Bucs Will Not Be One of the Worst Teams Over Next Three Years
It’s easy to kick a team when they are down. Over the last five seasons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gone 27-53, making them an easy target for the skeptics who believe minor, low-level moves over the offseason won’t amount to success. On Tuesday, ESPN published an article where they ranked every NFL team based on how they would fare over the next three seasons. The Buccaneers were 28th. 28th!
Here’s their argument:
"Drafting Jameis Winston improved the chances for long-term success at quarterback, but the Buccaneers plummeted by double digits in every other category, led by a 25-spot drop in drafting to 30th overall. The No. 5 ranking from one year ago seems laughably high in retrospect, and the current assessment could be a little too harsh. This team remains tough to figure out after falling flat in 2014 following what seemed like a promising offseason. The Buccaneers are no longer getting the benefit of the doubt. –Mike Sando"
It’s hard to defend the Bucs these days. Your argument depends entirely on selling their potential. The belief that Mike Evans will get better with each passing season. The hope that Jameis Winston will pan out and become the quarterback the team needs. The expectation that the defense will build off their success late last season and turn the corner in 2015.
Sorry, ESPN, but the Bucs will not be terrible for the next three years. But thank you for the added motivation. It’s always fun to prove the doubters wrong.
Usually, when discussing the Bucs with doubters, the first thing I point to is Lovie Smith’s record with the Chicago Bears. In his first year, Smith went 5-11. The following two seasons, the Bears went 24-8, losing in the divisional game and Super Bowl, respectively. While those two season-ending defeats are heartbreaking, the main takeaway here is that when Lovie finally molds the team to his liking, the results tend to follow.
Looking at this year’s roster, Lovie has his fingerprints all over it. There’s depth at every position. There are numerous players who actually know how to play the Tampa 2. And now, the Buccaneers actually have a franchise quarterback to toss the pigskin with an offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter who can set up Jameis Winston for success.
Sorry, ESPN, but the Bucs will not be terrible for the next three years. But thank you for the added motivation. It’s always fun to prove the doubters wrong.
Next: Projecting the Bucs' Starting Offense
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