Not so long ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were considered one of the teams to beat, not only in the NFC but in the entire National Football League. But as you may have seen, if you’re keeping up with NFL betting Colorado odds, bookmakers aren’t that fond of them anymore.
Needless to say, a lot of that has to do with the fact that Tom Brady is no longer under center, as he retired in the offseason, for real this time — or so he says. Todd Bowles left a lot to be desired in his first season in charge of the team, and injuries and poor Offensive Line play held them back more often than not.
The Bucs enter the upcoming NFL season with a plethora of weapons on offense and an almost intact defense. But are they actually ready? Will they be able to compete at the highest level? Let’s break it down.
The Quarterback Dilemma
For starters, just when everybody assumed Baker Mayfield was the undisputed QB1, the Bucs have been reluctant to make an announcement about that situation, with Bowless constantly uplifting him and Kyle Trask:
“We got a good basis of where we are with those two guys. And we just need to see some things Friday as far as running the offense and getting a feel for where they are,” the coach said. “We kind of have a good basis and ground basis of what we want to do. But seeing them perform is completely different from game to practice. So we got an idea and we got a good feel. So we’ll kind of let it play out a little bit more. But we have a good stat sheet where we kind of have everything rated of how we see them.
Even so, it seems like he’s leaning towards starting Mayfield, as he recently lauded his toughness, his maturity, and all the things he’s endured to get to the point where he is nowadays:
“In this league, it’s about survival and growth,” Bowles said. “He’s been through some things where he’s learned some things. He’s learned how to be a professional.” Bowles continued. “He’s learned humility on the outside. He’s learned how to fight and come back on the inside. And he has a chance to do something special if he starts here.”
The Division Is Up For Grabs
Regardless of who starts at quarterback, the Bucs should at least be in the mix to win their division. They have continuity for the most part, and it’s not like they’re going against powerhouses, that being arguably the worst division in all of football.
The Atlanta Falcons could be in contention for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, especially if they still don’t get Kyle Pitts involved in the game, and they refuse to use Bijan Robinson over Tyler Allgeier and Cordarelle Patterson, as one could think could be the case by looking at their depth chart.
The New Orleans Saints could perhaps be their only threat in the division. Derek Carr is obviously a big improvement at the quarterback position, and they have a solid defense and a true stud at wideout in Chris Olave, not to mention the fact that Michael Thomas could be healthy for the first time in years.
Last but not least, the Carolina Panthers will be slightly better, but as good as a prospect as Bryce Young is, there will always be growing pains with rookie quarterbacks, and he won’t be the exception to that rule. That’s why there’s no room for excuses for the Buccaneers this time around.
Follow, Like and Subscribe to Bucs Report
For more on this and everything Buccaneers check back here hourly at BucsReport.com
