SR’s FAB 5: Bucs’ 2025 Pewter Predictions

INTRO: And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for – my Pewter Predictions edition of SR’s FAB 5. Do you want to know what record I think the Bucs will have this season? Who will be Tampa Bay’s MVPs? Who will lead the team in sacks and interceptions? You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers. And I think you’re going to like what I have to say. Enjoy!

FAB 1. Pewter Predictions – Bucs MVPs, Pro Bowlers

The Buccaneers kick off their 2025 season at Atlanta on September 7 against a Falcons team that swept them last year. So it’s time to offer up some Pewter Predictions for 2025. Let’s start with the team’s MVPs and expected Pro Bowlers.

2025 Bucs Offensive MVP
QB Baker Mayfield

If Tampa Bay is going to go where it wants to go this year – deep into the playoffs and ideally the Super Bowl – the Offensive MVP needs to be Baker Mayfield. He needs to play like the $100 million man who is looking to improve on a record season and earn a big, fat raise and an extension in the 2026 offseason prior to his contract year.

Sure, a massive season from future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans – think 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns from No. 13 – would be fantastic for Tampa Bay. A 1,200-yard, 10-touchdown season from running back Bucky Irving would certainly be welcomed. But the Buccaneers need Mayfield to play like he did last year when he passed for a career-high 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, while completing a franchise-record 71.4% of his passes if they want to continue with double-digit wins and NFC South championships, which opens the door for home playoff games.

Cutting down on his league-leading 16 interceptions is Mayfield’s focus this year. If he can pare that number down to 10-12 it could result in another win or two this season.

Simply put, Tampa Bay will only go as far as Mayfield takes them. He’s the franchise’s only two-time Pro Bowl quarterback. And if he makes a third Pro Bowl this season it likely means the team had another successful season that ended in late January – or perhaps in February.

2025 Bucs Defensive MVP
OLB Haason Reddick

The Buccaneers defense has several worthy candidates for Defensive MVP honors, which is nice for a change. Head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles would love to see star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. return to his All-Pro form and take this honor. Defensive tackles Calijah Kancey and Pro Bowler Vita Vea are each in the legitimate running after combining for 14.5 sacks last year from the interior. Can legendary linebacker Lavonte David squeeze out one more magical season in red and pewter at age 35? I’m not betting against him.

But the Bucs need some of their young stars to truly ascend this year and turn into Pro Bowl-caliber players. I’m looking at you, Yaya Diaby, SirVocea Dennis and cornerback Zyon McCollum. Diaby should thrive playing on the right of outside linebacker opposite Haason Reddick, a proven pass rusher with four seasons of double-digit sacks from 2020-23, and get a bunch of clean-up sacks with QBs running away from Reddick.

Dennis has the versatility and athleticism to be a do-it-all linebacker with 100 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions. McCollum should emerge as a five-interception, lock-down cornerback in his contract year.

Yet if Tampa Bay’s defense truly wants to go to the next level and be dangerous in 2025, Reddick needs to lead the way. He signed a one-year, $14 million prove-it deal this offseason with the aim of bringing 10-plus sacks to Tampa Bay due to his experience. At age 31, Reddick is out to prove he’s still a dangerous pass rusher.

There’s a common denominator between the 2002 Super Bowl Buccaneers team and the team that took home another Lombardi Trophy in 2020. Tampa Bay had a dominant edge rusher. In 2002 it was Simeon Rice. In 2020 it was the dangerous duo of Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett. Reddick needs to be that guy if the Bucs truly have Super Bowl aspirations.

2025 Bucs Special Teams MVP
K Chase McLaughlin

I’m going to stick with my theme of who the MVP needs to be when selecting this one for Special Teams. The Buccaneers could certainly use a better punter after cycling through three of them last year. Tampa Bay hopes that veteran Riley Dixon can bring consistency and stability to the punter position in 2025.

