TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday wrapped up three days of mandatory mini camp at the AdventHealth Training Center.

The camp was the first time rookies, free agents and the team's veterans had a chance to work together.

"This is a crucial time, that team bonding, that team camaraderie getting built out on the field," said inside linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., who is beginning his ninth NFL season and first with the Bucs.

The team now breaks until training camp starts in late July, and head coach Todd Bowles left the team with a pretty simple message.

"Obviously come back in shape, because working out indoors ain’t going to help them," Bowles said. "Because when we come back in this heat, they have to understand what they are coming back to, so just be ready to roll."

The three days of work this week provided a small glimpse of what’s to come, and wide receiver Mike Evans was encouraged by what he saw from rookies Emeka Eubuka (drafted out of Ohio State) and Tez Johnson (drafted out of Oregon) in his group.

"I know I say it a lot, but this might be the best receiving room I’ve been a part of," Evans said. "I say it every year, but we always get great players to come in, so that’s been very fortunate for me in my career to be around a lot of great young players, and they’ve added to the room tremendously."

The Bucs will be trying to win their fifth straight NFC South title and qualify for their sixth consecutive postseason.

They play their preseason opener on Aug. 9 against the Tennessee Titans and their regular season opener on Sept. 7 at the Atlanta Falcons.