Was Coach Bruce Arians right to declare Jameis Winston "his quarterback" and the Bucs "Winston's team" in his first media conference? The Times' Bucs coverage team weighs in:

Delivering a truth

Rick Stroud, Bucs beat writer, @NFLStroud: Bruce Arians addressed the elephant in the room. Yes, he is here to make Jameis Winston fulfill his promise as a No. 1 overall draft selection and franchise QB. Tryouts are over. Arians said the Bucs were hurt by both Winston and backup Ryan Fitzpatrick having to look over their shoulder last season. Besides, right now Winston is the only quarterback in the room. Fitzpatrick and third-string QB Ryan Griffin are free agents. So, if Winston is Arians’ QB, the Bucs are Winston’s team. Again. Saying it out loud only emphasizes it.

Squashing a potential controversy

Eduardo A. Encina, Bucs/pro sports enterprise writer, @EddieintheYard: In some ways, anointing the Bucs as Winston’s team merely sets the table for the season. Arians once said if you have two quarterbacks, you really don’t have any, and he echoed that last week during his introductions as head coach. So it’s a clarification that there will be no quarterback controversy here, which goes into Arians’ mantra that success centers around the quarterback — and in this case, the quarterback knowing he has the confidence of his head coach well before they hit the practice field.

There’s no other option

Thomas Bassinger, sports data reporter, @tometrics: Was he “right”? I don’t know. It’s not even Arians’ choice to make. Other people made the choice for him. He didn’t get the job by telling the Glazers, “Yeah, those other guys you had here … they did a good enough job. Let’s do more of what they did.” Money talks, and it says that Winston is Arians’ quarterback in 2019. He is projected to eat up a team-high 11 percent of the salary cap. The “Winston’s team” declaration is a little different. In my view, Arians was sending Winston a message: You won’t have to look over your shoulder next season like you did this season.

Is he ready to take the leadership reins?

Ernest Hooper, columnist/assistant sports editor, @hoop4you: Bucs GM Jason Licht designated Winston the starter before the team even hired a new coach, so it’s probably best that Arians infuse him with confidence. But it’s the declaration about his team that raises eyebrows. Is Winston ready to be a team leader on and off the field? Has he matured to the point where his teammates will truly rally behind him? Does Arians’ declaration mean he’ll return to, “eating Ws” and being more demonstrative? Is that what the Bucs need? I’m hoping for a Winston who plays with controlled energy and enthusiasm.

What else could he say?

Mike Sherman, sports editor, @mikesherman: Coaching Winston is what Arians' signed up for. It was a condition of the hire. The decision was made for whoever took the job. Arians' mission is to work to make it the right decision. Dirk Koetter had mixed results with the same mission, though Winston's suspension and impulsive decision-making were complicating factors. We're about to find out what kind of quarterback whisperer Bruce Arians really is.