NFL Power Rankings 2020 preseason: Where do LA Rams fall?
By Bret Stuter
Team 6 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are solid on defense and offense and just became very consistent with their QB play. If Brady stays healthy, they could be very good. But the NFL hype machine is on full with the Buccaneers right now. As such, the expectations for the team have overshot the mark by about two-three games.
2019 summary
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a team that could up 55 points against a good defense one week, but struggle to move the ball the next. Jameis Winston is a feast or famine QB, who could toss 5 TD passes or 5 INTs, and nobody knew which quarterback would show up. The defense played well enough to win.
Players lost
The Buccaneers lost DE Carl Nassib, DT Beau Allen, WR Breshad Perriman, RB Peyton Barber, QB Jameis Winston, and six players who remain unsigned
Players added
Did we mention that the team added QB Tom Brady and TE Rob Gronkowski? Plus OT Joe Haeg. In the 2020 NFL Draft, the team picked up OT Tristan Wirfs, RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn, WR Tyler Johnson, and more.
2020 outlook
As sacrilegious as this may sound, I don’t like the addition of Gronk with the Buccaneers, and especially now with his buddy Tom Brady. The Gronk-Brady pair appears to be more like a couple of fraternity guys on spring break, then two football players preparing for a championship run. Brady needs to familiarize himself with the numerous offensive weapons on the Bucs offense. The Buccaneers could take it all, or finish 9-7. For now, I’ll lean on the optimistic side.