With the team's first practice of training camp at the AdventHealth Training Center complete, here is a compilation of the best quotes from the podium.
Head Coach Todd Bowles
The Buccaneers added to their offensive arsenal by signing tight end Kyle Rudolph and wide receiver Julio Jones heading into camp. Rudolph adds depth to the tight end room following the retirement of Rob Gronkowski and departure of O.J. Howard (Bills) in free agency. Following suit, after a laundry list of injuries to the Bucs' receiving corps last season as the unit limped to the finish line, Jones is premature insurance.
"He brings intelligence, he brings toughness, he brings savvy, and he's played the game for a while," Todd Bowles remarked on Rudolph's addition. "So, he gives us an extra guy. He can block, he can catch the ball. Like you say, he's not going to replace 'Gronk' (Rob Gronkowski). We have to do that in a variety of ways, whether it's running backs, the other tight ends, the receivers. We've got to replace his catches in other ways. But [Rudolph] brings us a veteran presence, understanding the ball game, and he learns fast, so he'll help us on Sundays."
Replacing surefire Hall of Famer Gronkowski is a daunting task and Rudolph presents an upside as an established blocker, complementing Cam Brate in two tight end sets. He effectively seals the edge for running backs and is a reliable pass-catcher, creating a larger target for Tom Brady over the middle of the field to box out defenders. In a young tight end room featuring draft picks Cade Otton and Ko Kieft, Rudolph can pass long knowledge gained during his career spanning over a decade.
Enter Julio Jones. On his incorporation, Bowles described, "We've got to replace 'Gronk's (Rob Gronkowski's) catches. We've got an extra weapon, especially in the red zone and out in the field and we're going to put him to use. It gives us a chance to be more creative in some of the things we do, and we're happy to have him … He's got to learn the system, number one. He's been in a bunch of systems right now. He's a pro. He's going to learn it; it's probably just the terminology. His health has been an issue in the past and he's healthy right now, so we're going to monitor that and keep it up and make sure he can help us."
Injuries forced Jones to miss seven games in each of the past two seasons, hindering his production on the field. Although, with 13,330 receiving yards and seven Pro Bowl nods etched in his resume, the natural ability is obvious. Brady elevates those around him, and reinvigoration is eminent once Jones learns the Bucs' cadence and gains chemistry with No. 12. Jones is multi-faceted, opening up the playbook in Tampa Bay. He can stretch the field vertically with his speed, generate yards after the catch on short-to-intermediate routes, elevate the Bucs' screen game, block and take advantage of both man coverage and zones. Defenses will have another weapon to account for in the Bucs' offensive juggernaut – one that can paralyze from anywhere on the field.
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