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Whereas the Bucs made it to the divisional playoff spherical within the NFC final season, they nonetheless will not be getting the respect they deserve.
After ending the 2023 season with a 9-8 report, bringing again their big-name free brokers, persevering with so as to add depth throughout the roster with extra youth on the way in which through the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, there isn’t any purpose why Tampa Bay shouldn’t be thought of the NFC South favourite heading into subsequent season.
In spite of everything, it’s a division the Bucs have gained for 3 years in a row.
However regardless of this, the Bucs have been largely projected behind the Falcons, who’ve all the sudden change into the early favorites within the NFC South after including quarterback Kirk Cousins. After going by way of this final season, head coach Todd Bowles and normal supervisor Jason Licht are comfy with the workforce being underestimated and are wanting ahead to persevering with to get higher.
Todd Bowles And Jason Licht Are Fantastic With Bucs’ Position As Underdogs
When requested concerning the defending NFC South champions not getting any respect, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles responded by paying homage to the “Queen of Soul.” As an alternative of worrying about what persons are saying proper now, Bowles is unfazed that the workforce has not made any horny strikes in free company.
Bowles simply desires his Bucs to win when it issues.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Picture by: Adam Slivon/PR
“It’s no totally different,” Bowles mentioned Tuesday on the NFL Annual Assembly. “Once you speak about respect, Aretha Franklin might be the one one who will get that. Everyone else … you form of flow. We’re not making an attempt to win the offseason. We’re making an attempt to win the season. So our focus would be the similar. It fuels numerous us. It fuels numerous the gamers. We prepare to return again and attempt to defend our title like we did, and simply go additional within the playoffs. That’s all we fear about this time of 12 months.”
“That’s nice with me,” Licht mentioned. “I like being the underdog. This workforce likes being the underdog. I like conserving receipts.”
Bucs Have A Promising Younger Group That Is Solely Getting Higher
There may be numerous promise within the Tampa Bay air after the Bucs efficiently transitioned from having the NFL’s oldest roster in 2022 to one of many youngest in 2023. That’s largely as a result of work that Jason Licht and the remainder of the Bucs’ entrance workplace have achieved find expertise throughout the draft in latest seasons and figuring out gamers to complement what stays of the Tremendous Bowl-winning core.
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Adam Slivon/PR
Having numerous younger gamers get playoff expertise is invaluable for the workforce’s growth in understanding what it takes to win huge video games and the arrow is barely pointing upward.
“Simply understanding what this workforce is able to, and we have been getting higher and higher as we went alongside throughout the season,” Licht mentioned. “So it’s not like we’re simply staying establishment. I believe the gamers that now we have are going to get higher. The workforce goes to be higher. We’re going so as to add some extra youth within the draft, so I’m actually, actually excited.”
Because it stands proper now, the workforce at present has solely three gamers beneath contract who’re over 30 years previous (vast receiver Mike Evans, inside linebacker Lavonte David, and lengthy snapper Zach Triner), and every of them remains to be a high-level contributor.
For the remainder of the roster, the younger gamers have the prospect to proceed to develop collectively and change into a viable contender for seasons to return within the NFC South and within the NFC typically. Teetering between remaining aggressive and being a playoff contender is a skinny line, however Tampa Bay has been in a position to stroll it with precision as they’ve efficiently stayed atop the division.
That ought to include a bit extra respect – finally.
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