The wait is finally over.
Well, almost over, if you’re one of those sane people that could care less about preseason football (I don’t blame you).
But for those interested in seeing Tampa Bay Buccaneers backups and undrafted rookies compete for jobs over three-and-a-half quarters, those Pewter Pirates (is that still a good name for them?) take on the Cincinnati Bengals on the road this Saturday for their first preseason matchup of the 2024-2025 season.
Hold your horses now; there won’t be any Baker, Mike, or any other major starters in this game.
Todd Bowles told reporters Thursday morning that no starters will play, only “healthy rookies,” according to Rick Stroud.
But enough about the mostly meaningless adventure that is the NFL preseason. What can we expect from the Bucs this year coming off their wildly, surprisingly successful 2023 campaign?
Honestly, more of the same. They brought everyone back, gave a bunch of guys extensions (including record-setting ones to tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield, Jr.), and made smart, measured decisions in both free agency and the draft.
There weren’t any splashy, stupid moves to sacrifice the team’s future, as I wouldn’t expect them to be vying for receivers Brandon Aiyuk or CeeDee Lamb, who could both be dealt if contract agreements aren’t reached soon, but there also weren’t any real blows to the current roster.
Carlton Davis III will be missed in the defensive backfield, and the dropoff between him and Zyon McCollum is likely to be noticeable.
But I’m stoked about what the Bucs have done with their offense and fully expect Bowles to coax some overperformance out of a slightly below-average-on-paper defense.
My not-so-bold prediction is that the Bucs win this division in a tight race with all four teams.
Carolina may be bad, but did quite a bit to improve quarterback Bryce Young’s supporting staff and might surprise some people under new head coach, former Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales. The Panthers' big question is defense, especially after moving on from edge rusher extraordinaire Brian Burns.
The Saints are a year older but still mediocre enough to cause problems in the division.
And the Falcons are really fun in theory, with new QB Kirk Cousins and a still-solid defense and fun group of playmakers. But come on, its Atlanta Plus, the vibes still have to be weird after the unexpected Michael Penix, Jr. pick.
So, perhaps again by default, that leaves the Bucs. And you know what? Even if it’s just another first or second round playoff exit, there are far worse things than watching a team win their division for a fourth straight season, especially in the context of Bucs history.
And, if they fail, swooping changes could come, and that’s fun, too.
Let’s enjoy this season, because it’ll answer a lot of questions about the future regardless of what happens.
Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Well, almost over, if you’re one of those sane people that could care less about preseason football (I don’t blame you).
But for those interested in seeing Tampa Bay Buccaneers backups and undrafted rookies compete for jobs over three-and-a-half quarters, those Pewter Pirates (is that still a good name for them?) take on the Cincinnati Bengals on the road this Saturday for their first preseason matchup of the 2024-2025 season.
Hold your horses now; there won’t be any Baker, Mike, or any other major starters in this game.
Follow @ctbrantley12 on Twitter and listen to him on the RBLR Bucs podcast
Todd Bowles told reporters Thursday morning that no starters will play, only “healthy rookies,” according to Rick Stroud.
But enough about the mostly meaningless adventure that is the NFL preseason. What can we expect from the Bucs this year coming off their wildly, surprisingly successful 2023 campaign?
Honestly, more of the same. They brought everyone back, gave a bunch of guys extensions (including record-setting ones to tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield, Jr.), and made smart, measured decisions in both free agency and the draft.
There weren’t any splashy, stupid moves to sacrifice the team’s future, as I wouldn’t expect them to be vying for receivers Brandon Aiyuk or CeeDee Lamb, who could both be dealt if contract agreements aren’t reached soon, but there also weren’t any real blows to the current roster.
Carlton Davis III will be missed in the defensive backfield, and the dropoff between him and Zyon McCollum is likely to be noticeable.
But I’m stoked about what the Bucs have done with their offense and fully expect Bowles to coax some overperformance out of a slightly below-average-on-paper defense.
My not-so-bold prediction is that the Bucs win this division in a tight race with all four teams.
Carolina may be bad, but did quite a bit to improve quarterback Bryce Young’s supporting staff and might surprise some people under new head coach, former Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales. The Panthers' big question is defense, especially after moving on from edge rusher extraordinaire Brian Burns.
The Saints are a year older but still mediocre enough to cause problems in the division.
And the Falcons are really fun in theory, with new QB Kirk Cousins and a still-solid defense and fun group of playmakers. But come on, its Atlanta Plus, the vibes still have to be weird after the unexpected Michael Penix, Jr. pick.
So, perhaps again by default, that leaves the Bucs. And you know what? Even if it’s just another first or second round playoff exit, there are far worse things than watching a team win their division for a fourth straight season, especially in the context of Bucs history.
And, if they fail, swooping changes could come, and that’s fun, too.
Let’s enjoy this season, because it’ll answer a lot of questions about the future regardless of what happens.
Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
