It is the eve of training camp for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s time for a fresh start and it’s time to quiet all of the outside noise. However, some of the noise is hard to tune out, as the team faces the toughest three game stretch of the 2018 season without their starting quarterback, Jameis Winston.
“It’s tough,” said offensive guard Ali Marpet.
“I guess I didn’t know much about it [the alleged Uber driver groping incident]. When I found out there was a three game suspension, obviously there’s something I didn’t know, so I was surprised.”
Although some of the details of the Uber incident remain unanswered, one thing is clear. The players stand by their QB 100 percent.
“If you know Jameis, you know he’s a competitor,” linebacker Lavonte David told us. “He always tries to do things right. It was an unfortunate situation,and no matter what we got his back.”
In Winston’s absence, Ryan Fitzpatrick will most likely start.
The receivers added Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston are different inside the huddle, but said the way they throw the ball is similar.
Let’s not forget the team went 2-1 with “Fitz” leading the offense last year.
“They both throw with touch. They don’t just throw it as hard as they can every play, and they protect you a lot when you going across the middle,” said receiver Mike Evans.
Now the Bucs must find new ways to win, but hope Fitzpatrick’s 13 previous years in the league will help.
“We have a really good QB room, and when one guy is down it’s next man up,” Evans said.
Training camp begins on Thursday. Camp is open to the public on Sunday.