The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended the 2025 season in a three-way tie for first place. They lost the division to the Carolina Panthers. Normally, those kinds of seasons come with a pat on the back and an understanding that things didn't fall the right way despite a good season.
Who could be upset finishing with what would amount to a division title if not for a tie-breaker? Well, the problem for the Buccaneers is that all three teams finished below .500 at 8-9. Yeah, nothing to be proud of.
The 2026 season is supposed to be different. Last year was filled with unexpected injuries on both sides of the ball. Tampa had a good draft in April that filled needs and added defensive power; on paper, the Buccaneers look ready to retake the NFC South. USA Today, however, doesn't think so. They have the Bucs repeating last year's 8-9 record.
USA Today predicts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not improve in 2026
Tampa, according to the national publication, will lose the division to the, wait for it, New Orleans Saints. According to USA Today's predictions, the Saints will finish 10-7, two games above the Buccaneers. The Falcons and Panthers will both finish 6-11.
A year ago, the Saints were the bottom dwellers of the division. What's interesting is little has changed in New Orleans. Clearly, they believe Tyler Shough is going to have a fantastic season, but it's hard not to laugh at the four-game turnaround for the Saints from last year to this prediction.
The South is up for grabs, and it will get tough. The Falcons have added streaky and inconsistent quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The former Dolphins franchise QB has the talent to lead the Falcons, who have an incredibly strong running game, but the QB often folds toward the end of the season. If he leads the Falcons to the playoffs, it would be surprising.
Last year, the Panthers limped into the division title. They could challenge this year if they stay healthy. They made some quality additions in the offseason, including former Eagles and Dolphins edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.
While both the Falcons and Panthers are going to compete, it's hard to see the Saints turning it around that much in one year. To be honest, the Buccaneers, if they can stay healthy, may have the best chance to reach the playoffs as the division winner.
Mayfield is going to be out to prove his value to the Buccaneers and the rest of the NFL, as he could hit free agency next season. Tampa is a bit of an unknown, but the pieces are in place for a playoff team.
Add us as a preferred source on Google