CBS Sports took a swing at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2026 outlook, and the picture it painted came with two very different paths: one where the offseason overhaul sparks a rebound, and another where the slide continues and the pressure spikes fast.
Tampa Bay spent the offseason trying to patch the holes that showed up after last year’s 8-9 finish. The Buccaneers opened 2025 at 6-2, then faded badly, missed the playoffs and gave up the NFC South to the Carolina Panthers. In response, the front office attacked the defense, drafting edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and linebacker Josiah Trotter, adding veterans Alex Anzalone and A'Shawn Robinson, and moving defensive back Jacob Parrish outside to help at corner.
The offense got attention too. Tampa Bay hired former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and brought in running back Kenny Gainwell. The Bucs also lost Mike Evans, but there’s still a path for Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan to carry more of the load.
CBS writer Tyler Sullivan centered his best-case scenario on the team’s young players hitting fast.
"Following an 8-9 season that saw Tampa Bay's five-season playoff streak and four straight division titles come to an end, the Buccaneers get back on track," Sullivan wrote. "Even with Mike Evans gone, the passing game spearheaded by Baker Mayfield is strong, especially with Emeka Egbuka making a Year 2 leap for the ages.
He becomes the new go-to weapon on offense, while rookie pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter help usher in a new era on defense. Tampa Bay takes back the NFC South and returns to the playoffs."
That version of 2026 would mean nearly every offseason bet paid off. Egbuka making a huge Year 2 jump and Bain flashing immediately would give the Bucs the kind of young core that can change a season in a hurry.
There’s risk baked into the offensive side as well. Robinson’s hiring comes with uncertainty after his two seasons in Atlanta, though a better supporting cast and a fresh start could help. Baker Mayfield also remains tied to contract questions, and a new deal before training camp could give him a lift heading into the year.
But Sullivan’s worst-case scenario was just as clear, and it’s the one that would put Tampa Bay in real trouble.
"The second-half struggles from Baker Mayfield (14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions over his final 11 games in 2025) persist in 2026. The young pieces the Buccaneers were hoping would rise up -like Egbuka and Bain Jr. - aren't ready for that responsibility just yet," Sullivan wrote.
"That allows the rest of the division to continue closing the gap, with Atlanta and New Orleans both catching lightning in a bottle in their respective quarterback rooms. For the second straight year, the Bucs miss the playoffs, putting Todd Bowles' job firmly at risk."
That outcome doesn’t look far-fetched. Mayfield’s late-season drop is part of why Tampa Bay is moving carefully on an extension, and Egbuka also faded in the second half last season. Bain, meanwhile, would be stepping into the league as a rookie, so some growing pains would be expected.
If the Buccaneers miss again in 2026, Bowles’ standing would come under heavy scrutiny. He is 1-3 in the playoffs and 36-36 overall in Tampa Bay, and the Glazers are presumably hoping for a much stronger return this season.
A second straight missed postseason would almost certainly trigger major changes throughout the organization, leaving Tampa Bay looking very different in 2027.
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