The Bucs’ 2022 season finally kicks off on Sunday night when Tampa Bay travels to Dallas to take on the Cowboys. There were some big additions to the team in the offseason through both free agency and the draft. The team was also able to bring back majority of its own players as well. But the biggest comeback was that of quarterback Tom Brady after a brief retirement.

The Bucs look poised to make another Super Bowl run in what could possibly be Brady’s final season. This year has plenty of storylines, and here, I make some bold predictions on how things could turn out for the 2022 Bucs.

Julio Jones Frequently Finds The End Zone

Bucs WR Julio Jones – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs’ wide receiver room is incredibly deep. It’s even to the point where Jones is penciled in as No. 4 on the depth chart. However, I think the team has an idea of how they want to utilize Jones’ skill set. The seven-time Pro Bowler will get a ton of opportunities on drives down the field, but where I think he’ll thrive is within 20 yards of the goal line.

Having two big wide receivers in Jones and Mike Evans will be extremely difficult for most teams to cover. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich will be able to get creative in the red zone, putting Jones in one-on-one looks against smaller corners. The future Hall of Famer finishes the season as a go-to red zone target for Tom Brady, racking up 10 touchdowns.

Devin White Has A Big Year

Last season, White admitted he didn’t play the most controlled football. And it showed. He was often out of place in coverage, missing tackles and failing to finish sacks. His over-aggressiveness took him out of plays too frequently. But the fourth-year linebacker owned up to all of those issues and vowed to improve those areas of his game. During training camp, we’ve seen a more disciplined linebacker.

White finished last year with 128 tackles, 3.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. I expect him to expand on all of those numbers in 2022. If he shows improvement in areas he identified as holes in his game, I think he’ll have a career year. The inside linebacker makes another Pro Bowl, gets his first All-Pro honors and will finish in the top three for Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Bucs Defense Brings The Pressure

The Bucs have had just one season with 50 sacks on defense, and it came in 2000 when they notched a team-record 55. That changes this year. The team put an emphasis on getting more athletic along the front seven with the selection of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka last year and Logan Hall this draft. Not to mention, there was also the addition of Akiem Hicks.

Through camp, we’ve already seen the impact all three players are going to have on the defense, but especially Hicks. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound defensive tackle has a vicious first step and his sheer size commands multiple blockers, which should free up the rest on the front seven to get after the quarterback and make plays. The Bucs not only notch more than 50 sacks, but they also lead the league in 2022.

Jaelon Darden Shows Up

Bucs WR Jaelon Darden – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Darden has seen his fair share of criticism since last season as the team’s top option at returner. And so far, most of it has been warranted. Averaging just 7.5 yards per punt return, the second-year receiver needs to show he can be a game changer on special teams. Darden equally struggled on kick returns, posting just a 19.9 average.

However, this is the year I think Darden turns it around. Last season, the then-rookie had to adjust to the NFL game while digesting the playbook, as well as a new city, team, coaches and players. This year, he just needs to focus on the game and I think it pays off with a touchdown return and a healthy return average, redeeming himself to the fans.

Carlton Davis Gets His Due

After quietly spending the last few seasons as one of the better coverage corners in the league, Davis finally gets the recognition from the national audience. Davis has shut down some of the best receivers in the NFL and was rewarded with a three-year, $45 million extension this offseason. One area of his game he needs to improve is creating turnovers. He leads the NFL in pass breakups since 2019. That’s great, but it also shows he’s had trouble reeling the ball in.

Davis has All-Pro aspirations on his mind, though I don’t think he receives those honors. If he wants to be in that conversation, he’ll need to create more turnovers this season, turning pass breakups into interceptions to get the recognition he deserves. Although I don’t think he’ll make an All-Pro team, I believe he is able to come down with a few more picks and continue his lockdown coverage, garnering a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in his career.

Antoine Winfield Jr. Keeps Improving

Bucs S Antoine Winfield, Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Speaking of All-Pro, Winfield Jr. is on the precipice of gaining league-wide recognition as one of the best safeties in the game. He made his first Pro Bowl last season and his debut appearance on the NFL’s Top 100, list landing at 75.

The third-year safety was also voted as a Top 10 safety in ESPN’s poll of league executives, coaches, scouts and players. Last season, Winfield finished as the second-best safety in the league using Pro Football Focus’ grading system, and the arrow is only pointing up. One thing could hamper his campaign is voters looking at how many snaps he plays in the slot. However, that never hurt Tyrann Mathieu, and Winfield’s versatility should allow him to make more plays, culminating in his first All-Pro honors.

Mike Evans Falls Short

For eight straight seasons, Evans has one way or another managed to crack 1,000 yards receiving. Whether that was by one yard as he did in 2017 or by 524 yards as he did in 2018, Evans has always found a way. However, his last two seasons with Brady, he has just eked out that milestone with 1,006 and 1,035 yards. With a wide receiver group deeper than it has ever been, it will be tough bet for Evans to make it nine straight years.

New starters on the line could limit big plays down the field from developing and force Brady to take what he’s given underneath. Now, Evans should also experience more single-coverage matchups, and I expect him to have another strong season with double-digit touchdowns. But I think he falls just shy of extending his 1,000-yard streak to nine straight seasons.

Don’t Call It A Comeback

Bucs TE Rob Gronkowski – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With all the “he-said, she-said” going back and forth between the “will-he, won’t-he” narrative, I believe Rob Gronkowski does indeed return to the Bucs at some point this season. Gronk has doubled down on saying he is retired and wouldn’t answer the call late in the season if Brady urged him to return.

However, his agent Drew Rosenhaus and girlfriend Camille Kostek insist that they don’t believe he is 100% committed to retirement. My money is on a early-December return for Gronkowski in a Bucs uniform.

Rookie Cracks The Starting Lineup

Currently sidelined with an injury, Bucs rookie cornerback Zyon McCollum caught the eyes of coaches and teammates alike this summer. The uber-athletic corner has made strides since rookie mini-camp, and he has all the tools to be a very good starting cornerback in the league. The jump in competition hasn’t proved to be too big for McCollum, but there are things he still needs to improve in his game.

Jamel Dean earned the starting nod over Sean Murphy-Bunting out of camp. But both have struggled with injuries and inconsistent play over their careers. They are both in contract years and with the market for corners rising, the Bucs could want to get a look at their fifth-round pick at some point this season. If Murphy-Bunting and Dean fail to stay healthy and their inconsistent play continues to roll over into this season and McCollum continues his progression, he could overtake both of them by season’s end.

Going Out On Top

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs have one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL this year, playing eight playoff teams from last season. And with it potentially Brady’s last year, every defense is going to want to have a game against the future Hall of Fame quarterback. The offense will have its growing pains in the beginning of the year, but  it should settle in quickly. Meanwhile, the defense looks poised to be dominant in all phases of the game.

It’s not going to be easy, but I think when the season comes to an end, it will be the Bucs holding the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champs. With nothing left to accomplish, Brady walks away on top, further cementing his legacy as the Greatest of All Time.