Three questions for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason

“We have the right pieces.”

Those are the words of Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Goodwin after their loss at Ford Field in the divisional round against the Detroit Lions telling reporters about his thoughts on the Super Bowl LV champions having themselves in going into the offseason and potentially having championship aspirations.

This was a season where the Buccaneers overachieved, that is without a shadow of a doubt. After three years of aggressive spending to maximise their championship window with Tom Brady, the Buccaneers are now facing the consequences of their financial strategy. There will be thoughts about the upcoming offseason where a lot of key decisions will have to be made around roster construction and what the coaching staff will look like and what the Buccaneers will need to do if they want to be considered legitimate contenders next season. 

Here are some things that will need to be considered this upcoming off-season for the Bucs if they want to compete again.

Pay Baker Mayfield, or not?

For any team, Free Agency will be the important phase of roster construction and retention but for Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht will have a headache on tough choices who to keep and how to build on this season.

The Bucs are projected to have about $48.7 million in cap space, but that figure will not be enough to maintain the core of their free agents. They have about 15 free agents which includes quarterback Baker Mayfield. 

The former Sooner who excelled this season beyond expectations showed major signs of improvement in the pocket and calmness that was only seen before his injuries in his time at the Cleveland Browns. Mayfield left Ford Field with three touchdowns and 349 yards but it was a mixed performance, however it will not deter the Bucs from offering him an extension as he proved how good he was finishing the regular season with 94.6 passer rating with 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 

These stats are what top-10 QBs usually put up…however will the Bucs be willing to risk committing that much money to him. To put in perspective how much Mayfiled could command, New York Giants QB Daniel Jones who had a very poor season makes about $40 million per year on his new contract.

Mayfield likes it in Tampa, but if they’re not willing to commit an amount of money that appeals to him…he will have other suitors and the Bucs could lose or perhaps they could avoid a mistake like the San Francisco 49ers did with Jimmy Garoppolo. 

Which impending free agents will they re-sign?

While Mayfield has been the topic of discussion, players like Evans, Winfield Jr, and key defensive players like Devin White, Lavonte David, and Greg Gaines are among the 15 veterans who will enter free agency once 13th of March comes by.

As there are also cap hits for 2024 include wide receiver Chris Godwin, defensive tackle Vita Vea, and cornerback Carlton Davis. Considering all of that, the tough decisions will have to be made about who prioritises on who to bring. 

Mike Evans is perhaps the most important impending free agent as he will most definitely get looks from other teams as he has been a consistent 1000+ receiving yards. There are a lot of teams looking to improve their wide receiver depth or get a new WR1. Evans fits the bill and will be able to command a big contract, perhaps not as big as CeeDee Lamb wants…but big enough that the Bucs will need to think strategically about how much they want to commit to their 2014 first-rounder.

Losing Evans would be a massive blow to them as they will lose a model of what consistency looks like. He has shown whoever is at QB, he will make big plays for them whether it was Brady or Josh McCown.

There also are cases to bring a lot of the veterans back as they have all been a core part of what makes the Bucs who they are…however that is not the reality and there have been telltale signs about who might not come back. Devin White is one of them. In just four years, White went from being an All-Pro linebacker during the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl campaign to facing doubts about his reliability and consistency.

In the recent playoff game against the Detroit Lions, White’s role was significantly reduced, and his performance within Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme was described as brutal. He made a critical mistake by passing off Josh Reynolds to no one, leading to an early Lions touchdown.

This poor showing has raised concerns about White’s future with the Buccaneers, especially considering his status as a former top-five draft pick. In what was essentially a contract year for the linebacker, his performance fell far short of the franchise player he once appeared to be.

The return of those stars will depend on the salary cap manoeuvres or potential hometown discounts. However, Evans should take precedence as the priority. His impressive performance this year, his significance to Mayfield’s future, the city of Tampa Bay, and the NFL, all underscore the importance of securing his continued presence.

Who replaces Dave Canales as OC?

Dave Canales, the first-year offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is now set to take over as the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Known for revitalising the careers of quarterbacks Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield in the past two seasons, Canales is being given a six-year deal to lure him to move to Charlotte.

The 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, struggled in his rookie season, and Canales’ positive influence could be beneficial. Having spent 14 years with Pete Carroll, Canales expressed his readiness for a head coaching role. His connection with Dan Morgan, the Panthers’ president of football operations/general manager, from their time in Seattle might give him an inside track for the job. Despite the Buccaneers losing in the NFC division-round game, Canales helped Mayfield achieve career highs, making him a promising candidate for the Panthers’ coaching position.

The significance of being unable to retain Canales will have an impact on the team’s offensive progress and the development of key players. His departure first and foremost means that the Buccaneers need to find a new offensive coordinator, potentially leading to a transition in offensive systems and impacting the continued development of Mayfield and the team’s offensive players.

But it’s not just that, it’s also the fact that the Buccaneers can position them to be competitive again and perhaps go further to challenge for a Super Bowl. This can all happen if the conditions are right for Mayfield and that starts with retaining Canales. Like Goodwin said, they have all the right pieces…it’s just about carefully choosing what is right so they can remain competitive while managing their salary cap situation.