The Buccaneers already know what a bad turn can look like. A 6-2 start in 2025 turned into an 8-9 finish, and the season ended with Tampa Bay out of the playoffs for the first time since 2019. That collapse reopened plenty of questions about the roster, the staff and Todd Bowles’ job security.
So what would a 2026 nightmare actually look like? It starts on offense, where the Bucs are asking a lot of change to work quickly.
They moved on from offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard this offseason and hired former Falcons coordinator Zac Robinson after a failed pursuit of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Some have already pointed to Robinson as a risky hire, arguing he was part of the reason the Falcons fell short under former Buccaneers head coach-turned Falcons head coach Raheem Morris over the past two seasons.
The personnel changes around him are just as significant. Tampa Bay lost one of its franchise legends in Mike Evans, and it also said goodbye to strong backup running back Rachaad White. In their place, the Bucs are leaning more on Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan at receiver, while Kenneth Gainwell was signed from the Pittsburgh Steelers to help replace White.
If Robinson doesn’t deliver and the offense feels the absence of Evans and White, this could become a long year for that side of the ball. Health would only make things more fragile. Tampa Bay’s offense was hammered by injuries last season, and if that kind of damage shows up again, the whole unit could unravel.
The defense has its own list of risks. Lavonte David retired, and the Bucs turned to veterans Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom to fill the void. Jamel Dean left for the Steelers, leaving Tampa Bay to count on veteran Zyon McCollum, who struggled in 2025, along with second-year players Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish.
There are also new faces up front and on the edge, with A'Shawn Robinson added on the defensive line and Al-Quadin Muhammad brought in as a pass rusher. But if Robinson and Muhammad have trouble in starting roles, and Anzalone and Rozeboom don’t hold up, there’s a real concern that the coaching staff won’t be able to cover for poor execution.
The draft class is supposed to help. Rueben Bain Jr, Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott were brought in as rookies with the chance to fill some of the holes. If they take time to settle in, though, the defense could get off to a rough start and stay there.
That’s the nightmare: the offseason bets miss, the veterans don’t meet expectations, the rookies are slow to develop and the coaches can’t find answers. If that happens, the Buccaneers could be staring at major changes in the 2027 offseason.
In Other News...
Baker Mayfield Just Drew The Criticism Bucs Fans Dread Most
Late in the 2025 season, Baker Mayfield found himself back in the familiar spot of being both the reason for hope and the source of debate in Tampa Bay. Buccaneers fans have largely stayed in his corner, especially with the expectation that a contract extension is coming, but not everyone around the league is viewing his year through the same optimistic lens. ESPN analyst Ryan Clark was among those raising eyebrows, pointing to the kind of uneven play that can make a quarterback conversation turn quickly.
For Tampa Bay, the unease is less about one bad stretch than the broader questions that have followed Mayfield at different points in his career. The concerns center on inconsistency, accuracy, decision-making and turnovers, all of which matter even more when a team is preparing to invest heavily in its starter. The Bucs may still be headed toward a long-term commitment, but Clarks comments are a reminder that the discussion around Mayfield is not nearly as settled as the fan base would like. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Fans Have A New Reason To Worry About Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfields future in Tampa Bay is starting to feel like one of the quieter storylines worth watching as the Buccaneers move through the offseason. He and Vita Vea are both entering the final years of their contracts, and while Mayfield has made it clear he wants to stay with the team long term, the sides still have work to do before anything gets serious.
For now, the Bucs are keeping their flexibility and both players are focused on getting ready for the season ahead. But with camp approaching and no real movement on the extension front, the situation has the feel of something that could linger well into the summer if the sides do not find common ground soon. [Read more 🡒]
Bucky Irving Just Got The Disrespect Buccaneers Fans Will Hate
Bucky Irvings rise in Tampa Bay was one of the brighter storylines of his rookie year, when he gave the Buccaneers a dynamic presence in the backfield and quickly looked like a player the offense could build around. Even with injuries interrupting his second season, there was still enough of a track record to expect his name to show up when ESPNs Jeremy Fowler asked NFL personnel types to sort out the leagues best running backs.
Instead, Irving was left on the outside of the conversation entirely, not even landing in the honorable-mention tier as other backs such as Breece Hall, Quinshon Judkins, Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara drew support. For a player who flashed like a future centerpiece in Tampa Bay, the omission is the kind of slight that tends to linger, especially when the Buccaneers are still trying to figure out just how high Irvings ceiling can be once hes healthy again. [Read more 🡒]