Not quite elite says former PFFer.
Could the Bucs make a run at the No. 1 seed in the NFC this fall? One former high priest of the PFF tribe thinks the Bucs are in the discussion.
Breaking down the Bucs in the weeks after the draft, former minor league pitcher Steve Palazzolo and Monson, who used to be the big chiefs of the PFF tribe until they bolted to The 33rd Team, broke down the Bucs as underwear football is just days away.
Monson thinks the Bucs could be a challenger for the No. 1 seed because they return every starter — and maybe added another starter — to an already top-three offense.
“They brought the band back again,” Monson said. “They kept a lot of the players that they were in danger of losing, and kept a really good nucleus intact for this team to do well again, like Baker Mayfield.
“[Mayfield] has settled, I think, now, into this like high-level quarterback who maybe isn’t elite, but is in the next group down. And then he’s got weapons to play with.
“Mike Evans, Chris Godwin is back, albeit coming off his injury. [Jalen] McMillan is there now. You add Emeka Egbuka in the first round. You’ve got Bucky Irving. You’ve got Rashad White, Sean Tucker. Like the backfield is incredibly good.”
Monson then added he sees no reason why the Bucs offense cannot to as good as last year’s offense.
“This is a good group of weapons and a pretty good offensive line,” Monson said. “This should be a good offense within a division that is always there to be won, until, you know, one of these other teams sort of takes a significant jump forward.”
So in a roundabout way, the NFC South is the Bucs’ house until proven otherwise.
Yeah, Joe likes that.
But Monson has a strong point. The Bucs likely didn’t reach their potential last season because of injuries. If the Bucs’ offense can find a way to stay healthy, who knows how far that offense could carry the Bucs in January, or beyond.
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