Now that the preseason is over and the final 53-man roster is set, the Bucs can look toward their 2022 season opener next Sunday night in Dallas.

Tampa Bay is a team set up for another deep playoff run and potentially its second Super Bowl in three years. There’s no doubt that the Bucs have more strengths than weaknesses, but we’re going to take a look at both over the next couple of days. Today, we’ll start with the team’s three biggest strengths.

Tom Brady Under Center Means High Expectations

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

When Tom Brady is your quarterback, he’s going to be your biggest strength. The 45-year-old future Hall of Famer briefly retired this offseason, only to come back for his 23rd NFL season — and his third in Tampa Bay. The Bucs have to be thrilled with the fact that they have him for another year because he elevates them to Super Bowl contender status.

Going with Blaine Gabbert, Kyle Trask or secret option C would’ve been (and still will be) a tough sell after two seasons with Brady. But for now, the search for his successor has been delayed and as a result, Tampa Bay is one of the safer picks to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVII next February.

Brady is still playing at a high level, turning his nose up at Father Time with every passing week. He threw for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns in the regular season before winning the Super Bowl two years ago. Last year, he led the Bucs to a franchise-record 13 regular season wins while throwing for 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns. It’s hard to imagine much of a drop-off this year, even in his age-45 season.

Plenty Of Skill Talent Around Brady

Brady himself is dangerous enough for opposing defenses to deal with, but the fact that he has so many weapons around him makes him even deadlier. Starting at wide receiver, the Bucs have the best quartet in the NFL — and maybe in the league’s history. Mike Evans has been a 1,000-yard receiver in each of his eight seasons. Chris Godwin may be coming off of a torn ACL, but he had a career year in 2021 with 98 catches for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns.

After the top two, Tampa Bay has two newcomers in Russell Gage and Julio Jones. Gage is supremely underrated and can do a lot of things really well, while a healthy Jones still has the potential to produce at a high level — especially since the Bucs won’t ask him to be the No. 1 he once was in Atlanta.

Behind the top four, the Bucs have five more receivers who can conceivably provide great depth. Scotty Miller, Jaelon Darden and Breshad Perriman escaped a tight wide receiver battle to win roster spots in training camp, while undrafted rookies Deven Thompkins and Kaylon Geiger Sr. are intriguing options on the practice squad. Meanwhile, the Bucs boast an impressive backfield as well. Leonard Fournette proved to be a three-down back last year, and Tampa Bay also has rookie Rachaad White, veteran Giovani Bernard and Ke’Shawn Vaughn to mix in the rotation.

A Stacked Front Seven

Bucs NT Vita Vea and DT Akiem Hicks – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As high-powered as Tampa Bay’s offense should be in 2022, its defense needs to be at its best to win another championship. Helping that effort will be an extremely talented front seven. Vita Vea, fresh off of earning his first Pro Bowl nod and a new contract, anchors the defensive line. He still has the perennially underrated Will Gholston on one side of him, while the Bucs added both veteran Akiem Hicks and second-round pick Logan Hall to rotate in on the other side of him. The always-steady depth duo of Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Pat O’Connor is back as well, giving the Bucs a formidable front.

Tampa Bay’s pass rush looks to be deadly, with two-time Pro Bowler Shaq Barrett on one side and the up-and-coming Joe Tryon-Shoyinka playing the other side. Behind them are Anthony Nelson and Carl Nassib, who have both proven to be good rotational rushers for the Bucs in recent years.

And of course, the inside linebackers are going to be a key part of the defense’s success. Lavonte David looked more like his younger self during training camp, while 2021 Pro Bowl selection Devin White looks improved in year four himself. K.J. Britt and Olakunle Fatukasi may be unproven depth behind David and White, but they both have promise as well. There’s a lot to love about the front seven as a whole.