The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the 2016 season with a 9-7 record, won six of their last eight games affected a stunning midseason turnaround on defense and only missed the postseason on a third-level tiebreaker. It should be expected that optimism would abound for the team's playoff chances in 2017, particularly after Defensive Coordinator Mike Smith chose to return and the team added a cadre of offensive weapons to help out rising-star quarterback Jameis Winston.
So is it going to happen?
READ: STANDOUTS FROM TRAINING CAMP
The Buccaneers haven't been to the playoffs since 2007, and even if this looks like their most talented team since that one, they are not taking for granted that the drought will end in 2017.