A Top-Ten Team
March 19th, 2025
Tribal musings.
Joe isn’t sure if this is a good thing or a sign of an apocalyptical collapse in 2025. Joe will take the good here.
So let it be written. So let it be said: The PFF Tribe has knighted the Bucs as the NFL’s 10th-best team in mid-March. That’s the analysis by Mason Cameron.
This piece was published on St. Patrick’s Day, so Joe isn’t sure if Cameron may have had a wee bit too much of the drink from the old sod as he typed this piece.
… Losing offensive coordinator Liam Coen is a blow to a Bucs offense that ranked fifth in EPA per play last season, but retaining Chris Godwin ensures this unit will have the pieces to remain competitive in 2025. Baker Mayfield’s resurgence, combined with the reliable duo of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans and the addition of Bucky Irving in the backfield, keeps this offense in a strong position.
Tampa didn’t make a splash in free agency, but the team did land Haason Reddick on a prove-it deal to strengthen the pass rush. With low risk for the Bucs and plenty of upside for Reddick, this move has the potential to pay off for both sides.
Joe cannot disagree with anything Cameron typed other than the signing of Reddick very much was a splash if not a total shock to the system. But Cameron overlooked two key signings.
First, Lavonte David came back. The second-best linebacker the Bucs have ever had (yes, Joe would put him above Hardy Nickerson), David retiring would have put his defense in a world of hurt.
If David retired, who would the Bucs have at inside linebacker? Injury-prone SirVocea Dennis and who?
The second signing, though under the radar, is Ben Bredeson. Now Joe’s not saying this guy is John Hannah or even Charley Hannah. But Bredeson’s return keeps a strong, young Bucs offensive line intact. That’s no small thing.
If the Bucs are able to find a quality inside linebacker, Joe truly believes this Bucs team can do damage in January.
March 19th, 2025 at 10:35 am
Joe if LVD had retired Jason would have had to go and spend some money? Oops never mind all those guys disappeared before he had a chance.
You are correct sir.
Go Bucs!
March 19th, 2025 at 10:41 am
Charley Hannah. Now, that’s a blast from the past.
March 19th, 2025 at 10:59 am
JOE, LICHT CALLED YOU OUT LAST WEEK
We’re going to win the NFCS for the 5th year in a row and make the playoffs for 6 years in a row.
Licht critiqued you for repeatidely refering to the, “Decade of Depression.” You need a new phrase that acknowledges the good work Licht’s team has done. So, “Half-Decade of Domination.” There you go.
March 19th, 2025 at 11:00 am
🙂
March 19th, 2025 at 11:04 am
Don’t know what “Decade of Depression” is but do know what “Lost Decade” is and it was duly earned.
Licht doesn’t need to be reminded he’s done a good job. 🙂
March 19th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Cherry picking opinions to fit your narrative doesn’t move the needle.
This just looks like a huge reach for the Joes.
Top 10 teams draft in the 20’s not the teens in round one.
We’re just a touch above mid grade level.
Which according to Bowles record as a HC is spot on.
We are what we thought we were!
March 19th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Even the national media can’t deny what the Bucs are putting together now. Any body ranking is worse than 12th is putting too much stock in the division being bad.
They will only remember tight wins or losses against our lowly rivals and losing to Washington at home in round 1.
We don’t want the hype too high, hopefully some disrespect comes the Bucs way again.
I don’t know why this grinds my gears so much but as long as I don’t see the Packers ahead of us in rankings I am generally fine with what I see. I just don’t see what media slobbers over in Jordan Love, Bucs have won at least 3 straight games vs GB and they have mostly been beat downs… twice in Lambeau.
March 19th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
Never ceases to amaze me. BucHawk, “We are what we thought we were”. BucHawk, repeat that phrase a few times, maybe while you’re looking in the mirror. And then ask yourself, what the heck am I talking about? We’d all like to hear the answer to that one!
March 19th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Joes I hope “we” can have a poll one day that could show the number of your readers who believe these Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a top 10 team in the NFL. I’d vote top five. But I’m not “we”.
March 19th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Oh Joe the jester. Hilarious
March 19th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
Too much time on my hands. Oh well, here goes. Anyone know we had the toughest schedule, in terms of opponent record, the first half of last year. And it was the toughest schedule any team in the NFL has had in the first half since 2013? The defense fought but cracks were exposed. After the bye we lost one game. The Cowboys treated our one loss after the bye like their Super Bowl. Our defense was, in the points against stat, absolutely playing elite after the bye, and record setting stingy in the second half of those games. It’s a team game, and offense has been prioritized the last few years. But our defense has been playing their tails off but injuries and talent and experience weren’t quite there. I think Todd Bowles coaches up defense about as good as anyone and with an upgrade or two and a few less injuries we could start a run right here in Tampa that can be a sight to see for the next 5 years or more. I have seen alot of good football teams at all levels in my life and this team has the right ingredients and importantly the right kitchen staff to put them together. It’s gonna be a pleasure to watch.
March 19th, 2025 at 12:51 pm
Just another critique on the BucHawk comment…
The draft pick order of where team drafts and where to rank that team (which is fully useless speculation until the games are played) for the upcoming season has little correlation. I mean a team can draft in the single digits or in the 30s but sign or lose a very good quarterback (or any other impact player/star) in the off-season… will completely change their rankings from a top 10 team to a bottom 10 team and vice versa. Doesn’t matter where they picked the season before if they did well or poorly in free agency. But, once again it’s all opinion. Rankings are fairly useless even in the first couple weeks of the season. The real ranking is the teams win-loss record.
March 19th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
With a pass defense, easily Top 10.
With the pass defense of the last two years, barely Top 15.
March 19th, 2025 at 1:40 pm
KABucs Says:
“The real ranking is the teams win-loss record”
Correct. And in the season that actually counts, IE the playoffs, the record is 1-3 under Bowles.
So there’s that.
March 19th, 2025 at 1:42 pm
Nice one, Kenton.
March 19th, 2025 at 2:13 pm
Dennis is injury prone. No, he is not injury prone!! He came to the Bucs with a shoulder injury that should have been fixed, but wasn’t! Obviously the Bucs felt like he was good to go, but he wasn’t. Hopefully his shoulder injury is fixed and he is ready to ball out!
March 19th, 2025 at 2:17 pm
Impossible to predict for this season yet, but if you divide the 32 NFL teams into quarters, last season we were in the 2nd tier (9-16). What dragged us down was our defense (ranked #16 in Points Allowed). If we hold the line this year with our offense, and improve our defense to a Top-10 defense, we’ll surely move up into the Top-8 (top tier) and be a prime Super Bowl contender. Bucs just need to get nastier on defense.
March 19th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
Top ten teams don’t lose 4 or 5 games at home.
March 19th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
each of the last 2 years. And top ten teams don’t go 0 – in Nationally televised games.
March 19th, 2025 at 4:08 pm
Alright meat heads, it is a prediction about THIS year’s team, not last year, so all the stats and ranks don’t mean anything…
March 19th, 2025 at 4:55 pm
@SlyPirate
It was “Den of Depression”
March 19th, 2025 at 8:54 pm
With the news of Jihad Campbell having a torn labrum he very well might fall in the draft . I would love for the Bucs to get the corner from Michigan. Bucs have to get a day one starter before season’s start. If Bucs can get the back end of the defense to give the big fellas up front just one more second this defense is top 10. Diaby was top 5 in pressures last season so with an extra second turns some of those pressures into sacks.
I full expect Diaby and Reddick to put up 11-13 sacks each .
March 19th, 2025 at 8:59 pm
Thanks for saying it well, Kenton Smith. You too, Defense Rules.
Go Bucs!!