The NFL preseason is in full swing (as much as it can be, at least), which means the regular season is just around the corner.
That means Sundays (and a Monday and Thursday and maybe sometimes Saturdays?) will soon be occupied with cannons being fired, unhealthy food being eaten, and ugly football jerseys getting worn by people who think a curl route has something to do with hair.
That’s alright, I still don’t really know what the hell a 4 tech is and cite statistics whose calculations, to me, remain a mystery.
But here are some storylines to potentially monitor throughout the rest of the preseason and into the regular season, which kicks off for the Bucs on Sunday, Sept. 13 when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals.
Baker Mayfield’s contract
There have been a lot of conflicting reports about what’s been offered and discussed between the two sides. Did the Bucs actually offer a two-year, $100+ million deal? How much of that was guaranteed? Did Baker Mayfield really want a longer term deal? Should an average NFL QB be getting more than $50 million a year?
I don’t know the answers to any of those questions, but there seems to be a lingering belief that an agreement will be reached at some point.
If not, Mayfield, who’s just 31 years old, has committed to playing through the contract. No sitting or holding out, and rightfully so; if Mayfield has an excellent season, he can increase his asking price by quite a bit. And he’s certainly not one to ever lack confidence.
For the Bucs, if they wait and he has another mixed-bag-season like last year, they can reevaluate their options after the season and make a more informed decision.
But it’d be fine if Tampa Bay manages to re-sign him during the season. Mayfield is a likable player capable of leading them to division titles, and trying to find his replacement could send them back to the dark ages of top five picks and wasted careers.
Who’s going to be running routes for the Bucs?
The departure of Mike Evans was one of the more disheartening developments of the offseason, and now the Bucs have to figure out the future for their group of pass catchers.
There isn’t much doubt as to who the main guys are: Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, and Ted Hurst all figure to be contributors at the wide receiver spot.
But the health of Godwin and J-Mac (even Egbuka) is a massive question mark. Luckily, Tez Johnson (the assumed WR5) proved to at least be capable of filling in last season.
It’s still something to look for, as the offense looked lost without its top pass catchers and ultimately was at least part of the reason for the unit’s epic collapse in the second half of last season.
Speaking of that collapse…
Todd Bowles’ job security
Yawn, another NFL team with fans that hate the head coach.
It’s not unfounded; a team can’t go 2-7 to finish out a season without there being some serious questions about the people in charge.
And if the Bucs have another difficult season where they miss the postseason, it’ll be difficult to justify bringing Todd Bowles back for the next era of Bucs football.
Evans and Lavonte David are gone, and Bowles could be next if the Bucs are sitting at home watching playoff games from the couch.
Rueben Bain Jr. and the new-look defense
Considered the steal of the draft, Rueben Bain Jr. was a monster at the University of Miami. His short arms caused him to fall into the Bucs’ laps in the middle of the first round with the 15th overall pick.
They also drafted off-ball linebacker Josiah Trotter and slot cornerback Keionte Scott, and brought in some veteran free agents to fill out the group.
That free agency class was headlined by linebacker Alex Anzalone, but other signings such as defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad bring a real edge to the group that has been missing for a few years now.
So, the Bucs have a bunch of new guys on the defensive side of the ball, with Bain being the potential star.
Could this be a potential strength of the team? Obviously the secondary is still a question mark, as Jamel Dean leaving in free agency leaves a vacancy at CB1 that’s being “filled” by Zyon McCollum.
The second corner and slot roles are also potential issues, as Scott has been featured prominently in the latter role throughout preseason. But is second year man Jacob Parrish, who spent over 80% of his snaps last year in the slot, ready to kick outside?
The front seven is solid, with Bain, YaYa Diaby, recently extended Vita Vea, and those new linebackers anchoring what could be a sneaky-good group.
But the backside could be just as bad as ever. The hope is that the pass rush is so good that it won’t matter, and the expectation is that the group will be stout against the run.
We’ll see.
Is Bucky Irving a one-season wonder?
Running back Bucky Irving had one of the more magical rookie seasons in Bucs history, helping lead what was one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL in 2024.
Last year was a step back for the former Oregon Duck. He missed time to injury and when on the field was seemingly unable to make up for the Bucs having a skeleton crew at offensive line due to a litany of injuries.
He no longer has running mate Rachaad White in the backfield to sub in for obvious passing situations, but the team did bring in free agent Kenneth Gainwell, who was a solid pass catcher for the Steelers last year.
There are also discussions surrounding Sean Tucker’s future, whether he will be on the team as RB3 or if he’ll be cut in favor of second-year man Josh Williams.
Regardless, the Bucs’ running game will likely begin and end with Irving. It’ll be up to him (and the offensive line) to see if it’s any good.
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This article appears in August 20 – 26, 2026.
