Reason(s) To Hope
June 14th, 2026
Faith in Bucky Irving.
As we have reached minicamp week, it’s time to (try to) be positive about the Bucs.
Yeah, they choked like dogs in the second half of last season, plunging the team from Super Bowl contender to laughing stock, watching the playoffs on the couch just like you and Joe.
Alas, types Matt Verderame of SI.com, there is a lot to hope for with the Bucs. Two guys who the Bucs banked heavily on last year who didn’t come close to living up to expectations or hype are still with the team.
And that should give Bucs fans hope, Verderame notes.
Hope: Even after losing Mike Evans in free agency, this is a talented offense. Baker Mayfield is one year removed from throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. That same season, then-rookie back Bucky Irving totaled 1,122 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per carry. With second-year wideout Emeka Egbuka coming off a 938-yard campaign, the Buccaneers have ample skill-position talent.
Well, Mayfield, at least before the bye, more than living up to his hype. He looked like he was on his way to having an All-Pro season. And then? The floor caved in.
Bucky Irving never seemed comfortable in Josh Grizzard’s offense. And that was before he got hurt. He looked uncomfortable even in the worthless preseason games.
Bucky, and the run game early on, looked to Joe just like the run game did under knothead Byron Leftwich. It was like former Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard didn’t know how to craft an effective run game.
The devastating injuries to the offensive line sure didn’t help.
Joe has faith Bucky will bounce back. New Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson clearly knows how to build a running attack.
So yeah, there is hope there. No question.