The Good, Bad, and Ugly

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to begin training camp at the end of July, and they’ll be coming off an offseason with quite a few changes.

The Bucs brought on numerous free agents to fill some gaps left by departing players like Mike Evans and Lavonte David, and their draft class was well-regarded after bringing in quite a few highly athletic players with high potential. The Bucs also brought on new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who has been slowly installing his offense throughout the offseason.

There’s a lot to like about what the Bucs have done with all of that change — but as always, there’s some cause for concern. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly of Tampa Bay’s offseason so far.

Good: Energy and Attitude

The Buccaneers have spoken at length about how much they wanted the culture to change in Tampa Bay, and things are looking up in that area as training camp looms.

Head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht brought on some free agents and draft picks that Bowles called “alpha dogs” in a recent interview with the New York Times. Players like A’Shawn Robinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Rueben Bain Jr. and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, among others, were signed to inject some attitude into Tampa Bay’s culture.

So far, that seems to be paying off. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, speaking specifically about Robinson, noted during minicamp that those players are already making a big impact on Tampa Bay.

“I think people have said it — we needed to get some a–holes over there,” Mayfield said during minicamp. “He sets the tone in a different manner… he brings a physical presence, and you can kinda see it stamped on his forehead.”

The Bucs are hoping a change of energy can help find that “killer instinct” Todd Bowles has been looking for, and results so far are positive.

Bad: Contract Disputes

Nothing can put a dent in that new attitude like contract disputes, though. And the Bucs are facing two of them.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield is looking for a new deal as he’s set to play on the third year of his $33 million APY contract he signed in 2024. Although he’s stressed that he and the Buccaneers are both looking to get a deal done, he’s given them a deadline of training camp before he’s done negotiating his contract this season.

Defensive tackle Vita Vea, meanwhile, is also in the last year of his $17 million APY deal, and he’s looking to get paid like a top tackle. Vea “held in” during mandatory minicamp, and it’s unknown what his plan is if he still isn’t extended by training camp.

The Bucs likely want both players back, but Mayfield will be the No. 1 priority when it comes to getting a deal done. Vea’s future is up in the air, and that uncertainty is never comfortable for a team looking to bounce back like the Bucs are.

Ugly: Recurring Injuries

The Buccaneers are still dealing with some injuries, and especially some injuries to key players.

Cornerback Benjamin Morrison made a nice pick in OTAs, but he was held out for the last week and then the entirety of mandatory minicamp. Likewise, running back Bucky Irving is still recovering from a shoulder injury, and draft picks Keionte Scott and DeMonte Capehart are still nursing wrist injuries.

Other players, like safety Miles Killebrew and cornerbacks Chase Lucas and Kemon Hall, were also banged up during this last phase of the offseason. There’s plenty of time to rest, but if any of these injuries linger into training camp, they’ll be something to monitor for a team that was very hurt last season.

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