The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have missed out on the playoffs in 2019, but the Buccaneer playoff drought may come to an end in 2020.
While rags to riches stories may not be that common in the NFL in terms of team quality, they certainly aren’t impossible. Just look at what the San Francisco 49ers are doing this year. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers should take notes.
The 49ers were one of the worst teams in the NFL in the 2018/2019 season and no one could have expected the meteoric rise that they experienced this year. San Francisco was able to show that a good scheme and intelligent head coach can go a long way in turning around a program.
The Buccaneers should take heart in the turnaround that the 49ers have experienced and this should lead to confidence from the fanbase in the possibility of a playoff appearance. The Super Bowl may be a long shot, but as of now it has been proven that nothing is impossible.
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The Buccaneers are a team that got hot at the right time. Tampa Bay was able to play at a very high level to end the season and if they had only started out marginally better they could have made the playoffs.
Bucs fans should also take heart in the fact that the NFC South, which has been notoriously difficult over the last few years, looks to be primed for a dip in overall quality in 2020.
The quarterback situation for the Carolina Panthers is totally up in the air and it almost feels like there is no right answer for the Panthers in-house. Cam Newton‘s injuries seem insurmountable, and if they move on a draft pick will experience growing pains.
Luke Kuechly is also moving on from the Panthers which makes their defense less formidable for Jameis Winston.
The Atlanta Falcons are sitting in a similar situation to the Bucs in that both teams heated up at the same time during the season. The Falcons aren’t making any massive changes this offseason but their defense will still struggle to keep pace with the Buccaneer offense.
The Saints are the final team and are a difficult one to figure out. If Drew Brees retires and is replaced by Taysom Hill, the future looks bright for the Bucs. If Drew Brees stays, that becomes a coin toss due to the injuries that he experiences compared to his high potential.
The final scenario for the Saints is that Teddy Bridgewater takes over the reins of quarterback. This situation proves the most dangerous for the Buccaneers as Bridgewater has the highest potential and could terrorize the Bucs for years to come.
Regardless of the steps back that the rest of the NFC South is taking, the Buccaneers are starting to look like a much more complete team. The defense was playing at an elite level to end the season and the Buccaneer offense is one of the best in the league.
Bruce Arians certainly has the team on the right track. Assuming BA can make the right decisions in free agency and the draft this offseason, the Buccaneers are in a prime position to compete in 2020 and maybe even make an appearance in the playoffs.