While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were several injuries and one average-to-bad defense away from being true contenders in 2024, they still managed to make the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season with a 10-7 regular season record.
Considering the Buccaneers bring back every key offensive component and should have a vastly improved defense in 2025 — and should only improve both in the NFL draft — it’s fair to look at them as dark horse NFC contenders.
Unless you’re in Las Vegas, that is. In Las Vegas, they don’t think much of the Buccaneers.
Both FanDuel and ESPN Bet believe Tampa Bay will regress in 2025, reflected with the release of their projected win total over/under odds. FanDuel put the Buccaneers at 8.5 wins and ESPN Bet put them at 9.5 wins.
From ESPN: “Tampa Bay won 10 games last season and has gone over its win total in five of the last six seasons. The Buccaneers have put together back-to-back winning seasons for the second time in the last 16 seasons (also accomplished in 2020-21 with Tom Brady). The Bucs’ total projection has increased from 7.5 wins in 2024 to 9.5 this season.”
Buccaneers Have Recovered From ‘Lost Decade’ of 2010s
The Buccaneers’ success in recent year can largely be tied to the addition of former New England Patriots stars Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski before the 2020 season, with the duo creating a winning culture and leading the team to a Super Bowl win and 3 consecutive playoff appearances. That came on the heel of the Buccaneers’ “Lost Decade” of the 2010s, when they had 9 consecutive losing seasons from 2011 to 2019 and didn’t make the playoffs.
While Brady and Gronkowski both retired after the 2022 season, the winning culture in Tampa Bay has stuck around thanks to a veteran nucleus of NFL All-Pro talent led by offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, linebacker Lavonte David, defensive tackle Vita Vea, free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Adding quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Bucky Irving the last 2 seasons has also been a big boost.
Even with a projected big step back in the win total column, the Buccaneers are still clear favorites to win a fourth consecutive NFC South title as the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints both are projected at 6.5 wins and the Atlanta Falcons are projected at 7.5 wins.
Predicting Who Buccaneers Will Add in First Round
The Buccaneers made one big move in the free agency cycle by adding NFL All-Pro edge rusher Haason Reddick on a 1-year, $14 million contract but still have holes to fill on defense.
Despite signing Reddick, the Buccaneers hope they have another edge rusher threat in third-year player YaYa Diaby, although he took his own step backwards in 2024 with 4.5 sacks after leading the team with 7.5 sacks as a rookie.
Pro Football Talk’s Connor Rogers predicts the Buccaneers will use their first round pick (No. 19 overall) on Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku in PFT’s latest mock draft.
“Todd Bowles desperately needs another pure pass rusher in this defense and there weren’t many more productive than Ezeiruaku this year,” Rogers wrote.
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