Even when quarterback Tom Brady was helping lead the Buccaneers to a second Super Bowl championship, it was the defense that truly rose to new heights during that glorious postseason run.
Now, with Brady on his way to the broadcast booth and new Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield in town to prove his new contract isn't undeserved, the offense has high hopes, but it's still the defense that will make or break head coach Todd Bowles' team.
The good news is that both cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum came up with takeaways on Day 3 of Bucs training camp.
Dean's was so impressive that coach Bowles threatened to have a drug screening slip waiting for him in his locker after practice.
“I like their ability to make plays. I’m going to get Dean drug tested, because he usually doesn’t catch them," Bowles joked after practice. "We’re going to see if he’s been on that stuff or not [laughs]. Other than that, they’re concentrating more on understanding where their help is. They came back in good shape and they’re kind of talking to each other after every play about what they see and the communication has been good.”
Of course, takeaways in training camp can be good points for the defense, but bad ones for the offense.
Still, it's important to remember everyone is trying to get better this time of year, so its acceptable to take the positives on one side while the other looks to bounceback on a future rep.
“I think it’s early to say whether he’s better or not," Bowles said when asked about Mayfield's continuing development. "But his ball placement the last few days has been very good. Understanding the offense and picking it up as fast as he has, and distributing it to the right places…He’s got to continue to do that.”
And the Buccaneers will continue to do that, across the board, as training camp continues with the first preseason game of the year right around the corner.
