The Bucs are heading into a make-or-break season for both Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles. The pairing looked strong in years 1 and 2 together as the team went on a playoff run during the 2023 season and looked like a legitimate Super Bowl threat for much of the 2024 season. However, the wheels came off the track during the 2025 season, and both the starting QB and coach are on the hot seat heading into 2026. The offense looked explosive and elite during the 2024 season under offensive coordinator Liam Coen but took a big step backwards during the 2025 season in the first season without him and Tampa Bay having hired a rookie offensive coordinator to replace him. The personnel that Tampa Bay has also contributed to the drop off and the players surrounding Mayfield on offense will need to be better as well during the 2026 season. I have done an analysis of the team’s personnel on the offensive front heading into the 2026 season and here I will go into detail analyzing the skill position grouping of the team as the season approaches.
At running back, the team will have to absorb the loss of Rachaad White who was one of the best #2 backs in the NFL who has now gone on to pursue a leading halfback role elsewhere. 2024 4th rounder Bucky Irving will presume the leading running back role for the Bucs again during the 2026 season. Irving had a remarkable rookie season which was among the best rookie running back seasons in NFL history. Irving was graded as the fourth best running back in the league according to Pro Football Focus while notching a remarkable 5.4 yards an attempt on over 1000 yards, while being graded as the 2nd best receiving back in the NFL, despite being a rookie. Irving however fell off a cliff in year 2 without offensive coordinator Liam Coen with the Bucs then being on a rookie offensive coordinator. Irving graded in the below average range among players at his position and missed nearly half the season due to injury. It remains to be seen how good he will be heading into year 3 as he hopefully stays healthy with the Bucs having brought on a more proven offensive coordinator now.
From a depth standpoint at running back the Bucs have a few noteworthy names who could backup Irving quite well. Running back Sean Tucker, a 2023 undrafted free agent, looked poor in very limited rookie snaps, but just like Irving had a remarkable 2024 season under Liam Coen and then regressed badly in 2025. Tucker in limited snaps in 2024 under Coen, graded in the top 25% among qualified running backs which included grading as a top 5 receiving back in the NFL. Tucker however struggled mightily during the 2025 season grading among the weakest overall backs in the NFL. Just like Irving, it remains to be seen if Tucker can recapture strong form without offensive coordinator Liam Coen. While Kenneth Gainwell at running back has also looked strong at times in the NFL although being better suited as a #3 back in all honesty.
At tight end the Bucs lack talent, and the unit is one of the weakest if not the weakest in the NFL as of now. Cade Otton is currently listed as the leading tight end but has graded in the below average to well below average range according to Pro Football Focus in all four seasons he has played thus far. While the same can be said for all the reserve tight ends on the roster as of now as well. It is also not as if Tampa Bay has a very high draft pick player at tight end who could potentially come into his own. The current tight end unit for the Bucs is perhaps the worst in the NFL as of now.
At wide receiver the Bucs will have to adjust to life without Mike Evans on the roster for the first time in over a decade as he departed the team in the offseason. Chris Godwin is set to presume the leading wide receiver duties but is set to play next season at thirty years old coming off two consecutive injury riddled seasons. Godwin has consistently been among the premier #2 wide outs in the sport, but it will be interesting to see how he transitions to being placed in a leading wide out role. However, it should be concerning that he has never been a #1 wide out and is coming off two consecutive injury riddled seasons and will play next season at the age of 30.
With the departure of Evans, the concerns surrounding Godwin, and the team’s poor tight end unit, the remaining wide outs will loom very large for the Bucs this upcoming season. 2025 1st rounder Emeka Egbuka had a decent rookie season for the Bucs and could now blossom into a star. Egbuka graded in the slightly below average range among all qualified wide outs as a rookie which is solid production from a rookie. Let’s not also forget that the Bucs were coached at a subpar level on offense for the most part during Egbuka’s rookie season which likely led to his production being diminished to a certain extent. Egbuka notched nearly 1000 receiving yards as a rookie and made the All-Rookie team in the NFL. Perhaps Egbuka could even take the leading wide out role from Chris Godwin as the season progresses.
2024 3rd rounder Jalen McMillan is listed as a starter as well and as the team’s #3 wide receiver as of now. McMillan was drafted quite high and had a respectable rookie season and then built off of it in year 2. However, McMillan has been consistently below average according to Pro Football Focus thus far in his career. The jury is still out on McMillan being a high-level NFL player as rookie struggles are almost inevitable and he struggled with injuries in year 2, while also struggling to see the field much on Tampa’s loaded wide receiver depth chart. Let us also not forget that Tampa was coached at a below average rate during the 2025 season which likely contributed to his struggles. Perhaps McMillan can put it all together and break out in year 3 living up to his high draft billing.
2026 third rounder Ted Hurst was drafted quite high by the Bucs and will be expected to contribute strong depth to the wide receiver room even in year one on the job. While 2025 7th rounder Tez Johnson looked solid as a rookie and could build off of it going forward for Tampa Bay.
From a skill position standpoint, the Bucs have some talent but many question marks heading into the 2026 season. Running back Bucky Irving looked like a budding superstar as a rookie but then regressed badly in year 2 last season. It remains to be seen if he was just a one hit wonder under offensive coordinator Liam Coen, or if he is a high-end player. While something similar can be said for his counterpart out of the backfield in running back Sean Tucker as well. Wide receiver Chris Godwin is set to presume leading wide out duties for the first time and has a lot of talent, but he is aging coming off multiple injuries, and it remains to be seen if he is a true #1 wide out in the NFL. While young players in the wide receiver core in Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Ted Hurst, and Tez Johnson have some talent but are unproven. The Buccaneers’ tight end unit is likely the worst in the NFL as of now as the team lacks a player who is even a surefire NFL starter and certainly lacks the presence of high-end caliber players. A breakdown of the Bucs’ skill position grouping can be found below heading into the 2026 season.
Notable Bucs’ 2026 Wide Receivers
WR – Chris Godwin – B+ to A-, aging coming off multiple injuries, will be thrusted into leading wide out role for first time
WR – Emeka Egbuka – C as rookie, 2025 1st rounder
WR – Jalen McMillan – C so far, 2024 3rd rounder, still growing
WR – Ted Hurst – 2026 3rd rounder
WR – Tez Johnson – C as rookie, 2025 7th rounder
Notable Bucs’ 2026 Running Backs
HB – Bucky Irving – B to B+, elite rookie season, drastic drop off in year 2 in 2025
HB – Sean Tucker – C+ to B-, very good in 2024 under Liam Coen, below average to well below average otherwise
HB – Kenneth Gainwell – C to C+
Notable Bucs’ 2026 Tight Ends
N/A
The team lacks even one surefire NFL caliber player in the unit
