The Buccaneers don’t open training camp until next week, but they already have one eye on Carolina.
That’s because the Panthers are the team that knocked Tampa Bay off the NFC South throne in 2025, ending the Bucs’ four-year run at the top of the division. Carolina has spent the offseason trying to build on that momentum, with an aggressive free agency push and a promising draft class giving them a roster that looks capable of staying in the hunt.
As usual, though, everything comes back to Bryce Young.
Young is coming off the best season of his career, but the numbers were still modest for a former No. 1 overall pick: 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Through 44 career starts, he has completed 62% of his passes for 49 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He’s also been held under 200 passing yards in 28 of those games, and Carolina has gone 14-30 with him under center.
To be fair, Young spent the early part of his career working behind a rough supporting cast. But even with that context, he hasn’t yet shown he can consistently play like more than an average quarterback.
There have been flashes. There just hasn’t been enough of them.
That’s why Carolina is banking on 2026 being the year he finally takes the next step, especially now that he has the best help of his career around him. But his first days at camp haven’t exactly calmed any doubts.
It’s worth remembering that this is still practice. Quarterbacks will try throws they’d never force in a game, and one ugly session doesn’t tell the whole story. Bucs fans know that better than most, since Baker Mayfield once went viral for a bad throw in one of his first practices in Tampa Bay before turning around and leading the team to a playoff win that same season.
Still, not every shaky start is meaningless.
On Friday, Young reportedly threw multiple interceptions during Panthers practice, and the defense took over team periods. One of the last snaps of the day ended with Will Lee picking off a pass intended for Xavier Legette, with the defense celebrating as Lee punted the ball into the air.
Young has had his moments against Tampa Bay, but the results have gone the Buccaneers’ way more often than not. Carolina is just 1-5 against the Bucs with Young at quarterback, even though he has protected the ball fairly well in those games, throwing seven touchdowns and only two interceptions while completing under 60% of his passes.
If Tampa Bay’s revamped defense can turn those camp mistakes into regular-season habits, that would be exactly the kind of edge the Bucs are looking for.
In Other News...
Raymond James Lands A Massive College Football Showcase For Tampa
The annual Georgia-Florida rivalry game is headed for a temporary change of scenery, and Tampa is getting a rare turn in the spotlight. With EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville set for renovations, the matchup will move away from its longtime home, giving one of college footballs marquee neutral-site games a different backdrop for the next couple of seasons.
The 2026 edition is expected to land in Atlanta before the series shifts to Raymond James Stadium in 2027, bringing a major showcase to the Buccaneers building. For a game that has long been one of the sports biggest destination events, the stop in Tampa offers a fresh stage while Jacksonville gets its stadium work done. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Just Got An Unexpected Opening In The NFC South
The early tone of the NFC South has already tilted a little before Tampa Bay has even fully settled into camp. Carolina is dealing with a growing list of health concerns as practices get underway, while the Buccaneers have not reported injuries and are still waiting to ramp up, giving them a cleaner runway than the team that has spent the summer trying to sort through setbacks.
For a division race that often comes down to who survives the grind, that matters. Tampa Bay is trying to build on last season and take back control of the South, and the opening weeks now look like a chance to separate before the standings even start to take shape. Whether that edge lasts is another question, but it is the kind of early break a contender notices. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers May Have One More Move To Fix Their Biggest Weak Spot
Tampa Bay has already done plenty of work to reshape its linebacker room for 2026, bringing in Alex Anzalone and using the draft to add Josiah Trotter. Even with those moves, the Buccaneers still look like a team that could use one more veteran presence at the position, especially after spending the offseason trying to shore up what had become a clear weak spot.
One name now floating into that conversation is a Miami linebacker who fits the kind of role Tampa Bay could still use, particularly if the room remains crowded in South Florida. No deal has been confirmed, but the logic is easy to see from the Buccaneers' side: an experienced defender with coverage ability could give them depth, insurance and a little more certainty if the younger pieces need time to settle in. [Read more 🡒]