Losing quarterback Jameis Winston to a three-game suspension to start the 2018 season doesn’t help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at all, who fall pretty heavily in our NFL power rankings.
That means the Bucs will have to start backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick during that stretch, which isn’t ideal but not exactly the end of the world either. After all, Fitzpatrick posted an 86.0 passer rating over six games (including three starts) for Tampa Bay last season.
Yet even Fitzpatrick wasn’t able to take advantage of the plethora of offensive weapons at head coach Dirk Koetter’s disposal last season, namely tight end O.J. Howard and wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans. Speaking of Howard, he’ll need to bounce back after an otherwise forgettable rookie season.
While the Buccaneers still have plenty of offensive potential, the main focus will be on defense. Tampa Bay had just 22 sacks last year — dead last in the NFL. And while adding veteran edge rusher Vinny Curry should help, getting pressure on opponents’ quarterbacks will be a problem.
And with the remaining three teams in the NFC West in position for a playoff push, the Bucs figure to be in for a long year.