Start the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Jonathan
Casillas has obviously liked what he’s seen so far from new quarterback Josh
McCown. Tampa Bay Buccaneers While praising McCown on a recent radio
interview, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Casillas compared him to former New
Orleans Saints teammate Drew Brees. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers Casillas, who began his career with the Saints from 2009-2012,
said repeatedly that he didn’t want to take anything away from second-year
quarterback Mike Glennon. But he said on ESPN New
York’s Dave Rothenberg Show that McCown is just “on another level right now, I
believe.” “McCown looks like he’s played a couple of years in this game,”
Casillas said of the 12th-year veteran, who shined with the Chicago Bears last season as a replacement for
injured starter Jay Cutler before signing with the Buccaneers as a
free agent. “It’s a strong comparison, but he reminds me of Drew (Brees), Tampa
Bay Buccaneers not just the way he throws the ball, but his approach to
the game. The first one in, the last one out, he’s always around. He’s very
communicable, very personable. And you can tell he’s a born leader. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers “You know, he’s not even trying to do much now, but people are
following him, Tampa Bay Buccaneers just his approach to the game. And
like I said, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Glennon is learning a lot from him. So,
if Glennon can beat him out this year, that will be great. Because at the end
of the day, if Glennon can beat McCown out, then we’re going to get a good
quarterback.” Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry
Fitzgerald, Tampa Bay Buccaneers who played with McCown early in their
careers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers also praised McCown while
participating in the Drew
Brees Passing
Academy, according to the
Tampa Tribune, Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saints' rookie Brandin
Cooks is trying to make up for lost time on fresh legs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers After
missing the first two weeks of OTAs and minicamp, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cooks
caught a short pass Thursday at New Orleans' last offseason practice and
sprinted 50 yards to the end zone - with no one is chasing him. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers Cooks missed earlier workouts while taking classes at Oregon State.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers He is back with the team for the first time since rookie
minicamp. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cooks is still getting up to speed in the
offense, but the first-round pick has no problem showing skills that earned him
the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football. ''The thing
that jumps out about him is clearly the speed,'' linebacker Curtis Lofton said.
''Every time he runs a route, it looks like he's been shot out of a rocket.'' The
hardest part for Cooks, who ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting
combine, was slowing down after a month away from the team. Of course I was
anxious to get back out here,'' he said. ''During walkthrough they had to stop
me a little bit from sprinting.'' Getting up to speed with the Saints'
offensive scheme has come more easily. While at Oregon State
this past month, he spent about an hour each day reviewing the playbook on an
IPad. He also watched the video of each practice from the OTAs and the
minicamp. Although the routine was no substitute for live practices in New Orleans, it beat
doing nothing. About 15 credits away from a degree in human development and
family sciences, he chose to balance football and academics a little longer
because he promised his mother he would become the first person in their family
to graduate from college. Cooks said he wanted to be able ''to get some
one-on-ones done and go against the vet,'' but he had his academic obligation.
Still, he feels good where is at when it comes to football. ''I don't think I'm
behind at all,'' Cooks said. ''I just have to keep studying. I have to get used
to the new terminology.'' Cooks is coming off a phenomenal junior year when his
128 catches were tied for the 12th most in NCAA history and his 1,730 receiving
yards ranked 15th all time, earning him the Biletnikoff Award as the best
receiver in college football. Believing he played larger than his diminutive
size (5-feet-10, 189 pounds) the Saints traded up seven spots to grab Cooks,
giving up their second-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals. The Saints had to
wait a little while for the first return on their investment, but coach Sean Payton
liked what he saw this week. ''Like any young player, you are quickly giving
them as much information as you can and he is handling it well,'' Payton said. ''Overall he has really picked things up
really quickly.'' Before training camp begins in late July, Cooks plans to work
out with Saints quarterback Drew Brees at his offseason home in San Diego to replace the
practice time he lost. Tampa Bay Buccaneers With the Saints trading running
back Darren Sproles to Philadelphia
in March, he drew instant comparisons to him due to their similar size and
quickness. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Payton has no intention of lining up Cooks in
the backfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers though. Cooks modeled his game after wide
receiver Steve Smith, who spent the last 13 years with Carolina
before signing with Baltimore
in the offseason. Smith's 836 career catches rank 25th in NFL history. Tampa
Bay Buccaneers ''I love the way he's physical, how diverse he is, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers the way he is able to run routes and he plays with that chip on his
shoulder,'' Cooks said. ''I feel like that's what I'm trying to do,'' Tampa Bay
Buccaneers.
