The Bucs are back at it as training camp has officially begun and pads came on for the first time on Wednesday. Here are some of the best quotes from practice on July 29.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles
On the first day of practicing with pads on, and if LT Tristan Wirfs will participate in any padded elements of team drills during training camp:

“The first day of pads I thought went pretty [well]. Obviously, we’ve got some technique things to clean up. As for Tristan, we talked before practice. I know he was only doing individual period [drills]. He’s here in good faith while his contract is getting done. We’re trying in good faith to negotiate a contract. Hopefully something gets worked out soon. The fact that he’s here and not holding out…When he gets it done, or whenever that gets done, he can come and step in and not lose any plays, mentally, by being here.”

On what kind of growth he’s seen from the team over the last week:

“We’ve had mistakes and mental errors, but it hasn’t been sloppy. Normally, you have those sloppy days to start, or especially after a day off. They haven’t been sloppy. There have been technical things we have to clean up. They’ve been very mature since they got here. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do, but where we are right now – mentally – has been pleasing.”

On if he thinks the team is more confident than last year:

“I think because [Baker Mayfield] is settled in, you see a lot more confidence in the squad and a lot more confidence in each other. The fact that we went pretty far last year – for us, not far enough – but you see some confidence and some hope. They come back maturity-wise and understanding what they have to do. We’re just trying not to beat ourselves.”

“Yeah, Graham’s a great dude. He’s a pretty big kid; I think he was like 317 coming into camp. But no, he moves around great, really smart. Him and [Robert] Hainsey have been going back and forth and picking each other’s brains, too. But no, Graham is a good dude.”

On this year compared to last year:

“I think there [were] a lot of new parts last year – new quarterback, new offensive coordinator. I mean, I was going through it, you guys remember that. But I think everyone’s kind of settled in. I think Baker said it the other day: He really can dig his feet in now and make a difference. So I think just the leadership that he’s bringing, the confidence and experience we have all across the board. Mike Evans, HOF (Hall of Fame), it’s incredible watching him come out here every day and fly around. Chris Godwin, Vita Vea, Lavonte David, Will Gholston…you’ve got all these leaders, incredible players, incredible people [who] come out here and show these young guys what it’s like to be a pro. It’s hard to see that and not want to emulate it, and everyone steps and be the best you can be. I mean, we’re only what, five days into training camp and it’s been awesome. I’m super excited. It’s great being out here with everybody. We’ve got a long road ahead; it’s going to be fun.”

Bucs RB Bucky Irving
On how RB Rachaad White has helped him so far:

“He’s helped me out a lot. He always just tells me [to] be me. Don’t change how I run. I know what got me here and [to] be the [running] back that I’m here to be. Any time I come back and I have a run and I ask him what [I] could’ve done better he always coaches me up. Him and Chase [Edmonds] do a great job of doing that each time I ask [those] guys any type of questions.”

On learning Tampa Bay’s offense:

“At first it was challenging – really challenging – coming from Oregon’s offense to this offense. But I just had to take the time and sit back and know the schemes on what [Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen] is trying to accomplish from getting his playmakers the balls, making the space, and being able to create explosive plays.”

On his relationship with QB Baker Mayfield:

“I feel like you always have to have a relationship with the quarterback back there. Y’all have to communicate [with] the offensive line have to have a great relationship too. Just being able to see his love for the game and his competitiveness. Him and Bo Nix are pretty similar in they both want to win football games. They don’t like losing. They’re the type of guys I like being around. They’re the type of guys I’ll go to war with.”

Bucs LB SirVocea Dennis
On how much the level of intensity increases during practices wearing full pads:

“I would say a lot, really. Because when the pads are not on you, coaches always say, ‘All right, you’ll be there, you would have made the play,’ you know what I mean? You would have done that. But when the pads are actually on, we have to see you move your feet. You have to actually make that play and [see] everything the coaches want you to see, so it definitely ramps up a lot.”

On what improvements he is looking to make entering his second NFL season:

“One is definitely to be healthy. You know, with this game of football, things happen. The heat being down in Tampa is a factor in it, but it’s being a pro when it comes to taking care of my body. Other than that, on the field, I just want to execute everything I can. I want to go out there and be like those high-caliber players, even like Lavonte [David] and those types of linebackers.”

On how much facing Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen’s offense in practices improves Tampa Bay’s defense:

“It helps a lot just because [when] you see all of these concepts and all of these looks now, [when] another team [runs] the same concepts, and of course, it might be a different look, or it’s the same look. Now that we see everything here on these fields when game day comes, I’ve seen it before, I’ve played it, I know how to fit it, and [then] it’s just going out there and playing ball. We take the middle part out of it.”