If there was a Lombardi Trophy for winning the offseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be crowned champs of 2020. Not only did the team sign six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady to take over under center, they also swung a trade with the Patriots to bring along his favorite tight end Rob Gronkowski, who ended his one-year retirement to reunite Brady in Tampa.
The pair will be joining an offense that already features two Pro Bowl wideouts in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Plus, tight end O.J. Howard seems poised for a big year playing alongside Brady.
Bill Barnwell over at ESPN loves the look of this Bucs offense, and ranked them fourth on his list of best offensive weapons heading into 2020.
Here is Barnwell’s reasoning:
“While a drop in possessions is likely to drag down their cumulative numbers, the Bucs have a strong case for sporting the NFL’s best receiving corps. They have the best one-two punch at wide receiver in the game with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin — who solved his fumble problems and emerged as a great second option. The only downside is that Tampa Bay didn’t really replace third wideout Breshad Perriman, who was one of the league’s most productive wideouts in December after Evans and Godwin went down injured.
“No team is deeper at tight end with O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate and now Rob Gronkowski. Even if we only see the guy whose numbers declined in 2018, Gronk posted a 47-682-3 line and finished 11th among tight ends in fantasy football. With a year to rest his ailing back, he has more red zone upside than that line would suggest.”
Barnwell also turns his attention to the Bucs’ backfield, suggesting a veteran running back may be needed to give this team some further insurance on offense.
“As was the case a year ago, though, the Buccaneers have the worst group of running backs in football. Ronald Jones improved after a dismal rookie campaign, but his issues with fumbles and pass protection make it difficult to expect Bruce Arians to give the 2018 second-rounder significant volume. The only players of note behind Jones are rookie third-rounder Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Dare Ogunbowale. This is a team crying out for a veteran back such as Devonta Freeman, Lamar Miller or LeSean McCoy.”
The Buccaneers found themselves at No. 14 on Barnwell’s list last season, so they’ve made a tremendous jump up the rankings. The pressure is on to deliver in 2020.
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