Buzz building around Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10 years after last playoff trip

TAMPA — Derrick Brooks isn’t trying to put additional pressure on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But as the Hall of Fame linebacker looks over his former club's roster, he can’t help but make some comparisons to the best teams in franchise history — like the old Brooks Bucs, which made the playoffs five times in a six-year span, culminating with a Super Bowl win following the 2002 season.

“We were kind of built the same way,” Brooks, a first-round pick in 1995, told USA TODAY Sports. “Our third year was when we made the playoffs and took our run. I see very (many) similarities to this team that year.”

The Buccaneers' ascension to their lone championship really gained steam in 1997, the third season after Malcolm Glazer purchased the formerly downtrodden franchise and two years after the arrival of head coach Tony Dungy. Another Hall of Famer, defensive tackle Warren Sapp, had been drafted in 1995 along with Brooks.

Malcolm Glazer died three years ago, but his sons, Bryan and Joel, remain. And this will be Year 3 of the Jameis Winston era and the second season under head coach Dirk Koetter.

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And after a 9-7 finish last season, the first time Tampa Bay finished above .500 since 2010, there are mounting public predictions that the first playoff trip since 2007 is around the corner.

“I think they deserve it,” Brooks, who retired after the 2008 campaign, said of the hype. “You look at the building process of getting here, I'm excited to see the learning lesson from the past two years to take that third step.”

The challenge now for a young squad is to handle the positive buzz and deal with the increased exposure that has come with their portrayal on HBO's Hard Knocks, which captured the release of embattled kicker Roberto Aguayo in full detail.

It’s Koetter’s job to manage expectations, and he's been reminding his players that, for now, it’s all just noise. In his office upstairs at One Buc Place hangs a sign that says “earn it.” Koetter frequently refers to the mantra, whether it’s for long-term goals like winning division titles and playoff games, or more immediate position battles.

“This time of year, every team feels good about who they got, their new guys and their new coaches or new system or whatever it is. And it still comes back to our team hasn't been to the playoffs for 10 years,” Koetter told USA TODAY Sports.

“We're in a really tough division — the (NFC's) last two Super Bowl teams came out of here — and you've got to do what the sign says, you've got to earn it. We haven't earned it yet. It's great that people are talking about you, it beats the alternative. But you've still got to do it on the field.”

No player on the roster is under more scrutiny to uphold the optimism than Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft. He’s shown steady improvement during his first two seasons — Tampa Bay won two games the year before Winston's arrival and six in his rookie season before reaching nine last year — and is working now to be a  more accurate and smart quarterback after throwing 18 interceptions in 2016.

"Everyone's been talking about the hype and how good the offense has been going, but execution is the most important thing," Winston said Sunday.

"Right now, that's all that matters. Actions speak way louder than words."

Much of the focus in training camp has been on Winston’s decision making, all while he hones his timing with new center Ali Marpet, who moved over from guard, deep threat free agent addition DeSean Jackson at wideout and first-round tight end O.J. Howard. Winston has not been picked off in 42 pass attempts so far in the preseason, and his 71.4% completion rate is well ahead of his career average (59.6%).

“Jameis Winston is 23. He's got a lot of catching up to do,” said Koetter, who served as offensive coordinator in Winston's rookie year before being promoted. “Drew Brees is (38). Matt Ryan, 32. It's a process, and Jameis has played all 32 games in his first two years, and you learn by experience in any job.

"I always like to tell people that there are probably 10 teams in this league that don't even like their starter, let alone their backups. When I say 'like,' I mean, you like as a player to win games for you.

"But when you have that guy, you're blessed.”

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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones

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