TAMPA Germaine Pratt Jersey , Fla. (AP) — wrapped up their first offseason conditioning program under coach Bruce Arians, hopeful they’re on course to end the franchise’s long, frustrating playoff drought.Arians became the club’s fourth coach in a decade in January, inheriting a team that’s coming off consecutive 5-11 finishes and missed the playoffs 11 consecutive seasons — the second-longest stretch of futility in the NFL.Only the Cleveland Browns, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2002, have gone longer without a postseason berth.The Bucs concluded the team’s three-day minicamp on Thursday, with Arians delivering a glowing assessment of the progress made this spring.Players will be off until training camp begins in late July.“Are we there? No, but I like where we’re at right now,” Arians said. “The work ethic of this group is amazing. Everybody shows up, everybody works, everybody’s bought in, so that’s all you can ask as a coach. Hopefully we’ll stay in shape and have everybody report healthy when we get back.”In addition to being hired to try to help Winston reach his potential as a quarterback while transforming the Bucs into winners, Arians is tasked with fixing a defense that allowed the second-most points in the league last year.Winston, who’ll make nearly $21 million this year in the final season of the contract he signed as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, is impressed with the changes under way on both offense and defense.The fifth-year pro, whose career has been marked by inconsistency http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ryan-finley-jersey , is excited about working with Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. He stressed his focus this spring has been on improving his footwork and protecting the football.In 56 career games, the 25-year-old has completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 14,628 yards, 88 touchdowns and 58 interceptions. The Bucs are banking on Arians to be able to help Winston cut down on turnovers and prove he’s the team’s long-term answer at quarterback.The task begins in meeting rooms and on the practice field, where Winston has been facing a retooled defense.Defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh participated in the mandatory minicamp after signing on a one-year contract two weeks ago; first-round draft pick Devin White is expected to be an immediate starter at inside linebacker; and several young cornerbacks and safeties are competing for jobs in the secondary.“The competition is tremendous. … We can only go up,” Winston said.“I’m focused on competing against myself,” the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner added. “Our defense, they’re going to do their job. I have to do my job. So, I’m competing against myself and how I can get better at the end of the day.”Arians said Winston is developing a good relationship with Leftwich and quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen.“It’s showing,” Arians said. “Both of them — Clyde and his fundamentals, and Byron on the headwork stuff. He’s getting coached as hard as he can, and one thing about Jameis is you know he is going to work.”The former Arizona Cardinals coach, who came out of retirement to replace Dirk Koetter, reiterated that he’s encouraged by the attitude and work ethic of the entire team.Suh has only been with the team for a short time. Still, he’s confident Arians has the Bucs headed in the right direction.“I think the important thing is to forget about the past. There’s a new regime and new understanding of none of the past stuff matters,” the three-time All-Pro Renell Wren Jersey , who’s also played for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams over a 10-year career, said.“Yes, he has to set the tone,” Suh added. ‘But that doesn’t mean anything if we all don’t buy in.” Cam Newton says he’s extremely comfortable playing in new coordinator Norv Turner’s scheme and is thrilled with the talent the Panthers have surrounded him with on offense.But the eighth-year quarterback isn’t going out on a limb and making predictions on what Carolina might achieve this season.“We don’t know what we have yet and that is why Sunday is so important for everybody — because we finally find out,” Newton said in preparation for the team’s home opener against the Dallas Cowboys.The Panthers added speed at wide receiver — trading for Torrey Smith, signing free agent Jarius Wright and drafting D.J. Moore from Maryland in the first round. Wide receiver Devin Funchess returns as the No. 1 receiver and three-time Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen is healthy again after missing nine games in 2017 with a foot injury. Second-year running back Christian McCaffrey figures to be a vital part of the offense in the run and pass game, and the Panthers added 1,000-yard rusher C.J. Anderson behind him.That’s a lot of different options for Newton — which coach Ron Rivera said is by design.Rivera wants Newton to get back to what he was doing in 2015 when he spread the ball, completing at least 10 passes to nine different receivers. The formula worked well as Newton threw for a career-high 35 touchdowns and won league MVP honors while leading the Panthers to 15 straight wins and a Super Bowl appearance.“I think that plays very to the type of football team that we want to be,” Rivera said. “(Defenses) can’t key in on one or two guys and they have to play the whole field and that can work to our advantage if we have guys that can make plays.”Rivera fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula this past offseason after Newton regressed — at least statistically — the past two seasons.Turner, who Rivera once worked under in San Diego, was hired to bring a little more creativity to the offense — and help improve Newton’s poor career 58.5 completion percentage. Newton, who played under Turner understudy Rob Chudzinski earlier in his career, said the adjustment to the offense has been smooth.21<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:Dallas Cowboys: Celebrities who root for the Cowboys from LeBron James to Stone Cold Steve AustinUSA TODAY SportsNow he’s ready to test the waters.“I’m excited to play a full four quarters of football,” Newton said. “… Hopefully we can be hitting on all cylinders as far as efficiency and executing.”Coach Jason Garrett said stopping Newton on Sunday will be key.“He’s big http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-michael-jordan-jersey , he’s strong, he’s athletic, he has a great feel for making plays both as a runner and as a passer,” Garrett said. “He can play well within their system. He can play well when the play breaks down. He’s just a dynamic guy. He’s hard to tackle, he’s hard to tackle in the pocket, he’s hard to tackle when he’s out on the run, he’s got a big, strong arm and can throw the ball anywhere on the field.”Newton enters this season not having to worry about his shoulder being an issue. Rotator cuff surgery last year forced Newton to miss most of OTAs and minicamp and a portion of training camp. He only threw two passes in the 2017 preseason.Newton said he’s in the great shape entering the season.“A person once told me there are two type of football players in the NFL — there are football players and professional football players,” Newton said. “Football players are those guys that just wake up and think things that happen and professional football players are guys that make things happen.”Newton said he certain goals is mind, but wasn’t ready to share them.The former Heisman Trophy winner said he plans to match all charitable donations to the Cam Newton Foundation and Boys and Girls Clubs of America for every touchdown he scores this season.“I’m putting my money where my mouth is,” Newton said, added he plans to score “a lot.”Just how much, we’ll begin to find out on Sunday.6<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:Dallas Cowboys name 2018 Team CaptainsShanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports | Shanna Lockwood