Hopes are high that special teams can truly be special in the return game this season. Sean Tucker has the speed and ability to take a kickoff return the distance, while Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson have the agility, vision and burst to make a house call with a punt return.

But the team needs Chase “Money” McLaughlin to truly be “money” again this year. McLaughlin needs to be nearly automatic inside of 40 yards, make more than 50% of his kicks from beyond 50 yards and come clutch again with pressure kicks and game winners. In his first two seasons in Tampa Bay, McLaughlin connected on 93.5% (2023) and 93.8% (2024) of his field goal attempts. He needs to deliver a similar percentage above 90% again in 2025 if the Buccaneers want to go Lombardi Trophy hunting.

2025 Bucs Pro Bowlers

The Buccaneers are one of the most talented teams in the NFC, and that’s why they are not only favorites to win the NFC South again, but also contend for Super Bowl LX this season. On offense, it’s possible – and perhaps plausible – that the Buccaneers land four offensive players in the Pro Bowl.

Baker Mayfield is a two-time Pro Bowler, and once you’re in the Pro Bowl club it’s a lot easier to re-enter than it is to get in the first time. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs is not only a four-time Pro Bowler, he’s a two-time All-Pro. Mike Evans has made six Pro Bowls, including each of the last two years. Those three are the most likely as long as they stay healthy and prosper this year.

A big year from running back Bucky Irving, who is gaining in popularity league-wide, could land him in his first Pro Bowl, too.

On defense, the most likely candidates are the three players that have been there before. Newcomer Haason Reddick was a two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher in Philly. Defensive tackle Vita Vea has made the Pro Bowl twice, including last year. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has a Pro Bowl under his belt, in addition to a first-team All-Pro distinction after the 2023 season following a Pro Bowl snub.

Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and outside linebacker Yaya Diaby may earn their first Pro Bowls in 2025 – if either or both can get to double-digit sacks.

Nine Pro Bowlers in Tampa Bay seems a little much, so let’s say five make it. Mayfield, Wirfs, Evans, Vea and Winfield seem the most likely if they all have productive seasons as expected. The Bucs would love to see Reddick turn in a Pro Bowl-caliber season, too.

FAB 2. Pewter Predictions – Other Top-Notch Bucs

Now that the Bucs MVPs and Pewter Pro Bowlers have been named, who will be the best rookie and free agent acquisition? Which Tampa Bay players will be the most improved on offense and defense? Let’s take a stab at it.

Best Bucs Rookie
WR Emeka Egbuka

Emeka Egbuka, the team’s first-round pick, will not only start as a rookie, but he’ll be filling in for Chris Godwin Jr. in the slot. That’s key because Josh Grizzard’s passing attack goes through the slot receiver. The origin of this offense is in Los Angeles where Sean McVay has featured the likes of Pro Bowl receivers Cooper Kupp and Puca Nakua. Not only will Egbuka hold down the fort until Godwin returns around Week 5 or 6, he should thrive in that role because he’s a Godwin clone at 6-foot-1, 205 with Godwin’s blend of size, speed and physicality.

When Godwin returns, those two will share slot duties and Egbuka will also see some time at the Z receiver (flanker) spot where Jalen McMillan usually lines up. McMillan could miss the first two months of the season with a severe neck strain and Sterling Shepard will start the year there while Egbuka is in the slot. Then Egbuka will slide outside and replace Shepard as the fill-in for McMillan when Godwin returns to the lineup. Expect a season with 50-plus catches for 700-plus yards and a handful of touchdowns from the rookie receiver.

Jacob Parrish, the team’s third-round pick who won the nickelback role, is the other rookie in contention for this distinction. If Parrish thrives in the slot and comes away with four or five interceptions during his rookie season he could challenge Egbuka for this honor.

