The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have surrendered their grip on the NFC South last season, but ESPN insider Dan Graziano believes they can take it right back in 2026.
Tampa Bay’s late-season collapse has caused plenty of skepticism surrounding the team, especially after the Carolina Panthers won the division. With the New Orleans Saints also showing signs of improvement, the Buccaneers are facing more competition than they have in recent years.
Still, Graziano believes Tampa Bay is being overlooked. The Buccaneers dealt with an extraordinary number of injuries last season, and their problems extended throughout the roster. With many of those players healthier entering 2026, Graziano sees a team capable of returning to the NFC’s contender tier.
“This is a good organization — one that’s used to being underrated,” Graziano wrote. “The Buccaneers’ injury issues last season were as bad as, if not worse than, the ones the 49ers managed. The only reason we don’t talk about them is that the Bucs didn’t overcome theirs to get to the playoffs the way the Niners did. The Bucs look kind of loaded all across the roster, and assuming better injury luck this year (which almost has to happen), they should be back among the NFC contenders.”
That is an important distinction when evaluating what happened to Tampa Bay last season. The Buccaneers did not suddenly lose all their talent, but they struggled to keep enough of it on the field. Now, the team gets another opportunity to prove its disappointing finish was more of an injury-driven collapse than the beginning of a decline.
Health Could Transform the Buccaneers’ Offense
Tampa Bay’s offensive line provides perhaps the clearest example of how injuries affected the team. Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, and Luke Goedeke all dealt with injuries throughout the season, while Cody Mauch missed most of the year. Graham Barton also had to move from center to left tackle when Wirfs was unavailable.
That constant movement made establishing continuity nearly impossible. Offensive lines depend heavily on communication and familiarity, and Tampa Bay rarely had its preferred combination together. Getting those players back on the field consistently could make a significant difference in 2026.
The injuries were not limited to the offensive line, either. Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan both missed time, while Chris Godwin was not completely himself after returning from injury. That forced Baker Mayfield and rookie Emeka Egbuka to shoulder even more responsibility.
Both players responded, but neither escaped the injury problems completely. A healthier group around Mayfield should give the Buccaneers a much higher offensive ceiling. The addition of a new offensive coordinator also gives Tampa Bay another opportunity to improve the unit.
Buccaneers Have Added Plenty of New Defensive Talent
Tampa Bay also made major changes on defense, giving Todd Bowles several new pieces to work with. The Buccaneers are expecting significant contributions from their first two draft picks, Rueben Bain and Josiah Trotter. Bain possesses the talent to become an immediate difference-maker, while Trotter has already shown signs of exceeding his second-round draft status.
Fourth-round cornerback Keionte Scott could also become part of the equation. His presence gives Tampa Bay another young defensive back to develop alongside the team’s existing cornerback talent.
The defensive interior received plenty of attention, too. Calijah Kancey is expected to return healthy, while Tampa Bay added A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches. The Buccaneers also drafted DeMonte Capehart, further strengthening their defensive line rotation.
Linebacker received reinforcements as well. Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom provide additional experience while giving Bowles more depth behind his starters. Tampa Bay’s defense will look significantly different from the group that finished last season.
Tampa Bay Has Every Reason to Believe
The Buccaneers obviously have to replace major contributors. Evans is now gone, while Lavonte David retired after years as the centerpiece of Tampa Bay’s defense. Those losses matter, but the Buccaneers did not spend the offseason standing still.
Instead, Tampa Bay added veterans, drafted young talent, and expects several injured players to return healthier. That combination gives the roster a chance to look much deeper than it did during last season’s collapse.
The Panthers deserve respect after winning the division, and the Saints cannot be dismissed after showing improvement. However, neither team should be viewed as proof that Tampa Bay’s window has closed.
The Buccaneers have enough talent to compete for the NFC South again. Their biggest challenge may simply be convincing everyone else that last season was not the beginning of the end.
Baker Mayfield has already warned that Tampa Bay could surprise people in 2026. Graziano clearly agrees, and he is willing to say it before the season begins.
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