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Last season was a rough one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, just two years removed from a Super Bowl win. Injuries decimated an older squad, but they did manage to win the NFC South, barely, in Tom Brady’s final year of pro football.
Matching last season’s 8-9 record in 2023 would be nothing short of a miracle for where the Buccaneers find themselves this year.
We’ll take a look at the latest DraftKings Sportsbook lines and predict if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can beat their 2023 win total. The odds below are as of April 29, 2023.
NFC South win totals
Atlanta Falcons: 8.5 (Over +110, Under -130)
Carolina Panthers: 7.5 (Over -120, Under +100)
New Orleans Saints: 9.5 (Over +105, Under -125)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Notable offseason moves
With a massive hole at quarterback, the Buccaneers took a chance on Baker Mayfield, hoping that his late season revival with the Los Angeles Rams last year was what they’ll get out of him this season. They got younger and healthier at running back with the addition of Chase Edmonds, and re-signing linebacker Lavonte David was no small accomplishment.
In the draft, the Bucs used their first-round pick to select defensive tackle Calijah Kancey from Pitt, giving their defensive line some pass rushing power. In the second round, they drafted North Dakota State offensive tackle Cody Mauch, addressing another pressing need. He’ll probably start inside at guard.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers prediction: UNDER 6.5
The Panthers were hamstrung by an aging roster and a terrible cap situation this year. They’ll need a season to dig their way out of that hole. It’s a safe bet to take the under while the Buccaneers tread water through the season, in the mix for the first overall pick next year.
What moves might change our prediction?
Maybe what we saw from Mayfield last season is the real Baker Mayfield. Sure, it would go against everything else we’ve seen on tape through his five years in the NFL so far, but stranger things have happened. Other than, it’s just too big of a hill for Tampa Bay to climb this year.