The Bucs are an interesting squad, and maybe a little bit under the radar, but they still come in pretty low at #25 for my power rankings.
The Bucs have made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons and won the Super Bowl in 2020. But they have lost legendary QB Tom Brady to retirement, and last season the Bucs were probably the worst team to make the playoffs as they squeaked in with a losing 8-9 record thanks to a very weak division.
Now, at QB, the Bucs are having a competition between borderline journeyman QB Baker Mayfield and the team's 2021 second round draft pick Kyle Trask. Many initially believed that Baker was going to come in and be the starter right away. But there's been steady, slowly growing speculation that Kyle Trask is practically neck and neck with Baker.
I really think Baker is a good option, but who really knows how good Trask is as an NFL QB. A second round pick on a QB is pretty high, and it's not like he had a chance at starting with Tom Brady on the team his first two seasons. Maybe Trask is good, and maybe he learned a thing or two sitting behind the GOAT.
The Bucs still have top receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Having established receivers like that is a pretty solid luxury.
The Bucs defense is still pretty dang good in my opinion with players like DT Vita Vea, a great linebacker core in Devin White, Lavonte David, and Shaquil Barrett. I also am a fan of their safety Antoine Winfield Jr.
Overall this is a pretty interesting squad with a pretty good head coach in Todd Bowles. If they can have decent QB play the Bucs could surprise some people in 2023.