Best Bucs Free Agent Acquisition
OLB Haason Reddick

The Buccaneers didn’t do much in free agency this year in terms of signing external players. General manager Jason Licht prefers to draft and develop players and pay his own proven players in free agency. But Tampa Bay did need to find an experienced edge rusher that could threaten opposing quarterbacks on a down-in, down-out basis. That player is Haason Reddick, who is coming off a very down year with the Jets in 2024 after being acquired by New York in a trade with Philadelphia.

The Bucs expect Reddick to return to form this season as an explosive edge rusher capable of putting up double-digit sacks. Reddick expects that from himself, too. He’s seeking a rich, multi-year contract in 2026 from Tampa Bay or another team, so expect him to be highly motivated this season. Opposing quarterbacks: prepare to be hunted.

In a year when Tampa Bay didn’t dive too deep in free agency, Reddick is the logical choice to be free agent acquisition of the year. If it turns out to be free agent punter Riley Dixon instead, then Tampa Bay’s 2025 season has gone awry.

Most Improved Offensive Player
C Graham Barton

In keeping with my theme of players that need to step up if Tampa Bay is going to have true Super Bowl aspirations, second-year center Graham Barton needs to take his game to the next level. Barton shined at times as the team’s starting center as a rookie. His strength and athleticism were on display plenty of times during his rookie campaign.

But there were some growing pains that happen when first-year players are thrust into the starting lineup in a trial-by-fire scenario. Barton learned some hard lessons in 2024, including a premature snap on third down that stalled a drive inside the Washington red zone that prompted the Bucs to kick a game-tying field goal late in the playoff loss to the Commanders instead of possibly scoring the go-ahead touchdown.

Barton had an up-and-down training camp and preseason and needs to take a big leap forward in 2025 the way that right guard Cody Mauch did last year in his second season in red and pewter. Facing Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey in training camp every day should have Barton better prepared for his second year in this offseason, too.

Most Improved Defensive Player
FS Antoine Winfield Jr.

There’s no doubt that inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis needs to take his game to the next level in his third season in Tampa Bay. Dennis is slated to start alongside Lavonte David and his surgically-repaired shoulder has him healthy and ready to live up to his vast potential. He needs to show some real improvement and prove to be an upgrade over K.J. Britt in the middle of the defense in 2025.

Yet the Most Improved Defensive Player needs to truly be free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. He’s Todd Bowles’ ultimate chess piece who can stymie on offense in many different ways. After a Herculean 2023 season in which he had 122 tackles, six sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions to make his first All-Pro team, Winfield was hurt for most of the 2024 season and missed eight games due to foot and knee injuries.

As a result, Winfield notched just 60 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries, including a scoop-and-score, but failed to force a fumble or get an interception for the first time in his five-year career in Tampa Bay. Simply put, when Winfield is special, the Bucs defense has the chance to be special. Bowles and the Bucs need a bounce-back season from Winfield in 2025.

FAB 3. Pewter Predictions – Bucs Stats Leaders

Tampa Bay’s offense is the envy of the league with quarterback Baker Mayfield and two of the deepest positions in the entire NFL at wide receiver and running back. Todd Bowles is counting on a revitalized defense in 2025 and needs to see more sacks and interceptions from his unit if the Bucs want to win the NFC South for a fifth straight time and truly contend for a Super Bowl. Here are my predictions.

Bucs Leading Rusher
RB Bucky Irving

If all goes according to plan, Bucky Irving should be the team’s leading rusher in 2025. He’s slated to start and build a very promising rookie season in which he ran for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns. Irving emerged as the starter midway through the 2024 season after being named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a career-high 152 yards and a touchdown in the team’s 26-23 overtime win at Carolina.

If Irving isn’t the leading rusher and Rachaad White is, that means the scrappy second-year back got hurt. White has every incentive to make the most of his carries and catches count, as he’s entering a big contract year. But the team would like to see Irving be the lead back and White be the complementary back and third down specialist in the team’s 1-2 punch backfield with some Sean Tucker sprinkled in for good measure.

