Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles: 'We're not trying to win the offseason'

The Buccaneers have been one of the more active teams this offseason, and while most of their activity has been retaining their own talent, they have still had arguably one of the best offseasons thus far.

However, head coach Todd Bowles knows the Super Bowl is not won in March or April and does not care what happens this time of year if it doesn't mean anything in February.

"We're not trying to win the offseason, we're trying to win the season," Bowles said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "So, our focus will be the same. It fuels a lot of us. It fuels a lot of the players, and we get ready to come back and try to defend our title like we did and just go further in the playoffs. That's all we worry about this time of the year."

Bowles makes a point, but who a team adds and loses in an offseason can greatly impact the outcome of the upcoming season.

Tampa Bay came close to contending for a Super Bowl in 2023, winning its third consecutive division title and defeating the Eagles in the wild-card round of the playoffs, but that's all the further the team made it.

Still, the Buccaneers were one of the most overlooked teams a season ago after Tom Brady's retirement. They know what they had was special and are trying to run it back in 2024.

QB Baker Mayfield (three-year, $100 million deal), WR Mike Evans (two-year, $52 million contract) and LB Lavonte David (one-year, $10 million deal) were among the team's re-signings this offseason. Tampa Bay also brought back safety Antoine Winfield Jr. by placing the franchise tag on him.

All four players played significant roles in the Buccaneers' postseason run last season and are hoping to do the same in 2024.

Bowles may not be trying to win the offseason, but he and his staff have certainly put themselves in a position to win the season because of it.