The offseason, training camp and preseason are finally over. On Sunday afternoon, the Bucs will play a football game that counts. Tampa Bay, the three-time defending NFC South champion, opens up the 2024 season at Raymond James Stadium, hosting the Washington Commanders.

Bucs vs. Commanders: LIVE Pewter GameDay Show Returns Sunday

Our popular in-game LIVE show returns on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET as the #Bucs host the #Commanders to kick off the season! Be sure to tune in as we’ll analyze all the action in real-time! https://t.co/dxFZuBSmPu

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After surprising some by retaining the division crown and winning a playoff game in the first year of the post-Tom Brady era, the Bucs had a massively successful offseason. They re-signed Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Lavonte David, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Chase McLaughlin, plus they brought Jordan Whitehead back into the mix, gave Tristan Wirfs a big payday and added a rookie class headlined by Graham Barton, Chris Braswell, Tykee Smith, Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

Now, Todd Bowles and his Tampa Bay team will look to take the next step in 2024. First, the Bucs will be on the hunt for a fourth straight NFC South championship and a fifth consecutive playoff berth. From there, the team will look to make a deeper run in the playoffs after seeing its 2023 season end with a loss to the Lions in the NFC Divisional Round.

A return to football means a return to tracking some numbers. More specifically in the context of this weekly feature on PewterReport.com, it means a return to tracking the milestones and records that are on the line for Tampa Bay’s upcoming game.

Here is where things stand heading into Week 1, which sees the Bucs kick off against the Commanders at 4:25 p.m.:

Bucs

With a win over Washington on Sunday, Tampa Bay will set a new franchise record for most consecutive season-opening wins. The Bucs have beaten the Cowboys (2021), Cowboys (2022) and Vikings (2023) to open the last three seasons, and their current streak of three straight wins in season openers is tied with their streak that ran from 1979-1981. That one included Week 1 wins over the Lions, Bengals and Vikings, respectively.

Baker Mayfield

Because of the organization’s less-than-stellar quarterback history, Mayfield’s 4,044 passing yards in his first season with Tampa Bay last year have him 14th all-time. He is 1,109 yards away from breaking into the top 10 and passing Jeff Garcia (5,152) for 10th-most in franchise history.

Mayfield is also five passing touchdowns away from entering the Bucs’ all-time top 10 in that category. With those five, he’ll pass Brian Griese (32) for 10th-most.

Mike Evans

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

Evans already owns most of the offensive records in Buccaneer history, so a lot of the milestones on the horizon for him are through the lens of NFL history. He is just one touchdown away from tying Eric Dickerson (96) for the 26th-most overall touchdowns in league history. Of note, Las Vegas’ Davante Adams also has 95 and will keep building on his total this season as well.

With 155 more receiving yards, Evans will pass Don Maynard (11,834) for 32nd-most in NFL history. Meanwhile, 162 more receiving yards will move him ahead of Antonio Gates (11,841) for 31st.

Back to Bucs history, though. Evans needs 15 more points scored to break Martin Gramatica’s franchise record (592). And finally, Sunday will be Evans’ 155th game played, which will leave him three away from tying Mike Alstott (158) for ninth-most in team history.

Chris Godwin

Godwin’s next receiving touchdown will move him ahead of Bucs Ring of Honor member Jimmie Giles (34) for the second-most in Buccaneer history. When that happens, Godwin will be second in franchise history when it comes to receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns — trailing only Mike Evans in all three categories.

Will Gholston

Sunday will mark the start of Gholston’s 12th season with the Bucs, which will tie him with Paul Gruber for the fifth-most seasons played for Tampa Bay.

This Week 1 game will also mark Gholston’s 170th game as a Buc. He already has the sixth-most games played in team history, and it’ll be tough for him to get to fifth considering he is chasing Lavonte David.

Lavonte David

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

David is set to begin his 13th season with Tampa Bay, which ties him with Dave Moore for the third-most seasons played for the Bucs. He’ll trail only Derrick Brooks (14) and Ronde Barber (16).

This will also be David’s 182nd game played, leaving him only one behind Paul Gruber (183) for the fourth-most in franchise history. It’ll be his 182nd start, too, which will leave him just one behind Gruber (183) for third-most in team history.

David is only 1.5 sacks away from passing Chidi Ahanotu (34.5) for seventh-most in Bucs history.

David’s last defensive touchdown came in Week 6 of the 2017 season, but if he can manage a fourth career defensive score, he’ll tie David Logan and Mike Washington for third-most in Tampa Bay history.

Lastly, the legendary Buccaneer linebacker needs 10 passes defensed to pass Carlton Davis III (73) for fourth-most in franchise history.

Jamel Dean

Dean is 10 passes defensed away from moving ahead of Aqib Talib (54) for seventh-most in team history.

Antoine Winfield Jr.

Winfield is only four seasons into his career, but he’s already cemented quite the place for himself in Buccaneer history. He needs just three more forced fumbles to pass Hardy Nickerson (13) for seventh-most in franchise history, while two more fumble recoveries will tie him with Lee Roy Selmon (10) for 10th-most of any Buc ever.