The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit a training camp milestone on Monday by practicing in pads for the first time this season. 

That means more hitting for the Buccaneers and more opportunities to make an impression if you're a player that operates from within the trenches. 

One of those players is rookie offensive lineman Cody Mauch, and according to his head coach, he has already made a positive impression on the team.

"(I'm) very pleased at this stage," said head coach Todd Bowles when asked about Mauch's performance up to this point. "He's a very smart guy. Obviously, he's going to see more defenses and different looks as we go, but he's handled everything with ease. We like the way he comes to practice every day, we like his approach - we really do. He understands the game a lot."

Mauch was an immediate favorite among many Bucs fans after he was drafted this April out of North Dakota State University. 

Part of what pleased those outside of the organization was the lineman's play, obviously, especially after standing out in Mobile, Alabama at the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl. 

But the other part that immediately made him a fan favorite is the comparison between he and center Ryan Jensen. 

With both men on the line this year Tampa Bay has a chance to field a formidable offensive line in front of whichever quarterback wins the starting job between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask.

Of course, we shouldn't be crowning Mauch or any other Buccaneers quite yet, as Bowles pointed out, there's still plenty to do.

"It's going to be give and take. It's a grind," Bowles said. "I'm not going to say we have up and downs or good and bad days, it's a work in progress...As long as the work is there and they're making each other better, I'm happy with that."