5 questions facing the Buccaneers in training camp

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Last season didn't go as planned for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hiring of head coach Lovie Smith was supposed to put the Bucs back in the playoff hunt, but instead, the team finished with the NFC's worst record at 2-12.

Now, with a new quarterback and offensive coordinator, plus a revamped defensive unit, there's a renewed sense of optimism in Tampa Bay.

Here are five questions facing the Buccaneers heading into training camp:

Is Winston the savior the Bucs need?

Jameis Winston's maturity level was questioned extensively leading up to the draft, but the quarterback appears to have turned a corner since, drawing rave reviews from teammates and coaches alike. The big question now is whether he can help right the ship in Tampa Bay after four straight sub-.500 seasons.

Although he has yet to appear in an NFL game, Winston already looks like an improvement over last season's starter, Josh McCown, who had the NFL's third-worst quarterback rating (35.7) and completion percentage (56.3). He also has two talented receivers at his disposal in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, which should help ease his transition.

Of course, the Bucs will need improvement from more than just the quarterback position if they hope to win the division. But having a player of Winston's caliber under center will go a long way towards making that happen.

How effective will Koetter's offense be?

There was talk last season of the Bucs using an up-tempo offense, but that plan was scrapped after then-offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford became ill and was forced to take a leave of absence. With Dirk Koetter now installed as the OC, the Bucs will once again look to speed up the pace.

Koetter ran a similar system during his previous stint with the Atlanta Falcons, who finished No. 8 in total offense last season and had the sixth-fastest unit in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders' pace stats. The Bucs, by comparison, finished No. 30 in total offense and had the 15th-fastest unit.

The effectiveness of Koetter's offense will be dictated by Winston's development, but there is a lot of optimism heading into training camp.

Can Martin turn things around?

Doug Martin burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2012, rushing for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns. However, his production dropped off significantly in the two seasons that followed, and he's now facing a make-or-break year after the Bucs declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.

Early reviews on Martin have been promising so far. He showed up to OTAs in better shape and has been noticeably faster. The Bucs have also made it clear they want to keep him around long term, which means the ball is in his court.

Where will the improvement come from on defense?

Adjusting to Lovie Smith's Tampa-2 defense didn't come easy for the Buccaneers: they finished 25th in both points allowed and yards allowed per game last season.

The additions of linebacker Bruce Carter, defensive tackle Henry Melton, and defensive end George Johnson should bring some help to the front seven, but the unit will continue to be top-heavy with Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David leading the way.

In the secondary, third-year cornerback Johnthan Banks showed some signs of improvement down the stretch in 2014, playing across from former Pro Bowler Alterraun Verner.

The Buccaneers will hope that another year in the system, combined with what appears to be one of the league's easier schedules, can give them an edge on defense this season.

Will the offensive line improve?

Tampa Bay allowed the third most sacks in the NFL last season with 52, which leaves a lot of room for improvement, especially with a rookie under center.

The team did some shuffling along the offensive line earlier this offseason, moving defensive tackle Matthew Masifilo to guard and Patrick Omameh, last season's starting right guard, to tackle. They also parted ways with free-agent bust Anthony Collins, while drafting Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet.

Smith is expected to handle starting left tackle duties, with Demar Dotson on the right side. Marpet is projected to start at guard opposite Logan Mankins.