The Kansas City Chiefs have reached the playoffs 10 consecutive years, the longest active streak in the league. That’s followed by the Buffalo Bills, with six straight appearances. Guess what team is third on the list?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have reached the postseason every year since 2020, the longest-such streak in the NFC, and have now won four consecutive division titles. In 2024, the franchise won at least 10 games for the first time since 2021. Quarterback Baker Mayfield really came into his own after an already solid year with the team in 2023.
Still, Todd Bowles’s squad was surprised in the wild card round by the upstart Washington Commanders. How long will it take for the club to get the bitter taste of that 23-20 loss out of its mouth?
Biggest Positive from 2024
Jason Licht remains one of the NFL’s top GMs, and he nailed it with his 2024 draft class. Center Graham Barton (1-Duke) was a steady player for an offensive line ranked third by Pro Football Focus’ Zoltán Buday. Safety Tykee Smith (3-Georgia) played in 13 games, made six starts, and finished with 53 defensive stops, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
Wide receiver Jalen McMillan (3b-Washington) came on late and finished with eight TD grabs, seven in his final five regular-season games. Bucky Irving (4-Oregon) led the team in rushing yards (1,122), total yards from scrimmage (1,514), and also scored eight touchdowns.
Potential UFA that needs to be re-signed
Linebacker Lavonte David is one of the franchise’s greatest players. Last offseason, Licht inked him to a one-year, $8.5 million deal, and he came up big once again. He has led or tied for the team lead in tackles 10 times in his 13 seasons in the league, including each of these last three years.
The other big name on the list is wide receiver Chris Godwin, who missed the final 10 games of the regular-season and the playoffs with a severe ankle injury. He would be a hot commodity if he hits the open market, and may wind up being expendable—especially when you consider McMillan’s emergence the second half of ’24.
Needs Fixing
The Buccaneers’ defense has made it far too easy for opposing quarterback to put up big numbers, continuing a recent trend. This has actually been an issue over the last few seasons. In 2024, the Bucs allowed the fourth-most passing yards in the league for the second consecutive year.
Bowles’s defense surrendered 40 offensive touchdowns, 27 through the air. This despite a more-than-respectable pass rush that totaled 46 sacks. All told, Tampa Bay defenders only picked off seven passes in a total of 18 outings (6 by defensive backs), and Licht may address the secondary a few times in free agency, as well as the draft.