The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued their unprecedented run atop the NFC South final season, successful a 3rd straight division crown. Earlier than 2022, the franchise had by no means even received back-to-back division titles.
We’re within the golden age of Buccaneers soccer and listed here are three the reason why the period ought to prolong by means of 2024.
1. The gang is again collectively
The Bucs succeeded in preserving their greatest free brokers this offseason, re-signing quarterback Baker Mayfield, extensive receiver Mike Evans and security Antoine Winfield Jr.
Mayfield, a former No. 1 total decide by the Browns, had his greatest season within the professionals final 12 months. He threw for a career-high 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns. In December, he posted the primary excellent passer ranking by a visiting quarterback at Lambeau Discipline, which opened in 1957.
With one other 1,000-yard season in 2024, Evans can tie Corridor of Famer Jerry Rice for many consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards (11).
Winfield was a first-team All-Professional choice in 2023 and completed sixth within the Related Press Defensive Participant of the Yr voting. He had 122 tackles, three interceptions, 12 move deflections, a league-leading six compelled fumbles and 4 fumble recoveries.
2. Protection has elite expertise on each stage
Along with Winfield Jr., defensive lineman Vita Vea and linebacker Lavonte David give the Bucs three playmakers at each defensive stage. Per Professional Soccer Focus, Vea was graded because the Fifteenth-best inside defensive lineman out of 130 and David was twenty fifth out of 82 linebackers in 2023.
Based on PFF information, Vea had 39 complete pressures, together with the postseason. His missed deal with charge (4.7%) was the second-lowest amongst 47 inside linemen with at the very least 600 complete snaps. David had 134 tackles, his most since 2015 and was credited with 70 stops, which PFF defines as “tackles that represent a ‘failure’ for the offense,” the third-most amongst all linebackers.
3. They have been the NFC South’s greatest for the previous three seasons
To be the very best, the remainder of the division should beat the very best, which it hasn’t accomplished since 2021. Tampa’s demise post-Tom Brady was vastly exaggerated and the group truly fared higher in 2024 than throughout Brady’s swan track, successful another sport within the common season and advancing additional within the playoffs, its fourth postseason look in a row.
Tampa Bay survived the league’s worst run offense over the previous two seasons and its first-round number of inside offensive lineman Graham Barton may assist kick-start the dashing assault’s turnaround. That will make the Bucs more durable to topple within the NFC South.
They’ve by no means reached the playoffs for a string of 5 consecutive seasons. However till one other group takes the division crown from them, the Buccaneers are who everybody else is chasing.
