If the story of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ most recent era could be summed up in one word, it would be “almost.”
The team has bowed out in the divisional round or earlier in the consecutive past four seasons. They’ve beaten or narrowly lost to many Super Bowl-caliber teams, including the Eagles, Commanders, Lions, and Chiefs last year. The Bucs defense has been subpar at times, but a star-studded offense highlighted by the resurgence of quarterback Baker Mayfield has kept the team afloat after the departure of Tom Brady.
Injuries have limited the offense for the past two seasons. Top wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both missed several weeks last year, leaving a hole in the offense. The Bucs’ skill position depth and elite offensive line, however, has made the offense of little concern. The defense sustained significant injuries and was impacted by the disappointing performance of players including Antoine Winfield Jr. last year. This part of the team is what had many fans concerned following the 2024 season.
With all that said, let’s take a look at the Bucs’ 2025 season, the changes to the team, and what to expect.
Offseason
The Bucs’ offseason was highlighted by what has been a recent trend for the organization: re-signing departing free agents. Franchise cornerstones Godwin and Lavonte David chose to return to the Bucs instead of going elsewhere in free agency, along with Ben Bredeson, Greg Gaines, and Anthony Nelson. Prioritizing the retainment of their core over roster turnover is what has allowed the Bucs to maintain continuity atop the NFC South for four years.
In addition, new arrivals for the Bucs were limited this year. They signed linebacker Haason Reddick to help with the team’s struggle rushing the passer. Reddick is on the older side, at 30, but certainly is still a quality player and will hopefully act as a leader for the Bucs’ young defense. The Bucs also signed Riley Dixon away from the Denver Broncos to help with their punting game, which was egregious in 2024. Dixon averaged 46.7 yards on his punts last season, while the Bucs three punters combined averaged only 38.2.
A handful of players left the Bucs for other teams in the offseason, but none of them had a significant impact on the team in 2024. 2021 draft picks Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and K.J. Britt both departed, neither of which reached the hopes of the front office in their four years with the team. Former starting center Robert Hainsey left for the Jaguars and safety Mike Edwards returned to the Chiefs for a second stint. Outside of these, the Bucs were not rocked by major departures in 2025 and go into the season with considerable roster familiarity.
One departure that did have a significant effect on the team was that of former offensive coordinator (OC) Liam Coen. After a saga that included agreeing to a mega contract with the Bucs, ghosting calls from the Bucs front office, and the firing of former Jacksonville Jaguars general manager (GM) Trent Baalke, Coen decided to become the next head coach of the Jaguars. Coen was fantastic with the Bucs, leading them to their highest scoring offense outside of the Brady years and bringing their run game from the worst in the league to one of the best. To replace Coen, the Bucs promoted former pass game coordinator Josh Grizzard to OC, reaffirming their emphasis on continuity within the team.
Draft
Following free agency, the Bucs turned to the draft. GM Jason Licht looked to continue his recent draft successes in Bucky Irving, YaYa Diaby, Calijah Kancey, and many others. Many were expecting the Bucs to focus on edge rushers and the two glaring weaknesses for the team in 2024.
However, the Bucs decided to select Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick. Egbuka is a reliable, pro-ready wideout that adds to the Bucs’ already potent offense as a WR3. The addition of Egbuka provides another threat for opposing defenses to worry about and serves as a sort of security plan as Evans and Godwin age.
In the second round, the Bucs went with cornerback Benjamin Morrison. Morrison would’ve been a first-round pick before an injury sidelined him for much of the 2024 season. His speed and agility should shore up arguably the Bucs’ biggest hole last season: their pass defense.
In the third, fourth, and fifth rounds, the Bucs continued selecting defensive players, with Jacob Parrish from Kansas State, David Walker from Central Arkansas, and Elijah Roberts from Southern Methodist. In the seventh round, the Bucs selected undersized receiver Tez Johnson from Oregon, who’s a close friend of Irving from their time in college together.
The Bucs also added some players as undrafted free agents (UDFAs) that may be of intrigue. 464-pound defensive tackle Desmond Watson out of Florida has the potential to become a force alongside Vita Vea and can also become the heaviest player in the NFL. Shilo Sanders, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, also signed with the Bucs. Lastly, tackle Ben Chukwuma, who has only played football for two years, signed with the Bucs for the largest UDFA deal in the league.
Roster
Looking at the roster for this season, the Bucs fittingly seem very similar to last year. The offense remains the same, outside of Egbuka and Johnson.
Irving should see even more of a role this year as RB1. He took the role from Rachaad White last season, who many consider a trade candidate for this year. The Bucs should have a fiery, high-scoring offense once again this season.
The defense also remains mostly the same, but will lean on some young, unproven players to take a big step up. Kancey, SirVocea Dennis, Zyon McCollum, and Tykee Smith will all have starting roles and need to play well this year in order for the defense to succeed.
Look Ahead & Predictions
The Bucs have a middle of the pack schedule in 2025 in terms of difficulty, but do play five division champions from last year. They have a relatively easy home slate, but will have to battle on the road, facing tough opponents including the Bills, Lions, Texans, and Rams, and playing nine out of 17 games away.
I predict the Bucs to have a 10-7 record in 2025, winning all but one of their home games, but only taking three games in their road schedule. I’m lower on the Bucs this year than most. ESPN puts their win total line at 9.5, while many suppose they’ll naturally improve from their 10-7 record last year.
I think, however, that the Bucs didn’t get much better than they were last season. They had a strong draft but didn’t sign many notable free agents outside of Reddick. In a division of improving teams and with a roster that’ll only grow older with time, I don’t see the Bucs taking huge regular season strides this year.
Nonetheless, I do expect the Bucs to have more playoff success this time around. Now, the roster has plenty of postseason experience and, barring injuries, matches up well against likely opponents in the NFC. The Bucs have been so close to advancing further than they did in the playoffs for the past two years, and I think they’ll take that jump this year. I predict that the Bucs will ultimately fall to the Detroit Lions in this year’s NFC Championship.
