Objective for 2025: Have a legitimate chance to represent the NFC on Superbowl Sunday.
Of course the Eagles will remain the favorites. Vegas (who usually has no clue about the Bucs) puts the odds in this order - Eagles, Lions, Commanders, 49ers, Packers, Rams, Buccaneers, Vikings.
49ers seem to be in transition. I don't get that one. The 14-3 Vikings can't get any respect because of their QB situation. The Rams I get because of McVay, but I'm not sold that Stafford is going to have what it takes this year.
Have the Bucs done enough to shore up their defense to be a top 5 team in the NFC?
Here's my NFC Top 5 Contenders: 1) Eagles, 2) Lions, 3) Commanders, T4) Packers and Buccaneers.
IMO Yes the Bucs are in the conversation, but defense is still a question mark. They rated 15th last year in yards given up per play and I'm not sure if they did enough to improve that. The Eagles with all their offensive firepower were still #1 in that defensive category. Defense still wins championships.
What is your NFC Top 5 right now and where do the Bucs stand if they aren't in your top five?
Yes. The Bucs will be top 5, as high as top 3 going into the playoffs in the NFC.
The last team to beat the Eagles was the Bucs. And the Bucs beat the Lions as well last season. The Commanders may take a step back given they over-achieved and won some games they should have lost last season. The Rams are strong but Stafford is getting old. The Packers and Vikings are inconsistent and play in a tough division. The 49ers have lost some good players, and as noted above, seem to be in transition.
My top 5: Eagles, Lions, Bucs, Rams, Commanders
Right now on paper? Yes I think so because the 49ers are still a very dangerous team but I do not view them in the top five anymore. Eagles, Vikings, Lions, Bucs and Commanders are the top five teams in the NFC. 49ers, Seahawks, Cardinals, Cowboys, Packers, and Rams are knocking on the door. Bears, Saints, Panthers, Falcons, and Giants are looking for answers.
49ers are a 9 win team.
Bucs are a 10 or 11 win team mostly because of our division.
Lions 12+
Eagles 12+
Rams 10 wins
Packers 10 wins
Washington 10 wins
Vikings 10+ wins
Then there's always 1 or 2 sleeper teams. For me I think it's the Bears and Cardinals this year.
I think the defense was really well stocked, and if Benjamin Morrison is healthy, it’s stronger.
The offense is already elite, and got better.
if both of those things are true, and as I’ve said in another thread, I believe we are prepared to move out of the “win more than we lose” phase, and into the serious contender phase - I’m hoping for at least a 12 win season even against a first place schedule.
However, most of those top 5 teams got stronger too. We also have another, new, OC…so those are the known, unknowns.
Should be a lot of fun!
Lets go!
When is the last time we’ve beaten McVay or Shanahan? Long time. Like before Covid. Luckily the Lions didn’t take the points, by instead of kicking FGs they kept going for 4th and short. Now I will say we match up well against the Eagles. They may be the only team that hasn’t figured out our blitz packages.
I think the defense was really well stocked, and if Benjamin Morrison is healthy, it’s stronger.
The offense is already elite, and got better.
if both of those things are true, and as I’ve said in another thread, I believe we are prepared to move out of the “win more than we lose” phase, and into the serious contender phase - I’m hoping for at least a 12 win season even against a first place schedule.
However, most of those top 5 teams got stronger too. We also have another, new, OC…so those are the known, unknowns.
Should be a lot of fun!
Lets go!
I agree with this... Defense got plenty in the draft. If we can sign some LBs from camp cuts we could be fine
Thought last year team was good enough. Fell short in a game imo we probably win with a little better defense. This year's offense should be similar if not better with continuity and upgrades as well. Defense should be as well. Injuries aside definitely a contender.
On the defense they improved the pass rush and the coverage but their problems last year sort of coincided with the loss of SVD. For all the improvements they probably need him healthy and playing well.
on offense they were going to be better just with a healthy Godwin. Now they are hopefully healthy and deep at WR
Don't hold your breath. Last year nobody was brought in from other teams. Here are the first 16 players signed to the Buccaneers' 2024 practice squad. Metz was the foreign exchange from Germany. The whole group is UDFAs who were with the Bucs in training camp. Zero camp cut pickups from other teams. This is Bowles having loyalty to his players who went through OTAs and camp together, but isn't that why you have the practice squad? To get players acclimated to the team. Do you see a bunch of guys on that list who were useful to the Bucs? A couple - Shepard, Miller, and Vi Jones and a couple others came up for a cup of coffee. Usually practice squads are peppered with guys picked up from other teams from the final 53 cutdown. You can't tell me there aren't guys who get cut from other teams who could help out the Bucs. But I'm guessing they'll do the same this year at the request of Bowles - because if he told Licht to find him some guys why wouldn't Licht do that?I think the defense was really well stocked, and if Benjamin Morrison is healthy, it’s stronger.
The offense is already elite, and got better.
if both of those things are true, and as I’ve said in another thread, I believe we are prepared to move out of the “win more than we lose” phase, and into the serious contender phase - I’m hoping for at least a 12 win season even against a first place schedule.
However, most of those top 5 teams got stronger too. We also have another, new, OC…so those are the known, unknowns.
Should be a lot of fun!
Lets go!
I agree with this... Defense got plenty in the draft. If we can sign some LBs from camp cuts we could be fine
S Marcus Banks
DL C.J. Brewer
DL Mike Greene
LB Antonio Grier
OLB Daniel Grzesiak
OL Luke Haggard
G Avery Jones
LB Vi Jones
T Lorenz Metz
WR Ryan Miller
WR Sterling Shepard
TE Tanner Taula
WR Cody Thompson
P Seth Vernon
RB D.J. Williams
S Rashad Wisdom
With some of the additional targeted UDFA’s - there will be additional competition. Think the roster is stronger, overall.
Adding the defensive talent from this years draft (potentially 4 starters), and the new UDFA’s, I’m breathing easier.
Yes but I don't think we can win the NFC with this roster. Licht had the chance to flood OLB room with guys with great pass rush traits and didn't.
Regular season will still be a challenge. Our depth is better so the record on paper should be better. Part of me says that the in game decisions need to improve for our overall record to improve and maybe improve in the playoffs too. That's a top down thing as well as baker in key times as well. Drop the ints, defense hopefully gets their share of turnovers this year and then limit the bone headed coaching in game decisions and I think we got something.
Lions and eagles will likely be favored as top picks
everyone writing off the 49ers but I think they still may have some fight left
Cowboys are another team who were ass last year but perennial 12 win team previously.
Redskins likely come back down to earth but likely still a winning team
rams are ass. Stafford hasn’t been good since 2021 but they always get listed as top team. They are 9,10 wins
Bucs? Ehh. I don’t think they did enough on defense to be honest. Should definitely be upgraded. Offense is loaded again but with new play caller would be interesting to see how it plays out. We should be favored to win division but we are likely mixed in with most of the 9-11 win potential teams (packers, bears, Vikings, rams, falcons, saints, 49ers, Washington, Dallas)
Said another way, eagles and lions are the class until proven otherwise
Bucs have been a .500 squad in the Bowles era. Hard to not see them as that team until we see them win 11-13 games.
If you think of a better version of the defense before SVD's injury that might be what to expect. I think we beat the Lions and the Eagles in that window? Not sure, but with SVD healthy you add a better pass rush and better back end ... assuming no injuries
