TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The “hype” is a non-factor at the AdventHealth Training Center. Yes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are aware of it but they are not falling for it.
The offense has new weapons in Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and LeSean McCoy and the offense has old weapons in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller, Justin Watson, O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate, and Ronald Jones. That list could probably be extended too.
The defense is stacked with the NFL’s reigning sack leader, Shaquil Barrett, an abundance of veteran leadership in Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Lavonte David, and an explosive secondary.
Yet, these players are putting themselves to the test day after day in training camp.
David, who is entering his ninth season in the league, responded to a question about allowing the mind to drift to the possibility of playing in the postseason.
“With the stuff that we have done defensively last year and this year,” said David, “You would say you would want to but I cannot do that. All I try to do is focus on what I can focus on right now. We have to be able to put everything together. It looks good but we have to play a football game first.”
That first game is scheduled for Sept. 13 at 4:25 in the afternoon in New Orleans.
“Every time we play the Saints,” explained David, “it is going to be a battle. It is going to be a team we are trying to knock off. Everybody is at zero right now and we are trying to get that top spot. We have a lot of young guys, who did play against them last year and they know what to expect now, so, hopefully, that will be the difference. We know we have to bring our A-game.”
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