MLILY Mattresses in Tampa, FL

With Tom Brady now retired, the common perception around the NFL is that the Buccaneers quarterback situation is going to take a huge step back this year. However, not everyone is buying into that theory.

Former NFL scout Jim Monos, who worked for three different NFL teams over 13 years, thinks the Buccaneers will actually be getting an upgrade at quarterback if Baker Mayfield ends up winning the starting job. Now, Monos isn't crazy, he's not saying that Mayfield is better than Tom Brady, but he does think that the former Browns quarterback can be better than the 2022 version of Tom Brady.

During an interview on the Go Long podcast, Monos explained his reasoning.

"I just think they'll be able to do more with Mayfield because, to be honest, he's just younger and tougher right now," Monos said, via Joe Bucs Fans. "Brady was good; Brady was checked out."

Brady might not have been "checked out," but he was definitely dealing with several off-the-field issues, including his divorce from Gisele Bundchen, which was finalized in October. On the other hand, Mayfield will be playing with a chip on his shoulder. After getting dumped by the Browns last offseason in a trade that sent him to Carolina, Mayfield is going to want to prove that he can still be a starting quarterback in this league, something that he showed during his short stint with the Rams in 2022 that came after the Panthers cut him.

As for Brady, Monos said another reason that Mayfield could be an upgrade over the 46-year-old is because he'll be more difficult to prepare for. The 2022 version of Brady was an easy quarterback for opposing defenses to prep for because they knew he was going to be staying in the pocket at all times.

"You're maxed out with Brady at that point," Monos said. "He was an easy guy to prepare for -- for defenses. He wasn't going anywhere."

Mayfield isn't exactly Mr. Mobile, but he did rush for 89 yards in just 12 games last season. On the other hand, if you're reading this right now, you actually finished with more rushing yards than Brady last season. The seven-time Super Bowl winner actually went NEGATIVE in 2022, rushing for minus-1 yard on 29 carries.

Monos' comments are definitely worth noting because, depsite losing Brady, several Buccaneers players have definitely shown some confidence this offseason.

For instance, Tristan Wirfs has predicted that the team is going to go 12-5. Cornerback Carlton Davis exuded that same confidence during an interview in early July.

"Anybody who feels we've lost Tom -- and lost something -- is going to be in for a rude awakening," Davis said. "A rude awakening. Tom was a great addition for us, but obviously it's a team sport.... We're going to wreck shit. Like, wreck shit. Interceptions. Turnovers. Plays will be made. I will say. Plays. Will. Be. Made."

The guys in the locker room clearly believe that the Buccaneers can be good without Brady and at least one guy outside the locker room (Monos) also believes that.

Before Mayfield can prove that he's an upgrade over Brady though, he still has to win the starting job. The former No. 1 overall pick is in a QB battle with Kyle Trask and that competition is expected to go on for the next few weeks and Mayfield isn't a lock to win the job. Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales recently said that the battle has absolutely "tightened" over the past few days.

We got the first look at what Conor Sheary is going to look like as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.

Sheary is swapping out his Capitals red for Tampa Bay’s blue after signing a three-year, $6 million deal with the Lightning on the first day of NHL free agency. The Lightning showed off Sheary’s new uniform hanging in his locker room stall on their Instagram.

“Fresh threads for our freshest bolts,” the team captioned the photo.

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Sheary signed with the Lightning after three successful seasons in DC. As a member of the Caps he posted 102 points (48g, 54a) in 206 games. His best season came during the 2021-22 campaign where he recorded 43 points (19g, 24a) in 71 games. He cracked the top five on the team in scoring the past two years and was the only player to feature in all 82 games last season.

Sheary spoke with NHL Network in July about why he chose the move to Tampa Bay. “I think Tampa itself is a desirable place,” Sheary said. “The success that Tampa has had over the last number of years. Playing against them is always difficult it seems. To be on that side of it is going to be good.

“My speed fits in, my game fits in, and hopefully it will be a perfect match. I’ve got to speak with a number of people and I think I know what my game is and I know what my role is. They’ve told me where they think I can fit in and where I can help the team. I’m going to do my best to do that.”

Sheary initially joined the Caps in 2020 on a one-year deal worth $735,000 which is under the current league minimum salary. He impressed enough that season to earn a two-year extension and a raise that doubled his salary to $1.5 million.

The 31-year-old winger noted it was important this time around to try and secure a more long-term, comfortable landing spot for him and his family.

“I can be interested in as many teams as I want but the interest has to be on both sides. I think the term was important to me,” Sheary said. “I got a family now. We don’t want to be moving around as much as I once was able to. To get the three-year deal was super important and I couldn’t be happier to be in Tampa. I think it’s a great spot for me.”

The Lightning are coming off a 2022-23 season that saw them finish third in the NHL’s Atlantic Division and flame out in the first round of the playoffs to the Toronto Maple Leafs. After three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances the prior three years, the Lightning’s spark seemed to dwindle a little.

Sheary is of the faith that the spark can be relit moving forward and that’s another one of the big reasons he chose the move down south.

“I was super fortunate in my career to come in and in my first two years I won the Cup,” Sheary said. “Since then, I haven’t even been close. I’ve missed the playoffs a couple times, first-round exits. To go to a team with [past] success and a team that has a chance was definitely important at this point of my career.

“I’m starting to be more of a veteran guy than a young guy. I know my time is running out a little bit so I wanted to make sure I was in a good spot for a long time and have that chance. I’m just super excited to be in Tampa.”

Sheary, who once more number 43 before he signed with the Caps, is sticking with the number 73 he has donned the past three seasons. 43 was taken in Washington by Tom Wilson and is currently used in Tampa by defenseman Darren Raddysh.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB

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Hold up. We may actually have a legitimate quarterback battle down in Tampa. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield to come in and battle Kyle Trask for the right to replace Tom Brady under center. The average fan would view Mayfield as the heavy favorite to win the job, but the competition has apparently been close as of late.

Tuesday, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales was asked if the quarterback competition has tightened since the start of training camp. Canales answered with, "Oh yeah, absolutely," per the Tampa Bay Times.

"First couple of days, I think the experience that Baker brings — just playing in games, being in camps, going through installs — you could see where the offense was jelling really well," Canales said. "The timing of the snaps and all that is really critical for us, so probably a little bit of an edge for Baker to start off, just in terms of the smoothness of the offense.

"But it just took a couple of days for Kyle to really settle in, and then what we saw is, the last two practices Kyle really showed what he can do: stretching the field with his arm, getting the ball out quickly, making decisions. So I'm really excited about both of those guys and the progression that they've made throughout the last couple of days."

The Bucs quarterback competition being closer than anticipated is something CBS Sports Senior NFL Writer Pete Prisco noted as well after watching practice this week.

"Sounds and looks like there is a real QB competition in Tampa," Prisco posted on social media. "Didn't think that when I was there for minicamp. But Kyle Trask is playing well. Had a nice night too."

Trask was selected by the Buccaneers with the No. 64 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Florida after leading the FBS in passing touchdowns with 43. However, he's attempted just nine passes in his two NFL seasons, completing three of them for a total of 23 yards. Blaine Gabbert served as Brady's primary backup over the past couple seasons, but he is now with the Kansas City Chiefs.

As for Mayfield, his career has been very different since leading the Cleveland Browns to their first playoff victory since the 1994 season. He was traded to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2022 campaign, but asked for his release after going 1-5 as the starter. Mayfield wrapped up the season with the Los Angeles Rams, and went 1-3 in four starts. That does not include the remarkable Week 14 comeback victory against the Las Vegas Raiders, where Mayfield led the Rams on a 98-yard game-winning drive just days after being claimed off of waivers.

This battle is likely to be decided during the three preseason games. Don't be quick to count out the 25-year-old Trask.

Mikhail Sergachev has provided some clarification after a biting mistranslated quote made the rounds Wednesday regarding the Tampa Bay Lightning’s series loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The blueliner had allegedly called out the Maple Leafs and their fans for celebrating their first series win in nearly 20 years, with an incorrect translation via Instagram account NHLBreakers stating that they “deserved no credit,” something Sergachev claims he never stated.

“If you don’t speak Russian, don’t use Google Translate as your first option then spread misinformation,” Sergachev shared via his Instagram story regarding his interview with Sport24. “I never said it like that.”

