The NFL offseason has passed by at light speed for fans, with official team training camps kicking off in less than two weeks. For Buccaneers’ fans, this is especially true, considering Tampa prioritized key free agents at the earliest possible moment. As soon as the legal negotiation period for players like Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans opened, GM Jason Licht was already two steps ahead of it and locked in his core guys for 2024 and beyond.
Wait 'til you see what we've got Baking ???? pic.twitter.com/CG4A4GqyR9
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 8, 2024
In a swift but measured first week of the official offseason, Licht signed Mayfield, Mike Evans, and a host of other important members of his team to new competitive deals. This will pay dividends both in camp as well as the coming season because it freed up time for the team to spend together as a unit, reviewing the “on-paper” version of the systems and strategies they will implement in September and beyond.
On July 25th, the Bucs officially open their 2024 mandatory Training Camp at AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa Bay, so let’s take a quick look at some of the focal points of a team looking to secure a fourth straight NFC South title this season.
First up is obvious: This is Baker Mayfield’s team, full stop. 2023 was a cross between an experiment and a shot in the dark after initial interest from both parties resulted in Mayfield arriving in Tampa to replace the GOAT after a disappointing 2022 campaign. The team would never fully admit this, but nobody really expected alot from Baker Mayfield under center for the Bucs last year and it’s important to highlight just how magical Baker was at times last season.
Mayfield was coming off of a mini-career revival with the Rams after a handful of youthful and competitive starts he strung together for the injured Matt Stafford. Everyone knew when Stafford returned, that would be the end of Baker in L.A. What NOBODY expected was that within hours of settling on the Buccaneers as his new home team, Mayfield was already in the lab working hard on bonding with his linemen, learning the playbook, meeting people in the community, and learning what his coaches wanted from his tenure as their QB1.
Fast forward to a year later and Mayfield is not only adored in the Bucs’ organization for his overall vibes but he sets an example with his incredible work ethic. I cannot stress enough how that is invaluable for role players and young players alike. All eyes will be on Baker when training camp begins to see if the 29 year old veteran has an even better command of his offense, which includes a new first-round center, the All-American Graham Barton from Duke; as well as multiple other new weapons added via the Draft and of course, his returning receivers.
Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, both central Florida royalty at this point, return at the top of the wide-receiver room along with second year man Trey Palmer, who looks to make a big leap this year in his production. Notably, the Bucs drafted human highlight reel receiver Jalen McMillan from Washington in April’s Draft, so remember that name in the event that Mayfield gets four and five receiver looks.
One of Mayfield’s favorite targets, tight end Cade Otton, is heading into camp with his stock the highest it has been after two breakout performances in back to back Playoff games to finish 2023. Behind Otton in the rotation, which is subject to change, is Ko Kieft, Payne Durham, and rookie TE Devin Culp, who also played at Washington with Michael Penix Jr. in 2023.
Next up, and maybe the most critical to the Bucs’ hopes to get back to a Super Bowl, is the running back room. The ground game has been serviceable at best for Tampa, but even when Tom Brady was still here, pounding the ball the old fashioned way took a backseat to gunslinging. Baker Mayfield is very much a gunslinger, but if new offensive coordinator Liam Coen can manage to incorporate a good ground strategy to remove the pressure from Baker, that might push this team to the next level.
Rachaad White is presumably the lead back, for now, at least according to the team’s depth chart, but in a turn of events that has excited alot of fans, the rookie speedster Bucky Irving from Oregon has already jumped in front of Chase Edmonds for RB2 duties. Irving is LIGHTNING QUICK with the ability to scorch second level defenders with even small slivers of daylight, so this is something to monitor. He will almost certainly get snaps right out of the gate, which opens up a different look, specifically for divisional opponents, that other teams don’t have game film for yet.
Lastly, we should expect a physical, ball-hawking secondary from start to finish from this defense. Anchored by safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and the returning Jordan Whitehead, I would be confident in saying that 90’s era hard-hitting safety play will be a staple for Todd Bowles’ unit this year. Linebacker Lavonte David’s ability to play the run as well as the pass equally as well erases some of the anxiety that safeties feel with the gap in the middle of the defense. All good defenses have an excellent “Mike” (middle) linebacker and the Bucs’ are a prime example.
I’ve included the dates and groups welcome for the public camp dates and will have regular progress reports, depth chart updates, and injury notes as camp goes by through the next few weeks.
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