Bucs Leading Receiver
WR Mike Evans

Without Chris Godwin Jr. for at least the first month of the season expect to see the Mike Evans Show early. Evans just turned 32, but is coming off his best training camp and seems poised for what could be a big and historic season. He’s aiming to break Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s NFL record of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Evans is currently tied with Rice, and if he stays healthy, a record 12th consecutive 1,000-yard season should be on tap in 2025.

Evans was second fiddle in the passing game to Godwin last year through the first seven weeks of the season. When Godwin was lost with a season-ending ankle injury, Evans poured on the production after the bye week and keyed the Bucs’ playoff run. Expect Evans to have a much hotter start to the season this  year with Godwin’s absence. Baker Mayfield has the highest degree of confidence in throwing to Evans above all others, and pencil M1K3 in for 80 catches and 1,200 yards or more with at least 10 touchdowns.

Leading Sacker
OLB Haason Reddick

The Bucs would love to see their latest big investment pay the most dividends with veteran outside linebacker Haason Reddick leading the team in sacks with at least 10 in 2025. Reddick had four straight years of double-digit sacks from 2020-23 with his best year coming in 2022 in Philadelphia with a career-high 16 sacks and five forced fumbles.

At age 31, Reddick is highly motivated to return to form following a disastrous season with the dumpster-fire Jets in which he held out for the first seven games of the season and recorded just one sack in 10 games played. While the team would be thrilled to see Reddick be the Bucs’ first double-digit sacker since 2021, the team would love to see several players challenge Reddick for the sack title in Tampa Bay – namely fellow outside linebacker Yaya Diaby and defensive tackles Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea.

Bucs Leading Interceptor
CB Zyon McCollum

Tampa Bay’s secondary was woeful when it came to interceptions last year. The Bucs defense only had seven interceptions in 18 games, including the playoff loss to the Commanders, with the defensive backs accounting for six of them. That is simply unacceptable and head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles put an emphasis on playing tighter coverage, picking off more passes and finding more ballhawks in 2025. The Bucs already have a player they think can become a true ballhawk in cornerback Zyon McCollum, who was tied for the team lead with two interceptions last year.

McCollum had an interception in the Week 2 preseason game at Pittsburgh and is entering a contract year. A big season with somewhere between three to five picks could land him a massive contract extension in Tampa Bay. And more importantly, a season like that could propel the Bucs to the Super Bowl. McCollum will get competition from safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith, in addition to nickelback Jacob Parrish and middle linebacker SirVocea Dennis, but expect the fourth-year cornerback to come out on top.

FAB 4. Predicting Bucs’ Wins And Losses In 2025

Now comes the fun part – the part of this SR’s FAB 5 that you all have been waiting for. How many games will the 2025 Buccaneers win? Last year I was dead on – all of the Pewter Reporters were, actually – with a 10-6 prediction. I think Tampa Bay is trending up under Todd Bowles, who won eight games in his first season as head coach in 2022, then posted nine wins in 2023 and hit 10 victories last year. So going 11-6 feels right.

If you are aiming higher than that, I’ll remind you that the Bucs went 11-5 in 2020 and won Super Bowl LV but fell short the next year despite a franchise-best 13-4 record. With a game-by-game breakdown, here is how the Bucs get to 11 wins in 2025.

WEEK 1: Buccaneers at Falcons – WIN

The Bucs are 3-0 in the last three years in season openers under Todd Bowles, including wins on the road at Dallas (2022) and at Minnesota (2023). Bowles and the coaching staff get this team prepared to win early. The fact that the Falcons swept the Bucs last year will serve as extra motivation for an opening day with against their NFC South rival. Tampa Bay’s pass rush rules in Atlanta with Haason Reddick getting to Michael Penix Jr. more than once. BUCS = 1-0

