ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 24: Chris Godwin #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Kendall Sheffield #20 of the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The franchise with the second-longest active playoff drought has a new quarterback. What else do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to reach the postseason?
The Bucs proved to be one of the more exciting teams in the league and at times for many reasons.
In Bruce Arians’ first season at the helm of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team overcame a 3-7 start and embarked on a four-game winning streak that put the club in position to claim its first playoff berth since 2007.
But it simply wasn’t meant to be as quarterback Jameis Winston would put up astonishing numbers in both a good and bad sense. He led the NFL in passing yards as well as turnovers. The Bucs dropped their final two games and made it 12 straight years without a postseason invitation.
Of course, there’s a new “kid” in town and everybody’s talking…about Tom Brady. So will the arrival of a six-time Super Bowl champion make that big of a difference? And what other issues do the Bucs need to address over the next few months?
5. Add more depth at wide receiver
Although he would miss the final three games of 2019, prolific Mike Evans enjoyed another solid year.
The 2014 first-round pick totaled 67 receptions for 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns. But fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin really came into his own and wound up in the Pro Bowl, snaring a team-high 86 balls for 1,333 yards and nine scores. And one-time Ravens’ first-round Breshad Perriman enjoyed a career year in ’19, totaling 36 grabs for 645 yards and a half-dozen TDs.
But the latter has moved onto the New York Jets, meaning the team could be on the lookout for more help here. Second-year pro Justin Watson and 2019 sixth-round draft pick Scott Miller combined for 28 receptions and three scores in limited action this past season. Could the Bucs be in the market for a veteran wideout?