The Buccaneers have had quite the offseason.
They retained their unpopular head coach and watched two longtime cornerstones leave in Mike Evans and Lavonte David. They added some veteran free agents, but no true “star,” and with the draft just over a week away, there’s little buzz around the team.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the season will be a failure—but the offseason is when teams sell hope.
Every franchise tries to convince its fans that the upcoming year could be something special. In reality, only about 10–12 teams truly have a legitimate shot at winning a Super Bowl.
Tampa Bay could still field a good—maybe even very good—offense. Special teams, realistically, should improve simply by regression to the mean.
But then there’s the defense, where the holes are hard to ignore. Would anyone be surprised by any direction they go in the first round?
Mock drafts have linked the Bucs to edge rushers, inside linebackers, cornerbacks, and defensive tackles. The truth is, they could justify upgrading all of those positions.
Which brings us back to the central issue: where is the hope coming from?
Right now, it rests heavily on the shoulders—and arm—of Baker Mayfield. Beyond him and a group of young wide receivers stepping into the spotlight after Evans’ departure, what exactly is there for fans to latch onto?
That’s the challenge facing this team heading into the 2026 season. How you feeling Buc fans?
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