WEEK 2: Buccaneers at Texans – WIN

Tampa Bay would love to have All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs back for Monday Night Football in Week 2 at Houston. The Texans defense is stout under Demeco Ryans and led by defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who each had double-digit sacks in 2024. This game will come down to which offensive line protects the quarterback better, and which defensive line causes the most havoc up front. Tampa Bay’s offensive firepower might be too much for Houston to contend with. BUCS = 2-0

WEEK 3: Buccaneers vs. Jets – WIN

I forgot to mention that the Bucs are also undefeated in Week 2 under Todd Bowles, and actually have fared poorly in Week 3 and are actually 0-3 over the past three seasons. Expect that to change against the lowly Jets, who are in a clear rebuild this season. The Bucs have more talent, and that should be enough – unless edge rushers Will McDonald IV and Jermaine Johnson win up front and rattle Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay will be donning the old 1976 throwback jerseys. The Bucs never won a game in them during that season, so that has to change, right? Right?! BUCS = 3-0

WEEK 4: Buccaneers vs. Eagles – LOSS

Tampa Bay has owned Philadelphia the last two times the teams have faced each other at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs registered two blowout wins, including a 33-16 stomping in Week 4 last year. But the Eagles will be out for revenge, and the outcome of this game will go a long way in determining playoff seeding in the NFC. A 4-0 start to the season seems unlikely for Tampa Bay, so let’s give the team a loss against a very tough opponent. BUCS = 3-1

WEEK 5: Buccaneers at Seahawks – LOSS

I’m not sure what the Seahawks are or will be this year. Good team? Bad team? Mediocre team? Tampa Bay has lost in overtime the last two times its played in Seattle in 2019 and 2013. That’s ancient history, but Seattle does have a robust home field advantage with the 12th Man. This feels like a loss for some reason, even though the Bucs are the better team. BUCS = 3-2

WEEK 6: Buccaneers vs. 49ers – WIN

Tampa Bay has this game circled on the schedule. San Francisco has been the Bucs’ nemesis in the NFC in recent years with three straight wins over the last three seasons. The good news for Tampa Bay is that its getting closer, and last year’s game at Raymond James Stadium was decided with a game-winning field goal by the 49ers on the last play. The Bucs are out for revenge and get it against a 49ers team that is not as formidable as it once was. BUCS = 4-2

WEEK 7: Buccaneers at Lions – LOSS

The Bucs got some revenge on the Lions last year in Detroit in Week 2 after getting swept during the 2023 season, including a loss in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs. Now it’s the Lions’ turn for revenge against the Bucs. This game could be high-scoring due to the offensive firepower that both teams have, or low-scoring due to improved play from both defenses. I’m not sure what the final score will look like, but this feels like a road loss on Monday Night Football for Baker Mayfield and Co. BUCS = 4-3

WEEK 8: Buccaneers at Saints – WIN

The Saints may be the worst team in the NFL this year. But regardless of the talent level, New Orleans always plays Tampa Bay close because of the rivalry in the NFC South. These two teams don’t like each other, but the Bucs have more talent. Throw in the fact that Todd Bowles is 5-1 versus the Saints, including 3-0 in the Big Easy and I’m going with a win here. This is a much-needed victory heading into the bye week as a 5-3 record looks much better than 4-4. BUCS = 5-3

WEEK 9: BYE WEEK

WEEK 10: Buccaneers vs. Patriots – WIN

The Bucs come out of the bye strong with a home win over the Patriots, who are in rebuilding mode with head coach Mike Vrabel. This one could get ugly as there is a talent differential between Tampa Bay and New England. Plus the Bucs have become accustomed to pouring it on after the bye week and finishing strong down the stretch. With two tough road games looming, Todd Bowles and Co. need a victory here. BUCS = 6-3

WEEK 11: Buccaneers at Bills – LOSS

This game could be an MVP showdown between quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen, and a possible Super Bowl preview. The Bucs and Bills have a lot of talent and playoff experience. Tampa Bay lost a close game two years in Buffalo, and this one should be close, too. The Bills have a mighty home field advantage, though. BUCS = 6-4

