Buccaneers: Three bold predictions for the 2017 season

TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter of an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks on November 27, 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter of an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks on November 27, 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter of an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks on November 27, 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter of an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks on November 27, 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /

Here are three bold predictions for the Buccaneers in the upcoming season.

Who isn’t pumped up for the upcoming Buccaneers season? Heck, we all felt that way immediately after last season ended. A five-game winning streak nearly ended the long playoff drought. The Bucs have an elite player on the outside in Mike Evans, and a defense that not only grew, it grew together. When you get a team playing on that level that is improving as a group, special things happen.

They haven’t stood pat either. The roster that was on the verge of the playoffs is, at least on paper, better. DeSean Jackson and O.J. Howard make the offense downright scary. If they get the running game going, even marginally better than last year, the sky is the limit. Adding Chris Baker to an already stacked defensive line doesn’t hurt either. Dirk Koetter is looking at a wealth of riches as 2017 begins.

More from The Pewter Plank

Before we get into evaluating the developments of training camp, let’s speculate while we still have time. As I have said many times before, this is what we do best. It’s a fan’s duty to predict what is going to happen before it does. We aren’t on the field, so what else should we do?

Today’s speculation focus is going to be on being bold. Why not be bold? Camp hasn’t opened yet. All teams are 0-0, and you know the “Any Given Sunday” expression. So let’s be bold.

Specifically, we present three bold predictions for the 2017 season. Three scenarios that I believe are locks and that we can mark down right now.

Turn the page and take the journey with me.