10 Predictions for The Tampa Bay Buccaneers In 2023
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head into the 2023 season with a ton of question marks around the team. Tom Brady retired, there were major coaching changes and the enigmatic Baker Mayfield was brought in to helm the squad. However, there is plenty of optimism surrounding the team.
Here are my 10 bold predictions for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2023 season.
1. Rachaad White Will Have Over 1,000 Yards Rushing
Last season in a part-time role Rachaad White had nearly 500 yards on the ground, 481, in an offense that didn’t emphasize the run and often went away from it earlier than they should’ve. In a new system and scheme that will feature the Buccaneers' running game, White should thrive. The offense is tailored to highlight the players' strengths, including the offensive line, allowing them to utilize their athleticism to play in space in the run game. That should equal bigger holes and more chances for White to show off his natural ability on his way to 1,000-plus yards on the ground.
2. Devin White Will Earn His Pay Day
This offseason has been a roller coaster ride for Devin White. A trade request in the spring, followed by a secret meeting with Bucs brass led to a change of heart. Still White will need to prove it on the field this year to earn his big payday. He’s said all the right things this summer and has looked impressive in practice but he needs to carry that over to the field. White has tallied over 100 tackles in the last three years while averaging 5 sacks a year. He’ll need to continue that output and improve in play recognition and coverage this season. If White does that, he’ll be getting the $20 million-a-year deal he is seeking with the Buccaneers or somewhere else.
READ MORE: Mike Evans Potentially Playing Last Season With Buccaneers
3. Baker Mayfield Will Start Every Game
There’s this notion that Baker Mayfield is injury prone but in reality that's just not the case. Mayfield has only missed three games in his five-year career. Two of those games with the Browns were due to a shoulder injury he suffered and played through for most of the season in 2021 while the other was an ankle injury last season with the Panthers. The only other reason other than injury for Mayfield to miss games would be ineffectiveness. However, I believe this system will work to his strengths putting him in a position to succeed. I foresee a Geno Smith-like resurrection for Mayfield as he leads the Buccaneers to a winning record and NFC South Title.
4. The Buccaneers Will Finish With A Winning Record
The national media has already counted the Buccaneers out pegging them for a top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, there is just too much talent on this team for them to be that bad. In a winnable NFC South division where the Buccaneers will play each team twice, there are opportunities to stack those wins. In addition, eight of Tampa Bay’s 2023 opponents finished with sub-.500 records last season. While improvements have been made, none of the teams have gotten significantly better and the defense will face three rookie quarterbacks this year as well. There may be some early hiccups as the offense gets its feet under them but the defense should be stout enough to carry them until they get rolling on their way to a winning season.
5. Buccaneers Will Finish Top 5 In Sacks
Last season the Buccaneers finished with 45 sacks as a team which tied them for seventh in the league. A far cry from the Eagles 70 team sacks, but in a season with a major injury to the team’s best pass rusher Tampa Bay still finished in the top 10. This offseason the Buccaneers spent numerous resources bolstering the pass rush including spending draft picks in the first and third rounds of the NFL Draft on defensive linemen Calijah Kancey and Yaya Diaby. The team also made a change at the coaching position bringing in George Edwards who last worked with Micah Parsons in Dallas. Shaq Barrett is healthy and ready to go and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka looks poised for a breakout year. Add in Devin White’s ability to get to the quarterback and Vita Vea and Kancey’s ability to push the pocket and the Buccaneers should be notching sacks with regularity.
6. Jamel Dean Makes The Pro Bowl
Jamel Dean was robbed of a Pro Bowl berth in 2022. He was quietly one of the best cornerbacks in the league and has finished only behind Jaire Alexander and Jalen Ramsey in coverage grades according to Pro Football Focus over the last three seasons. He is one of the league's better press-man corners with his physical play style bumping receivers off their routes. Dean’s 4.3 speed also allows him to recover quickly when receivers get behind him and an emphasis on creating more turnovers should see him finally get the recognition he deserves.
READ MORE: Mike Evans, Agent Set Hard Deadline on New Contract With Buccaneers
7. Antoine Winfield Jr. Is An All-Pro
Antoine Winfield Jr. was on an All-Pro trajectory at free safety in 2021 before a switch to the nickel position last season. Now back at his starting spot in the secondary Winfield is poised for another big year. In his Pro Bowl season in 2021, Winfield compiled 84 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks, two fumbles, and two recoveries. Staying healthy will be key for Winfield but if he can get back to those numbers, he won’t only make another Pro Bowl but should find himself in All-Pro contention.
8. Cade Otton Has Over 50 Receptions
Last season the Seahawks tight end room had over 100 receptions with Noah Fant leading the way with 50 for 486 yards. In offensive coordinator Dave Canales' system the tight ends are expected to be a feature in the offense as well, giving Cade Otton a good chance at replicating and even surpassing the numbers of Fant. As a rookie Otton had 42 receptions for nearly 400 yards. With a full offseason in an NFL program and a strong grasp of a tight end friendly offense, I expect Otton to thrive this season.
9. Calijah Kancey Records 5 Sacks
The track record for defensive tackles coming into the league and racking up sacks isn’t great. In fact last year Buccaneers Logan Hall led all rookie defensive linemen with 2.5 sacks. That was more than first-rounders Devonte Wyatt and Jordan Davis had combined. Not since Aaron Donald in 2014 has a rookie defensive tackle had more than six sacks in their first season with Ed Oliver the last to notch five in 2019. But something just feels different about Calijah Kancey. While he’s missed nearly the entire training camp he has a mastery of the defense that has impressed teammates and coaches alike. His unique blend of speed and power should cause havoc for opposing offensive lines especially paired with stalwart Vita Vea. I expect Kancey in the backfield early and often on his way to an outstanding rookie campaign.
10. Bucs Will Have Two 1,000-Yard Receivers
The duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in yards in four of the last five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and I don’t expect that trend to end this season. Even with the contract drama surrounding Evans, he is a true professional and when the whistle blows on the first snap of the season he will be ready to go. This offense will utilize Evans and Godwin in a variety of ways to get them in space where they can create yards after the catch. One of the things I’ve heard the most from training camp is how open the receivers have been, and that’s not an indication of the Buccaneers secondary, who could be one of the best in the league. Last season in a similar system Seattle boasted two 1,000-yard receivers of their own in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and it’s safe to say Evans and Godwin are better than that duo. Expect big seasons from both.
READ MORE: Buccaneers Sign Former Super Bowl Winning Quarterback to Practice Squad
You can follow JC Allen on twitter @JCAllenNFL
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