TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (14-5)
CAMP SITE: Tampa, Florida
LAST YEAR: Coming off successful the Super Bowl in Tom Brady’s first season exterior New England, the Bucs set a franchise report for regular-season victories with 13 and captured their first NFC South title since 2007. Brady, in the meantime, led the NFL in completions, makes an attempt, passing yards and touchdowns. The seven-time Super Bowl champion briefly retired after dropping to the Los Angeles Rams within the divisional spherical of the playoffs, asserting six weeks later he was returning for a twenty third season — third in Tampa Bay.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: Coach Todd Bowles (promoted from defensive coordinator), WR Russell Gage, S Keanu Neal, S Logan Ryan, G Shaq Mason, DL Akiem Hicks, DL Deadrin Senat, OL Fred Johnson, DL Logan Hall, TE Cade Otton, G Luke Goedeke, RB Rachaad White, P Jake Camarda.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: Coach Bruce Arians, who retired after three seasons and one Super Bowl title with the Bucs; S Jordan Whitehead, G Alex Cappa, TE O.J. Howard, RB Ronald Jones, DT Ndamukong Suh, LB Jason Pierre-Paul, CB Richard Sherman, P Bradley Pinion, and TE Rob Gronkowski and G Ali Marpet, who each introduced retirements.
CAMP NEEDS: Despite the change on the high of the teaching workers, the workforce’s offensive and defensive programs stay intact. With WR Chris Godwin recovering from knee surgical procedure and Gronkowski and Howard now not on the roster, Brady will want time to get acclimated with new arrival Gage and a bunch of younger receivers and tight ends competing for jobs. Defensively, newcomers Neal, Ryan, Hicks and Hall look to settle into roles in Bowles’ system.
KEY CAMP COMPETITIONS: If Gronkowski certainly stays retired, veteran Cameron Brate returns to a task as the first pass-catching tight finish. He has 253 receptions, together with 33 for TDs. Five different tight ends vying for jobs, together with rookies Otton and Ko Kieft, have a mixed one regular-season catch. Goedeke, a second-round draft decide, might problem for a beginning job on the offensive line. Third-round choice White will compete for taking part in time amongst a bunch of operating backs that features Fournette, Giovani Bernard and Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
EXPECTATIONS: Brady, who turns 45 in August, is not returning merely for a chance to pad record-breaking statistics. Once he ended his transient retirement, basic supervisor Jason Licht’s focus shifted to “re-loading” in hopes of constructing one other Super Bowl run. The plan included bolstering the offensive line by buying and selling for Mason, upgrading an already stable receiving group by signing Gage in free company, and retaining Godwin, Fournette, cornerback Carlton Davis and Pro Bowl heart Ryan Jensen with new contracts. Brady cited “unfinished business” as one in every of his causes for coming again. The Bucs stay dedicated to giving him all the things he must win an eighth ring.
FANDUEL SUPER BOWL ODDS: +750