Mikhail Sergachev takes to Instagram to clarify false translation from an interview he did in Russian with Sport24.The false translation: “Wow, [Toronto] wins one series in 19 years then immediately loses. They deserve no credit. No other team would celebrate such a thing.” pic.twitter.com/syvPr6JjIC

— BarDown (@BarDown) August 3, 2023

Sergachev went on in his statement to clarify the full back-and-forth, though even in direct translation, his comments remain scathing.

“[The] question was ‘Toronto played very physical which got [a] couple of your defencemen hurt, is that true?’ and I said ‘No, it just happens sometimes [that] people get hurt by accident, and I don’t want to give them credit’,” the 25-year-old wrote. “‘[The rep said] why not give them credit?’ ‘Why? I don’t think they deserved [it].’”

The star also added that even though it was the Maple Leafs first appearance in Round 2 since 2004, he saw "no reason to celebrate", particularly given the embarrassing fashion Toronto was dispatched in. After a surprising meeting with the upstart Florida Panthers, a combination of poor scoring and excellent goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky saw Toronto head for the exits in just five games.

Sergachev’s quote comes on the heels of another heavy blueliner tossing daggers the Maple Leafs way in Radko Gudas. The Anaheim Ducks newest defenceman, signed to a three-year, $12 million deal on July 1, outlined to a Czech publication that he avoided signing in Toronto due to the market’s intense media scrutiny.

“The Bruins went on to win the league by a record amount of points, but as far as the media was concerned, it wasn't as bad as it was against Toronto,” Gudas reportedly said. “I don't know if I want to experience something like that every day."

Last season, Sergachev achieved career highs with 10 goals and 64 points in 79 games, firmly establishing himself amongst the league’s top defencemen. He’s set to enter the first year of an eight-year, $68-million extension signed last July.

New Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales dishes on Rachaad White’s natural ability in both wide and mid zone, bolstering the offense

As a new NFL season sits on the horizon, optimism abounds. Training camp is in full swing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and pressure escalates as players undergo the acclimation to padded workouts in the Florida heat.

Many storylines have sparked interest for Bucs enthusiasts during the offseason, including running back Rachaad White and the implementation of Dave Canales' offense. Tampa Bay's retooled offense will have more movement in 2023 from quarterback scrambles and bootlegs to misdirection and mid zone.

In a mid zone scheme, the concept is similar to outside zone, where the offensive line moves laterally to reach defenders to open a seam for the running back to go through. The main contrast between the two is the tackle on the play side kicks out the edge defender in mid zone instead of reach blocking like they are responsible for in outside zone. The running back's primary read shifts to the B-gap, instead of the C-gap around the outside hip of the tackle. The goal is to get the rusher in space at a quicker rate to generate yards.

White, the Bucs workhorse, is a complete package, possessing inside/outside versatility and effectiveness as both a pass protector on blitz pickups and as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He can handle a three-down workload of carries and catches, with his development in-line. White is patient in letting his blocks develop and can stack cuts when navigating around linebackers. He has the burst getting north to excel on the edge and the physicality to handle dirty runs between the tackles. White's combination of vision, contact balance and athletic traits make him dangerous in a variety of schemes.

"I am just waiting to see some live bullet play from him, but I mean he is just so natural," said Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales. "Everything he does, the run game, the pass game, pass protection, and routes. He is really a natural with both hands catching the ball. I think he is going to be fantastic. My part, and our part as a staff, is just making sure that we are able to take advantage of all that skill set that he brings…There really is not a run type that he has not shown to just kind of feel. He feels it really well. He does not restrict us in what we do in that regard."

White consistently maximizes his blocks and with a well-rounded skillset, he will assume a featured role in 2023. Last season, White accumulated 469 snaps (38.57%). He finished his rookie campaign with 481 yards on 129 rushes and a touchdown for an average of 3.7 yards per attempt. In the passing game, White contributed 290 yards on 50 receptions and two touchdowns. He can create on his own and is an underrated pass-catcher with fluidity on routes. Despite the stat sheet and scoreboard dictating the Bucs' offensive playbook last season with a pass-heavy script, White became a bright spot. This year, White continues to garner attention for his splash plays on the practice field. Donning No. 1, White will be a main fixture in Tampa Bay's reimagined offense, looking to set the tone on the gridiron come fall.