Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2022-2023 Season Preview

Will Todd Bowles have more success in his second coaching opportunity? Can Tom Brady win an eighth Super Bowl?

Fresh off of winning their second Super Bowl in franchise history in 2020, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were once again one of the best teams in the NFL in 2021, finishing 13-4.  Unfortunately for the organization, injuries to wide receiver Chris Godwin, offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, cornerback Richard Sherman, and running back Ronald Jones, as well as a late season outburst from wide receiver Antonio Brown left the team shorthanded in the postseason.  The Buccaneers were eliminated in the divisional round by the Los Angeles Rams, the eventual Super Bowl champions.

 

Following the season, it seemed as if the Buccaneers would be in the market for a quarterback, following a retirement from Tom Brady.  Brady, however, would go back on his decision and decide to return for the 2022 season.

With Brady’s decision to come back, the Buccaneers offseason focus switched and the team quickly brought back key contributors such as Godwin, running back Leonard Fournette, center Ryan Jensen, and cornerback Carlton Davis.  They also made a trade for New England Patriots guard Shaq Mason to replace Alex Cappa, who left in free agency.  The Buccaneers also added free agent wide receivers Julio Jones and Russell Gage, as well as, pass rusher Akiem Hicks.

 

In addition to Cappa, the Buccaneers will be without two more familiar faces.  Tight end Rob Gronkowski decided that he will not be back in 2022, retiring for the second time.  In addition, head coach Bruce Arians also announced that he will be retiring for the second time and would be moving to the front office.  Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was promoted to head coach, replacing Arians.

Will Todd Bowles have more success in his second opportunity?

New head coach Todd Bowles will enter his second stint as an NFL head coach.  His first stint with the New York Jets got off to a good start, as he led the team to a 10-6 record, a 6-win improvement from the previous year.  The Jets would miss the playoffs, however, due to a tiebreaker with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

In the following three seasons before being fired, Bowles wouldn’t come close to matching the success he had in his first season.  Bowles and the Jets would go 5-11, 5-11, and 4-12, for a dismal combined record of 14-34.

 

In Tampa Bay, Bowles will have much more talent on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.  He will inherit one of the best rosters in the league, while also having one of the NFL’s brightest young offensive coordinators, former quarterback Byron Leftwich.  Bowles duties as defensive coordinator will remain, as the team hasn’t promoted anyone to the position.  He has insisted that not much will change in terms of how the Buccaneers operate.

 

Having more talent will, naturally, create more success for Bowles.  Often in the NFL, we see coaches and players put into situations that are impossible to win, and have it negatively affect their career.  Bowles will enter a situation where, barring injury, there won’t be any excuse for not being a Super Bowl contender.  This situation will let the league know much more about his abilities as a head coach than his situation with the Jets.

Can Tom Brady win his eighth Super Bowl?

It feels like a strange question to ask, as before Brady, the record for Super Bowl wins by a quarterback was four, set by Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw.  Brady will enter 2022 with the chance to double that mark, which would have been viewed as unfathomable not too long ago.

 

The Buccaneers have as good of a roster as any team in the NFL, as has been the case for the past three seasons.  They are very balanced on offense and defense, and with Brady under center, it is not difficult to envision them hoisting the Lombardi trophy at the end of the season.  Tampa Bay finished 2020 ranked in the top-ten in both scoring offense and scoring defense.  They improved on that in 2021, as they ranked in the top-five in both categories.

 

Entering 2022, the Buccaneers Super Bowl odds currently sit at +700, trailing only the Buffalo Bills.  Their +330 odds of winning the NFC are currently the best in the conference.  They are, by far, the favorites in the NFC South with -250 odds, while their odds of making the postseason sit at -650.  The over/under on the Buccaneers win total currently sits at 11.5 wins.  As for Brady, his +800 odds of picking up his fourth MVP award trail only Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

 

The Buccaneers roster is loaded on both sides of the ball.  As great as the roster was in 2021, it could be even better, if they are not hit with all the injuries that they faced last year.  Adding Jones and Gage to a wide receiver room that already includes Godwin and Mike Evans gives the Buccaneers, arguably, the deepest wide receiver room in the NFL.  With Brady showing no signs of slowing down, even at 45, it is hard to see how they don’t, once again, have a top-tier offense.  With a defense that is loaded with talent at all levels, the roster doesn’t have any holes.

 

It is easy to see why they are one of the favorites to win the third Super Bowl in franchise history.  While they will have to get through similarly talented teams such as the Rams and Green Bay Packers in order to make the Super Bowl, counting Brady out, even at this stage of his career, isn’t smart.