Summer series: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

By: Josh Frey-Sam

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers feel safe.

It’s an odd thing to say about an NFL team, which can change so much year-to-year.

That’s the thing with these Bucs, though, not much has changed. It’s a team that likes its core and has added a few pieces to the mix, with the hope that it can take them over the top.

Indeed, expectations for the Bucs haven’t been this high since the Tom Brady era.

They’ve experienced little turnover in their staff and personnel, and with the NFC South still a sub-par division, there is an opportunity to return to the playoffs for a run.

“I think people expect the Bucs to do very well,” said beat writer River Wells. “This team believes that they’re a Super Bowl contender. I think on paper they certainly are a Super Bowl contender...”

Welcome to the Back Bacon Brief summer series, where I talk to a local media member from all 32 NFL teams to get an all-encompassing preview about each club heading into the 2025-26 season.

Today, we look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and I spoke with beat writer River Wells (@riverhwells on X) to find out everything going on in the Big Guava.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Let’s start on offence, because this unit should be fun again.

Baker Mayfield is coming off a career year, while Mike Evans continues to be an ageless wonder.

The Buccaneers return all 11 offensive starters and have added first-round pick Emeka Egbuka.

“Emeka Egbuka has impressed just absolutely everybody that has watched him play,” said Wells. “A lot of us were wondering why they would make a pick like that at No. 19 — after watching him in camp, no one’s wondering that now. He looks like a completely poised veteran, always in the right place, excellent route runner, sure hands. He plays that Godwin type slot/Y archetype that’s so important in these new modern Sean McVay offences.”

The lone change with this unit comes at play-caller, as 2024 offensive co-ordinator Liam Coen took the head coaching gig in Jacksonville. In comes Josh Grizzard, who spent last season as the Bucs’ pass game co-ordinator.

Grizzard was actually responsible for third-down, in particular, and the Bucs ranked as the best third-down team in the league last season.

Fear not, Bucs fans, this isn’t a brand new offence. In fact, it will be the same, with a few more Grizzard wrinkles tossed in.

“One of the things they want to do is get more explosive down the field — more deep shots,” Wells said. “They didn’t do that last year. Top five offence in the league, but they made their bank on YAC yards.”

The offence will have some early challenges to navigate. All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin will both begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, forcing them to miss the first four games of the campaign.

Wirfs recently underwent knee surgery, while Godwin continues to recover from the nasty ankle fracture he suffered last season.

Charlie Heck replaces Wirfs, while Egbuka and second-year receiver Jalen McMillian — who had a hot finish to last year’s regular season — battle for the WR2 spot.

“Here’s how I see it: Emeka Egbuka will be the WR2 when Chris Godwin is not there. Once Godwin comes back, the competition is pretty fierce,” said Wells, who recommended fantasy players hone in on Egbuka in drafts this year.

“From what I’m seeing… I think Emeka Egbuka will be WR3 over Jalen McMillan. With that in mind, Egbuka is going to get a really heavy load in that first stretch when Godwin is not there, and then I think he’s still going to be on the field once Godwin is.”

Meanwhile, the defence has been revamped.

Second-year defensive back Tykee Smith has gone from nickel corner to safety, where he will align beside Antoine Windfield Jr., and rookie corner Jacob Parrish — one of the best athletes in this year's draft class — is the leader to fill the team’s nickel role.

A name to keep an eye on as the season progresses, especially if/when injuries arise, is rookie second-round corner Benjamin Morrison, who is a tremendous talent and adds some much-needed depth in the secondary.

“A lot of changes,” said Wells. “There were a ton of injuries last year — I mean a lot, to the point where it was getting pretty bad.”

The biggest get for the Bucs in free agency was edge rusher Hasson Reddick, who now forms an underrated tandem with Yaya Diaby.

“When you see how explosive (Reddick) is in person, you just get it,” Wells said. “If he’s taking that attention away from Yaya Diaby, you could see a huge year from (Diaby), because he was doing all the right things otherwise last year, except that ability to wrap up the quarterback.”

We always need to play devil’s advocate around here. Not everything is sunshine and rainbows, so where does the concern lie for Tampa Bay this year?

Turnovers and fumbles remain an issue for Mayfield. He will need to clean up the turnovers if this team wants to have a chance in January.

Wells also noted the biggest positional group concern is at linebacker, where an aging Lavonte David and unproven/injury-riddled SirVocea Dennis are expected to start, while free agency addition Anthony Walker Jr. backs them up.

“If you’ve been paying attention the last two years, Todd Bowles teams get in these holes. In 2023, they started 4-7, and then in 2024 they started 4-6. They eventually climbed their way out of those with multiple wins at the end of the year, heading into the playoffs… but they’re going to get sick of that,” Wells said.

“Todd Bowles, as a coach, has to figure out a way to make his team win games definitively in the early frame.”

Listen, the Bucs are going to be good again this year — they are my pick to win the NFC South — but how good is the real question. Simply qualifying for the playoffs isn’t good enough this season.

As for over/under 9.5 wins…

“I like 10 right now,” said Wells. “I think this team has the potential to be fantastic, poking into the 12s and 13s. The biggest thing will be this initial four-game stretch where you don’t have Tristan Wirfs.”

The Bucs are @Falcons, @Texans, vs. Jets, vs. Eagles, respectively, in the first four weeks.

“I think if you can get out of that stretch 2-2… I think you’re sitting pretty.”

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh