The Buccaneers don’t have the luxury of easing into Week 4. They’re still chasing their first win, and Sunday’s home game against Green Bay feels like the kind of matchup that turns on a handful of one-on-one battles. Tampa Bay has been in enough tight spots already to know this much: if it wants to get off the mat, it has to win the trenches and keep a few key Packers from taking over.
Start with the pass rush. This is the spot where Tampa Bay can tilt the game if it gets going early.
Green Bay’s offensive line has been a mess through three weeks, and Jordan Love has already been sacked eight times. The Packers tried to patch things up this week by bringing in three veterans - Laken Tomlinson, Kevin Zeitler, and Mekhi Benton - but the picture up front still looks shaky.
If the Buccaneers can hold up against the run and force Green Bay into obvious passing situations, the rush should have a real chance to feast.
The other big test comes on the back end, where Tampa Bay’s corners have to deal with Christian Watson. He’s been one of the league’s most productive receivers through three weeks, piling up 17 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns, and he’s scored in every game.
The Buccaneers showed in Week 1 that they can erase a top target when they lock in, holding Ja’Marr Chase to two receptions for 12 yards. They’ll need something close to that again, because Watson’s speed and ability to hit big plays downfield can change the whole feel of the game.
Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish, and Benjamin Morrison are all in the mix for that assignment, and whoever draws it has to win it.
Then there’s Tucker Kraft, who brings back one of the problems Tampa Bay hasn’t fully solved yet: tight ends working the middle of the field. Mike Gesicki hurt the Bucs in the opener with five catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Harold Fannin followed with five grabs for 54 yards in Week 2. Tampa Bay did better against T.J.
Hockenson in Week 3, limiting him to two catches for 11 yards, and that’s the standard it needs to hit again. Kraft has a chance to be the most dangerous tight end they’ve seen so far, and if the Buccaneers don’t have a plan for him, he can take over the afternoon.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Ask Unproven Rookie To Survive Their Biggest Offensive Problem
The Buccaneers are asking a lot of a rookie at a difficult time, turning to Jalon Daniels against a Packers defense that will make life miserable if Tampa Bays protection issues show up again. The context is not subtle: the Buccaneers have spent the season at the top of the NFL in sacks allowed, and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has already acknowledged how hard it has been to keep the quarterback upright, especially after Baker Mayfields injury changed the look of the offense.
Daniels now gets the kind of first start that can either accelerate a players growth or expose every flaw around him, and the Buccaneers are banking on the former. The team has expressed confidence in his poise and ability to handle pressure, but the matchup still leaves Tampa Bay balancing belief in a rookie with the reality of an offensive line that has not given its quarterbacks much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A Quarterback Depth Issue To Solve
The Buccaneers added a familiar face behind Baker Mayfield this week, signing veteran quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad after Mayfield was injured. It is the kind of move that makes sense in a hurry, especially for a team trying to keep the quarterback room steady while the starter works his way back.
Rypiens tie to offensive coordinator Zac Robinson should help, since the two were together with the Rams in 2023 and already know the framework. For now, Tampa Bays healthy quarterback options also include Easton Stick and rookie Jalon Daniels, leaving the Bucs with a depth chart that suddenly has to hold together until Mayfield is ready again. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Passing Game Just Put Emeka Egbuka At A Crossroads
Emeka Egbukas first NFL season gave Tampa Bay plenty to build on, but the early part of 2026 has brought a different kind of test. The rookie wideout has seen his production dip, and part of the reason has been the uneven play of Baker Mayfield, whose struggles have made it harder for the passing game to find any rhythm.
Now the Buccaneers are headed into another adjustment, with Mayfield sidelined by a thumb injury and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels expected to step in at quarterback. Daniels flashed promise in the preseason, and his arrival could change the look of the offense in a hurry, putting Egbuka at the center of a situation that may either stabilize his role or force Tampa Bay to keep searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]