The NFL season is upon us as the first regular season game kicks off this Thursday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally take the field this coming Sunday. It has been a long offseason of lists, rankings and training camp videos, but we finally made it.
But before then, it’s time to put down our season predictions in ink. Before these players take the field we have to call our shot. Here are my Buccaneers season predictions for the 2024 season.
Baker Mayfield Career Year….Again
Last year, Baker Mayfield not only got his career back on track but set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. He thrived under offensive coordinator Dave Canales, but now that Canales is gone many are predicting Mayfield to take a step back. To quote Lee Corso, “not so fast, my friend”.
The Bucs brought in Liam Coen as their new offensive coordinator who comes from the same offensive tree. The bones will very much be the same, but by all reports this offense is more advanced. This should lead to more opportunities for Mayfield.
Combine this with a new wide receiver in Jalen McMilkan and I think Mayfield’s numbers only improve. I expect more passing yards as well as more touchdowns from Baker this season.
Kancey And Diaby Emerge
The Bucs hit a grand slam with last year’s draft. They not only got an electric interior pass rusher in the first round, but they struck gold in the third round with a physically imposing edge rusher who led the team in sacks. That would obviously be Calijah Kancey and Yaya Diaby.
The arrow is pointing way up for both these guys. Both are freak athletes and both are expected to take a step forward in year two. How big of a step is the only question.
To be frank, I expect these two to be the leaders of the front seven moving forward. As Lavonte David enters his mid 30’s, the Bucs need stars on defense. I expect both of these second year stars to develop into that and flirt with 9.0 sacks a piece this season.
Bucs Running Game Takes A Step
The talk all offseason has been about improving this running game. The Bucs added two new starters and are expecting a step forward from second year right guard Cody Mauch. There is every reason to believe this aspect of the game will be better for the Bucs.
However, when you’re at the bottom then you have nowhere to go but up. The Bucs ranked 32nd in yards per carry last season with a dreadful 3.4 yards per attempt. So how much better will the running game be in 2024?
In short, I think significantly better. I expect the Bucs to move that yards per carry number north of 4.0 and rank in the top half of the league. The unit is much more talented now and I believe we see that translate to the field.
Top Five In Touchdown Passes
It might sound crazy, but the Bucs were one of the best in the NFL in this area last year. They threw for a combined 28 touchdown passes which was tied for 8th most in the NFL. This year, they are looking to be even better.
With the addition of rookies Devin Culp and Bucky Irving, as well as the previously mentioned McMillian, this group of pass catchers has only gotten better. The Bucs are also moving Chris Godwin back into the slot where he has been most effective in the past. All these things point to an improved passing game.
I said previously that I believe that Mayfield will eclipse that 28 touchdown passes number which was his career high last year. If he were to throw just 5 more touchdowns this year then that would give him 33, which would have been the second most in the NFL last year. Not crazy at all considering the improvements the Bucs have made.
Zyon McCollum Leads Team In Interceptions
Zyon McCollum is one of the team’s biggest unknowns for this team going into the season. This will be his first year starting as he replaces Carlton Davis who was traded in the offseason. Naturally, we can expect ups and downs with a young player.
However, it’s important to remember that McCollum made tremendous growth from his rookie year to his second season. He got a chance to play in several games last year as he was a spot starter due to injuries. In those games there were several flashes worth getting excited about.
We know that McCollum has all the physical tools to be great. Now with added experience he has a better understanding of the speed at this level. I believe he will be tested often as the unproved cornerback and he will make opposing quarterbacks pay with his speed, length and ball skills.
Antoine Winfield Jr Defensive Player of the Year Run
The secret is out, Antoine Winfield Jr is the best safety in the NFL. His incredible season landed him 6th in defensive player of the year voting. He was rewarded in the offseason with the biggest contract in NFL history for a defensive back.
It doesn’t seem crazy to think he’ll have a similar season in 2024. His tackle and sack numbers are sustainable, even those turnovers have a lot of variance. However, variance can swing in either direction.
It wouldn’t shock me at all if Winfield has more interceptions this year than last year. He dropped several through the season and has put in a lot of time with the jugs machine as a result. This year I think he finishes top three on defensive player of the year voting.
Rachaad White Pro Bowl
People forget that White had over 1,500 total yards last season. That was one of the highest totals amongst all running backs. He has quietly become one of the more well rounded ball carriers in the NFL.
Admittedly, he got a ton of opportunities and part of that production was purely by volume. But the point remains, White is a nice blend of pass catching and rushing. That will only get better this year.
Improved offensive line play will raise White’s yards per carry and his overall rushing yards and touchdowns. His pass catching will still be one of the most productive in the league. Expect a pro bowl for White in 2024.
SirVocea Dennis Forces His Way On The Field
The loss of Devin White in the offseason was necessary. Despite being a critical part of the Bucs Super Bowl 55 victory, he was too inconsistent and unreliable to be a part of the team moving forwards. We all say exactly how the coaching staff felt about him when he was benched late in the season last year in favor of KJ Britt.
Now Britt is penciled in to be the new starter after showing a lot of improvement with his athleticism last year. He’s always been a bit of an old school between the tackles thumper, but he became somewhat playable on passing downs last year. However, he’s still limited in that area.
Dennis projects as a more fluid coverage player and should see time as part of a linebacker rotation. He’s also great at attacking what’s in front of him. I believe that Dennis will get a lot of passing down opportunities and he will become difficult to take off the field because he’s a better player than Britt is.
Buccaneers Don’t Win The NFC South
I don’t want to be the one who rains on anyone’s parade, but I’m not picking the Bucs to win the division. Maybe I’ll turn out to be another hater who slept on this team like many of the national pundits, but I have to be honest with my opinion. I think the Atlanta Falcons win the NFC South this year.
And yes, I’m the one who picked the Bucs to win ten games last year when everyone was writing them off. And yes, I have said many times that the Buccaneers are the best team in the south this year and a top three team in the NFC. I stand by all of that.
However, the difference between a first place schedule for the Buccaneers and a third place schedule for the Falcons can make all the difference. I think both teams win more than ten games, but the Bucs fall just short of the division crown.
Buccaneers Win Multiple Playoff Games
As I said before, the Bucs are a top three team in the NFC. Excuse me if I don’t respect a Philadelphia Eagles team who crumbled down the stretch last year or a Green Bay Packers team who the Bucs crushed last year. I’ll take this Buccaneers locker room over most.
After winning one playoff game last year, it’s not unreasonable to expect an improved team to win more this year. Even if they have to go on the road as a wild card team, they still have enough veterans who won the Super Bowl In 2020 to be able to handle that. The expectation for this team should be the NFC Championship game this year, if not higher.
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