WEEK 12: Buccaneers at Rams – LOSS

Back-to-back losses sting, and Tampa Bay will encounter it for a second time this year. The Rams have rebuilt their defense in quick order following the departure of future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. Sean McVay always seems to give Todd Bowles and the Bucs fits. That will likely continue in prime time in Los Angeles on Sunday Night Football. BUCS = 6-5

WEEK 13: Buccaneers vs. Cardinals – WIN

Will the Bucs be a playoff team? Are they a threat to win a fifth straight division title? Can they be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender? If so, Tampa Bay needs to pour it on down the stretch. Thankfully the Bucs are used to it over the last two years. This is a must-win game to avoid sliding down to .500 for the first time this year. With Bucs Ring of Honor member Simeon Rice looking on, Yaya Diaby and Haason Reddick make life miserable for Kyler Murray. BUCS = 7-5

WEEK 14: Buccaneers vs. Saints – WIN

Sweeping the Saints is something that has become customary under Todd Bowles’ watch. For some reason, New Orleans always seems to play better in Tampa Bay than in the Superdome, so this won’t be easy. But again, the Saints just aren’t that talented, and hope is fading in New Orleans on the 2025 season. The Bucs pick up back-to-back wins and some momentum. BUCS = 8-5

WEEK 15: Buccaneers vs. Falcons – LOSS

Oh, those creamsicle jerseys are going to glow under the bright lights of Thursday Night Football at Raymond James Stadium. But history has not been kind to the Bucs when wearing their orange throwback jerseys. As much as Tampa Bay would like to end Atlanta’s hopes of winning the NFC South division in prime time, Michael Penix Jr., a Dade City native, returns home and beats the Bucs late. The curse of the creamsicles continue … BUCS = 8-6

WEEK 16: Bucs at Panthers – WIN

It’s Week 16 and the Bucs have some work to do. They haven’t clinched the NFC South division yet, nor have they clinched a playoff spot. This has become par for the course under Todd Bowles, as his teams typically go down to the wire to enter the postseason – yet always seem to make that happen. This is another hard-fought game in Charlotte against the Fighting Dave Canaeleses, and another Bucs win over the Panthers. BUCS = 9-6

WEEK 17: Bucs at Dolphins – WIN

The Dolphins look a disaster waiting to happen this year. Will Mike McDaniel still be coaching in Miami in Week 17? Will Tua Tagovailoa still be at quarterback – or will he be on I.R.? Who knows? What I do know is that the Bucs should be able to handle the Dolphins on the road in a must-win game for Tampa Bay to get to 10 wins and clinch a playoff spot. The Bucs might even be able to clinch the division with a victory, depending on what happens elsewhere in the NFC South in Week 17. BUCS = 10-6

WEEK 18: Bucs vs. Panthers – WIN

The Bucs rarely lose home finales. Tampa Bay is 4-1 in home finales since 2020. With so much riding on this game – either needing a win to clinch the division again or to grab a better seed in the playoffs – the Bucs come through and finish the 2025 regular season with a 6-2 record at Raymond James Stadium and 11 wins on the year. That means a home Wild Card playoff game. After that? Well, stay tuned … BUCS = 11-6

FAB 5. Preseason Buc Shots

As the Bucs conclude their 2025 preseason and get ready for their season opener at Atlanta, here are some of my recent observations about your favorite team.

• The ceiling for the 2025 Buccaneers feels like 13 wins. As for the floor, if this team stays healthy but just doesn’t play well in some games this year or the ball doesn’t bounce the Bucs’ way, the talent should still prevail in at least 10 games. That’s why 11 wins feels right for this year’s team. Todd Bowles has shown a one-win improvement each year and I think that continues.

• It’s interesting that the Bucs didn’t agree to contract extensions with either tight end Cade Otton, right tackle Luke Goedeke or cornerback Zyon McCollum during training camp. I think the Bucs want to see how McCollum plays this year before extending him. Kind of like what happened when Antoine Winfield Jr. was forced to play on his contract year. Is McCollum a good, two-interception cornerback like he was last year? Or does he level up to become a great cornerback capable of snaring three to five picks a year?

I’m glad the Bucs didn’t extend Otton during camp. He missed a great deal of it with a hamstring injury and now he has another leg injury heading into Week 1. The Bucs should make him play in his contract year before dishing out a long-term deal that would pay him $12 million per season. Meanwhile, reserves Payne Durham and Devin Culp continue to improve.

I think the Bucs want to extend Goedeke first. He’s developed into a Pro Bowl-caliber right tackle. Will he ever be an All-Pro? It’s doubtful. He’s not in Penei Sewell or Lane Johnson territory. What’s interesting is the fact that the Bucs haven’t struck a deal yet. Could it be the rapid ascension of rookie swing tackle Ben Chukwuma that is giving Tampa Bay some pause?

Chukwuma could very well develop into a starting-caliber tackle sooner rather than later and he would be much cheaper on a rookie deal than Goedeke would be at $20 million-plus in 2026 moving forward.

• I’m going to call it right now. Sean Tucker returns a kickoff for a touchdown this year (maybe Week 1 at Atlanta?) and Tez Johnson returns a punt for a touchdown this season, too. Tampa Bay actually has a return game this year and its special teams will truly be special – and a team strength.

• I love Tykee Smith. I think he’s a big-time playmaker. But I do think there will be some growing pains in his move from nickelback to strong safety this year. Todd Bowles will want to play Antoine Winfield Jr. in the box at times to take advantage of his skill as a blitzer. That means that Smith will need to rotate back to free safety, which is not his strong suit. Smith is better in coverage underneath on short and intermediate routes.

The reason is that the Georgia product is more quick than fast, and Bowles should consider keeping Winfield back deep more and let centerfield interceptions be his splash plays rather than sacks as a blitzer. Smith can blitz and might be just as effective. Having Winfield, who is the faster of the two, back deep truly gives Bowles a better safety net downfield.

• I still have high hopes for rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison, the team’s second-rounder, even though he missed all of the preseason and a month of camp due to a hamstring injury. Missing the preseason could prove to be costly, as any rookie mistake Morrison will make will be magnified in games that count for real.

It’s so much better for rookies to learn some lessons during the preseason when the games don’t count. And I hope that the Bucs didn’t draft another injury-prone cornerback, as Morrison also missed the end of mandatory mini-camp with a hamstring injury. Trying to replace the oft-injured Jamel Dean with another oft-injured cornerback wouldn’t be ideal.

The Pewter Pregame And Pewter GameDay Shows Return In 2025

Make sure you tune into PewterReportTV, our YouTube channel, next Sunday, September 7 at 9:00 a.m. ET as the LIVE Pewter Pregame show returns. Matt Matera and I will be hosting the Pewter Pregame shows again this year, which happen every game day (Sundays, Mondays or Thursdays) at 9:00 a.m. ET.

We typically break a lot of injury news on the show and will get you ready for the big Bucs game later that day. Pewter Pregame also streams LIVE on our @PewterReport X and Facebook channels. If you miss the live broadcast the archived version will still be available for you to watch prior to kickoff on PewterReportTV.

And don’t forget to tune in to Pewter GameDay, which starts each Bucs game day at kickoff time. The show, which is hosted by Pewter Report’s Matt Matera, will be streamed LIVE on the PewterReportTV YouTube channel and on our X and Facebook channels at 1:00 p.m. ET in Week 1 as Tampa Bay invades Atlanta. Get Pewter Report’s live reaction to the action, plus our insight from the locker room during the week. It’s three hours of fun each week – whether the Bucs win or lose.