In addition to the talent they added and retained this offseason, the Bucs had five players included on the top 100 players list compiled by Pete Prisco of CBS Sports.
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Baker Mayfield #6 and Mike Evans #13 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepare for the game against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium on January 05, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
Despite the departure of OC Liam Coen, the Buccaneers are well-suited for another playoff run in 2025. Tampa Bay brought back key playmakers Lavonte David and Chris Godwin. Then, they made a splash during free agency by bringing in Haason Reddick. They also had an exceptional draft, selecting “five players who could be starters or key rotational players,” according to PFF‘s Trevor Sikkema. In addition to the talent they added and retained this offseason, the Bucs had five players included on the top 100 players list compiled by Pete Prisco of CBS Sports.
Wirfs, Evans and Winfield Jr. Returning to Top 100 Players List
There’s no question that Tristan Wirfs is one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. So it makes perfect sense that he would land in the top 20 of Prisco’s list. The 26-year-old has already earned 4 Pro Bowl berths and 3 All-Pro selections during his first 5 seasons. “Not only did he permit zero sacks in 2024, but he also allowed pressure on just 1.9% of pass plays — the best rate among all offensive tackles,” according to PFF‘s Zoltán Buday. “He excels as a blind-side pass protector for Baker Mayfield and his run blocking is a big part of why the Bucs ran the ball better in 2024,” writes Prisco. The Bucs made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in league history last offseason. That looks to have paid off so far.
Mike Evans has had a historically good start to his career. The star receiver has racked up over 1,000 yards in each of his first 11 seasons. He’s just the second player in league history to reach that mark, joining the undisputed GOAT wide receiver Jerry Rice. As long as he is healthy, Evans should continue to serve as one of the league’s best big-play threats. With Chris Godwin returning this year and Emeka Egbuka making his debut, Evans should have all the help he needs to keep defenses from focusing too heavily on him. Evans moved up slightly from last year’s top 100 players list, going from No. 88 to No. 82. Could a continued resurgence from Baker Mayfield push Evans back into the top 75 for the first time since 2022? We’ll have to wait and see.
Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. faced the biggest drop. The 6th-year safety slipped from No. 31 in 2024 to No. 89 on this year’s list. Obviously, his injuries played the largest role in that drop, but Winfield’s play suffered a bit last year, too. He played a career-low 601 snaps and missed 9% of his tackle attempts. PFF‘s Zoltán Buday points out that was “his worst rate of the past three seasons.” “But when healthy, he remains a player who can do a lot of things and a big part of the Tampa Bay defense,” writes Prisco.
Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving Both Making First Appearance on List
As I’ve written about before, Baker Mayfield is well-suited to overcome the loss of OC Liam Coen this offseason. Mayfield broke out in 2024 with career-highs in completion percentage (71.4%), yards (4,500), touchdowns (41) and passer rating (106.8). “He might be the most underrated quarterback in the league after the slow start to his career,” writes Prisco. With an improved, healthy supporting cast, Mayfield is poised to return to the top 100 players list next year, too.
Bucky Irving may not have had the counting stats to compete with the running backs ahead of him on the top 100 players list, but “his efficiency scores were that of a top-10 back,” according to PFF‘s Trevor Sikkema. Despite starting just 3 games as a rookie last season, Irving still racked up over 200 carries and over 1,100 yards to go along with 8 touchdowns. He ranked 27th in the league in rushing attempts per game, according to Pro Football Reference. With an increased workload in 2025, there’s no question that Irving will have a chance to make another appearance on next year’s list.