Bucs kicks off training camp with the bar raised

TAMPA, Fla. - The 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers' journey is underway after kicking off the franchise's 49th training camp on Wednesday with raised confidence. But, this is a reboot year for the Bucs as they look to build on last year's playoff success with entrenched quarterback Baker Mayfield leading the way.

"Baker has the keys to the bus," Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said. "He’s driving it. He’s comfortable, we’re comfortable with him. We’re both in a great place right now. He has to run the offense – we talked about this, as far as getting the ball out where he needs to get the ball out and understanding the offense and making the correct checks. I think he’s taken it upon his shoulders. He came back in great shape, and we expect him to do that. There’s a lot more stability there than there was last year."

There are a few new tweaks to this team, including three replacement starters on defense and a new offensive coordinator that is looking to bring more balance. Mike Evans returned for an 11th season, and he brings with him a ton of confidence to camp. Evans has no doubt that they will be a playoff contender for a fifth straight season.

PREVIOUS: Bucs ready to embark on a 49th training camp

"Last year, we heard all the talk about us: 'We lost Tom [Brady], we're going to be trash' and things like that," Evans said. "But we knew the caliber of players that we had, and this year, we're going to be better, I feel like. It's already showing. I know it's just day one, but OTAs were different than they were the year before. We know Baker [Mayfield] is going to be the guy. Last year, we didn't know that preparing. So, it's a lot more continuity and just learning a new offense, and we'll be good."

The Bucs exceeded outside expectations last season, winning a franchise-best third straight NFC South title. The bar has now been raised and the message that Bowles delivered to the team when they reported is that another division title isn't the goal. It's winning the Super Bowl.

"You’ve got to set a tone at the start of training camp," Bowles said. "Nobody wants to shoot for just a division title – that doesn’t do anything for us. We’re in this to win the big thing. They’ve got to see the big picture. There’s a lot of small steps along the way that we’ve got to take. Our focus, ideally, is that’s where we want to go. We’re talking about going from good to great and it starts there. We start at square one. We’ve got a lot of baby steps to go before we get there. The guys understand that and that’s what we’re working towards."

READ: Bucs defensive lineman Calijah Kancey hosts inaugural youth football camp in Tampa

"Super Bowl, that’s the goal," Antoine Winfield Jr. said. "We have a lot of the players back. We have some young guys that are good that are filling some roles that we need, and I feel good about this season, and I definitely feel better than I did last year."

Even with two months of off-season work to digest the new offense, Bowles said the work is just starting.

"There’s a lot to learn," Bowles said. "We just put in the basics. There are so many technical things that you have to go with in this offense, but, from the base part of it from mini-camp and OTAs, they’ve [come] a long way. There’s still so much more to put in – you just can’t put it all in spring."

WATCH FOX 13 NEWS:

SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter