Five Keys To Reaching Elite Status
July 16th, 2024
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Training camp is dead ahead and if the 2024 Bucs want to keep hope alive for a deep playoff run, they need key figures to step up.
We know what to expect from veterans like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tristan Wirfs, Lavonte David, Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield Jr. They’ve proven themselves time and again to be among the best at their position and Todd Bowles knows he can count on them to deliver at an elite level.
But there are others with plenty to prove this fall. For the Bucs to compete deep into the postseason, here are five individuals whose production will define the success or failure of the franchise:
Rookie Bucs center Graham Barton
You have to start at quarterback, the most important position in pro sports. After betting on himself with a $4 million contract, Baker Mayfield ran the table with an impressive season. He earned Bowles’ confidence with impressive ball security and finished strong with solid playoff performances against the Eagles and Lions.
Mayfield had few suitors in free agency last year — now he has a room full of teammates who believe in him.
With few realistic options behind Mayfield, Tampa Bay paid to keep him from entering the market this spring.
That huge chip on Mayfield’s shoulder pads figures to be gone this fall. Personally and professionally, he has matured and gained confidence. Still, he has yet to string together stellar seasons back-to-back since he was chosen first overall in the 2018 draft.
If Mayfield’s play slips or he suffers a significant injury, this offense is in big trouble. Kyle Trask and John Wolford have no significant experience at the pro level, so keeping Mayfield upright is Job 1 at One Buc Place.
That leads directly to priority No. 2, fixing the league’s worst ground game.
Top draft pick Graham Barton is expected to add some thump at center and help open holes for Rachaad White, who was turned away for minimal gains almost every time he carried between the tackles. Bowles was understandably frustrated with the run blocking, so Jason Licht ultimately agreed that Tampa Bay needed an upgrade from Robert Hainsey.
Some scouts projected Barton as a guard in the NFL, but the Bucs will give him every opportunity to be the anchor of a young offensive line crying out for more size and physicality. If Barton can help the Bucs inject life into a moribund rushing attack, Mayfield’s play-action could sizzle.
Sticking with offense, new coordinator Liam Coen is determined to restore a shred of balance. Dave Canales offered little imagination in the run game, so pay attention to the way Coen tries to scheme up White and rookie back Bucky Irving.
When Coen orchestrated the Rams offense in 2022, he was handicapped by injuries as Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp played only nine games apiece. As a result, Los Angeles ranked 27th in scoring offense and last in total offense. Coen moved on to Kentucky last year and Bowles is confident Coen has the play-calling chops to revive an offense that has faltered the past two seasons.
“The Bucs will be very happy they brought in Liam Coen,” Rams coach Sean McVay told me at the NFL’s March meetings. “He’s dedicated to doing a good job and the guy’s very sharp.”
A spotty pass rush is the biggest concern on the other side of the ball.
Yaya Diaby
Bowles wasn’t satisfied with the consistency of the rush — and now Shaq Barrett has departed. The spotlight is on YaYa Diaby, who enjoyed a productive rookie season off the right edge.
Despite playing only 46 percent of the snaps, Diaby led the Bucs with 7 1-2 sacks and ranked second behind David with 12 tackles for loss.
The Bucs have gone two seasons without a double-digit sacker and they’re hoping Diaby can end that drought in 2024. He brings ample physical skills to the job and it’s up to the coaching staff to help him emerge as a consistently disruptive force who demands attention and resources from offensive coordinators.
Up front, Calijah Kancey has a chance to be special. He shook off an early calf injury that cost him Tampa Bay’s first three games. When healthy, he showcased his burst off the snap and ability to knife into the backfield.
Surrounded by Vita Vea and Will Gholston, Kancey’s the young gun on a defensive line that played decently against the run but struggled to hunt quarterbacks.
Entering Year 2, Kancey knows he belongs at the pro level. Since Gerald McCoy’s 2017 season, Vea is the lone Buc defensive lineman to earn Pro Bowl honors. If Kancey can stay on the field and raise his game, this has the makings of a stout defense.
July 16th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
Ira … ‘Still, he has yet to string together stellar seasons back-to-back since he was chosen first overall in the 2018 draft.’
That looks like one of those ‘Yes, but … ‘ accolades Sage. Since you’ve already credited Baker with playing lights out last year, HOPEFULLY that ‘Yes, but …’ doesn’t come back to bite us.
July 16th, 2024 at 2:37 pm
We need significant collective help from the following players…..and lots of it.
Braswell, Irving, McMillan, Durham, Britt, Palmer, Mauch ,Hall & JTS
It’s these young players that need to step up their game to make us elite.
I would add Jordan Whitehead to your list of Vets should be able to depend on.
July 16th, 2024 at 2:44 pm
“When Coen orchestrated the Rams offense in 2022, he was handicapped by injuries as Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp played only nine games apiece.”
According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, “The low point came when the Rams traveled to Kansas City in Week 12. McVay gave up play-calling, handing off duties to [offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Liam] Coen. McVay wanted to see if ceding control could ease some stress, and at [3-7], the Rams had nothing to lose by trying it out.”
It didn’t work—the Rams lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 26-10, and it perhaps taught McVay an important lesson.
“I think it made him more miserable,” Rams COO Kevin Demoff said. “But I also think it was really empowering for him to know, ‘OK, that is not a solution to this.'”
“In McVay’s time with the Rams, he has really only not called one game and that was the Week 12 matchup against the Kanas City Chiefs in 2022. In the NFC Championship game in 2021, Cooper Kupp’s first touchdown was a play-call from Kevin O’Connell.
Some thought that due to burnout in 2022, that McVay may consider giving up play-calling duties. However, since that Chiefs game, the Rams offense has remained a collaborative effort with McVay as the primary play-caller. It’s his scheme and him calling the plays is his connection to the offense.”
Coen was not the lead man calling plays in 2022, he was the QB coach & “OC” in name only, McVay was in the QBs headset nothing reported about that team gives Coen that credit, so why are we running with that debunkable assumption? Which explain being a position coach at UK in 2021, going to LA for a year for an OC opportunity in 2022, then going back to UK in 2023. If he was truly calling plays, why go back to Lexington?
July 16th, 2024 at 2:45 pm
FYI
“Surrounded by Vita Vea and Will Gholston, Kancey’s the young gun on a DL”
The starting DL is Vea, Logan Hall, and CK. Hall is going into year 3.
Hall took over 2x snaps as Gholston.
5 OVERLOOKED KEYS TO THE YEAR
1. Turnovers. INTs will kill this team. Mayfield needs to throw the ball away more.
2. Injuries. Mayfield needs to slide more often. He won’t make it through another season engaging tacklers.
3. Whitehead and Tykee Smith. People have forgotten how atrocious Neal was. He cost the Bucs 2-3 games. If Whitehead and Smith can boost the secondary, this defense will be special.
4. Braswell (or JTS). Yaya, Vea, CK are going to get pressure. If Braswell or JTS emerge as legit pass rushers, the opposing QB is in for a long Sunday afternoon.
5. End of Game Coaching. Bowles missed or miss called a lot of timeouts that could have changed the outcome of the game. He needs a strategist in the booth helping him make better EOG decisions.
July 16th, 2024 at 3:15 pm
Slypirate I completely agree with everything you said exactly how I see things this year.
July 16th, 2024 at 3:21 pm
No matter how high Barton was drafted he is still a rookie. Asking that rookie to call out NFL blocking schemes in a dynamic pre hike and set situation is asking a lot. He could probably do it in time which is why Hainsey will start the season at center. Barton will start the season at LG. Absolutely can not risk a QB injury due to a bad blocking scheme called at the line of scrimmage.
July 16th, 2024 at 4:27 pm
No doubt, this is the best NFL offensive talent Mayfield has ever had- he must produce and he knows it.
July 16th, 2024 at 4:55 pm
The one who needs to elevate the most is Todd. Improving the 29th ranked pass defense while demanding more aggressive playcalling early in games, leading to more points scored and games won, are must do goals.
But Todd has convinced me he’s committed to the necessary changes.
#AsToddEvolves 11-6 Ryan Neal sucked
July 16th, 2024 at 5:50 pm
Well said Sly.
July 16th, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Agree with Pirate and many others.
Winfield, Whitefield and Smith are a damn good lineup that’s going to take a bit of time to play together.
Its gonna take several games to click in Coens offense as well.
Patience helps when you believe in the players and coaches.
July 16th, 2024 at 7:28 pm
Watch out for Tykee Smith. He’ll easily win the starting nickel job, and become a game wrecker, O.C.’s will have to game plan for him.
July 16th, 2024 at 8:24 pm
Thanks, Sage. Thanks, SlyPirate.
Go Bucs!
July 17th, 2024 at 4:06 am
Great overview! It does seem like Baker has much more confidence going into his 2nd season with the Bucs. In all his statements seen here in the past weeks, he is so happy to be here too. That means so much.
Agree with Sly and so many others too. Sly always on point. Agreed, the time-outs in the pocket made us all crazy.
We have such a great roster and really believe we are going to be a big surprise to all the sports analyst that have forgotten us. Go Bucs!
July 17th, 2024 at 4:19 am
That is it Ira!
That is why they call him Sage!
Go Bucs!
July 17th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
Dude- I’m not sure what Ira meant by ‘Orchestrated’ but most of the local sports media were claiming Cohen called the plays for ‘22 Rams and then later said he called some games that year. Lately most have corrected themselves saying it was only one game. I don’t think there was much information on it when we first hired him. The Bucs media would only say that he had experience play calling at both the collegiate and NFL level.