When a quarterback takes over a team that was once led by a Hall of Fame quarterback such as Tom Brady, fans could expect that the quarterback may need a season or two in order to fit in and get that team to the playoffs. That was not the case for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield. The team continued to make the playoffs for the fourth season in a row. Will the former number-one pick in the 2018 draft keep building on his success in 2024? We just have to look at last season to get a glimpse of what’s to come.
The Bucs finished the 2023 season with an overall record of 9-8, resulting in a first-place finish in the NFC South Division. The team shined on the defensive side of the ball, being ranked 7th in the NFL, only allowing 19.1 points per game. The offense was ranked 20th, scoring 20.5 points per game. The defense was led by an overall strong unit, unlike other teams with a few impactful players. The Buccaneers had contributors all over the field with the likes of linebacker Lavonte David leading the team in tackles with 134. All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. finished the season with 122 total tackles, 3 interceptions, and 12 passes defended. Pass rushers Vita Vea and Yaya Diaby combined for 13 sacks and 20 tackles for losses. The offense was led by quarterback Baker Mayfield who posted an impressive 4000-yard, 28 touchdown season earning him a Pro Bowl spot. His top-ranked receiver, veteran Mike Evans, amassed an incredible 1255 receiving yards on 79 receptions and 13 touchdowns, all at the age of 30. This was Evan's 10th straight season with over 1000 receiving yards.
The Buccaneer's 9-8 record would not have earned a playoff spot in any other division. Their streaky season was just strong enough to earn a playoff spot and they faced the Eagles in the first round of the NFL playoffs. The Bucs capitalized on the Eagle's late-season struggles as they won in dominant fashion. Final score: 32-9. This victory took the team to the divisional round against the Detroit Lions. The Lions proved to be more formidable opponents and ended the Buccaneers playoff run in a hard-fought 32-23 loss. While this loss was heartbreaking for Buccaneers fans the team showed promise and took a season that had little promise all the way to a playoff run.
In 2022, Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, and Carolina Panthers. Their final record for the season was 8-9 and that was good enough for first place in the NFC South division. Aging quarterback Tom Brady threw 25 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. He amassed 4694 passing yards and a 90.7 rating for the season. Brady threw seven interceptions in the last six games, and his best outing was against the Chiefs on October 2.
Mike Evans was a favorite target for Brady. He had six touchdowns, with three of them coming on January 1, against the Panthers. Chris Godwin had just over 1000 receiving yards for the season, with three touchdowns. Russel Gage amassed five touchdowns, with just 426 yards. Will Tom Brady return for one more season? Time will tell.
In 2021, the Buccaneers had a strong season, finishing first in their division with a 13-4 record. Tom Brady showed his usual top-notch play. He ended the season with a 102.1 passer rating and 43 touchdowns. After their playoff loss to Los Angeles, Brady decided to call it a career. His numbers need no scrutiny, as they clearly show that he was one of the best of all time. Now the team will look to the future and possibly Kyle Trask as starting quarterback. Trask was the 64th overall pick in the 2021 draft. Trask comes out of college as a pocket passer, with some signs of talent. He’s an accurate passer, to be sure.
Blaine Gabbert might get the starting job, after backing up Brady for two seasons and having already worked in Bruce Arians’ system. The talk around the team is that JuJu Smith-Schuster might be a good fit for Tampa Bay. Could the Buccaneers go after Rashaad Penny? He had a strong showing during a six-game run last season. He just might fit in the Buccaneers’ system. Lastly, fans may have seen Leonard Fournette play his last game as a Buccaneer. He’s hinted that he’s moving on, but the Buccaneers have yet to get the formal announcement that he’s leaving.