TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The four-time defending NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lofty goals entering the franchise’s 50th season.
They want to celebrate their golden year with their third Vince Lombardi trophy. Every team hopes to win the Super Bowl, of course, but it’s more realistic for some than others.
Count the Buccaneers among those who should be considered legitimate contenders even though they don’t get much attention. Tampa Bay is tied with Chicago for the 14th-best Super Bowl odds, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
“I know we can get it done,” veteran linebacker Lavonte David said Wednesday. “I feel like we fell short last year, I feel like we would have had a great run at it last year, honestly. We just fell short, and definitely unfortunate, but probably one of the main reasons why I came back, and I know what we are capable of and I know what we can do. We have the talent to do it, and we have the mindset to do it. So, we just got to put it all together and I always say, ‘Offense just do their thing, defense we just have to take care of it.’ We have just got to do a better job defensively, and I think we’ll get to the promised land if we do that.”
With Baker Mayfield turning into a top-tier quarterback and dynamic playmakers like Mike Evans and Bucky Irving around him, the Buccaneers have an offense that can compete with the best.
Mayfield last season became just the fourth player in NFL history to have 4,000 yards passing, 40 touchdowns and a completion percentage over 70.
Evans flashed midseason form when training camp kicked off with a morning practice. But with Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders watching from the bleachers, Antoine Winfield Jr. and the defense made more big plays for a unit that’s looking for more takeaways.
“It’s just good to see him healthy,” coach Todd Bowles said of Winfield, an All-Pro in 2023 who missed eight games last year. “I’m not going to put too much into the first day — we’re in shorts and T-shirts getting acclimated. He made some plays in shorts and a T-shirt that I know he can make in pads. I was just happy to see him moving around.”
Sanders, who is the head coach at Colorado, was in town to see his son Shilo. The Buccaneers signed safety Shilo Sanders as an undrafted free agent to add depth in the secondary. His younger brother, Shedeur, was selected in the fifth round by the Browns. He’s competing for the starting quarterback job in Cleveland.
The Buccaneers finished 10-8 last season, including a 23-20 home loss to Washington in the playoffs. The Commanders ended up reaching the NFC championship game.
General manager Jason Licht upgraded the offense in the offseason by re-signing wide receiver Chris Godwin, who is still recovering from a severe ankle injury, and drafting Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka 19th overall. He bolstered the defense by signing veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick and drafting cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison (second round) and Jacob Parrish (third round) and edge David Walker (fourth round).
Tampa opened camp with All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs sidelined after having knee surgery earlier this month.
Bowles is optimistic about Wirfs and Godwin returning sooner than later.
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