucs receiver Chris Godwin. “I think we have a lot of work to do—a lot of growing to do—but I feel like that’s natural for this time of year. I don’t think anybody out there is trying to peak in June in minicamp.”
For Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, who’s in his first season with the team, part of his acclimation process is also the challenge of going up against a Todd Bowles defense.
“It doesn’t matter whether it is day one install or what, he’s going to pressure you,” Mayfield said. “So it makes you think. It makes you have to prepare, that’s for sure. It makes you have to know where your [hot routes] and all of your answers are. It’s great for us because we see a very exotic defense with a bunch of different looks and they’re capable of bringing pressure from anywhere. It really gets us ready to play everybody else.”
And with that, came some growth opportunities in the form of taking care of the football.
“I think offensively, we did some good things,” Mayfield said. “There were a few turnovers today—obviously things that we have to clean up. But that’s what happens when you get the full defense back out there and the competition starts flying around a bit. But we just have to hone it in. But luckily, it’s minicamp now so we’re going to be able to watch the film altogether and do a walk-through to correct some of those mistakes. That’s what this is all about is just fine-tuning all of the little details and making sure we’re on the same page. For the most part, I think we’re on the same page so it’s just about executing and doing it at a very high level.”
“Offense had some good plays, but you’re not going to win Florida many games turning the ball over,” said Bucs Head Coach Todd Bowles. “We stressed that after practice. You’re happy for the defensive guys but you’re not happy from an offensive standpoint. It negates all the good things they’ve done. But this is what camp is for.”
