Category: Latest Team News

Dan Hanzus has the Bucs moving on up in his latest NFL Power Rankings

See what Dan Hanzus thinks about the new-look Buccaneers in his latest NFL Power Rankings.

The Kansas City Chiefs may be riding high as world champions after their victory in Super Bowl LIV last month, but as the NFL free agency period has proven so far, a repeat performance by the Chiefs may be hard to come by.

With several big players switching teams, most notably Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the scales of power in the NFL are beginning to tip. And, for the first time in seven weeks, Dan Hanzus over at NFL.com gave his updated Power Rankings following this first wave of free agency. Not surprisingly, Hanzus had the Bucs moving up seven spots from 19 to 12.

Here’s part of what Hanzus had to say about the new-look Bucs:

“Tom Brady is the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s the biggest free-agent move in the history of the franchise, and it instantly makes the Bucs one of the most compelling teams in the NFL. It was the rare perfect move in free agency: Brady gets a two-year deal for not obscene money (two years and $50 million, with $9 million in incentives) to bring his unmatched experience and leadership to town. Brady will enter Week 1 at 43 years old, but he’s never been this motivated, and he’ll have star players to throw the ball to. This should be fun.”

Fun might be an understatement. Keep in mind that Brady will be taking over an offense that finished tied for third in scoring in 2019, averaging 28.6 points per game, and that was with a quarterback who threw for 30 interceptions. Something tells me Brady won’t hit that mark next season.

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Ndamukong Suh returning to the Bucs on a one-year deal

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing back another major piece of their defense by agreeing to a one-year deal with Ndamukong Suh.

When Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine last month, he mentioned one of the team’s offseason goals was to try and keep their defense together, namely, the front seven. Given that the Bucs ranked first in rush defense in 2019, allowing just 73.8 yards per game on the ground, it felt like a big request.

Arians’ words seemed more wishful thinking than anything else, given how many unrestricted free agents the Bucs had, namely on the defensive side of the ball. Well, after retaining both Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul, the Bucs went ahead and brought back the behemoth, himself, Ndamukong Suh.

Suh’s return means the Bucs will once again boast one of the NFL’s best defensive fronts. The Tom Brady signing was huge for the Bucs, but it is clear they are still prioritizing their defense. Tampa Bay is in “win now” mode.

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Is Tom Brady wearing No. 12 already a done deal?

This tweet seems to indicate that Bucs quarterback Tom Brady is already a lock to wear No. 12 with his new team.

Now that Tom Brady is officially a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, fans everywhere are lining up to purchase their new Brady jersey.

The only question is, what number will he wear?

Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin already dons the infamous No. 12 that Brady made famous during his 20-year career with the New England Patriots, which, oh by the way included six Super Bowl titles. The TB12 brand has become a part of the Golden Boy’s life. So, naturally, Godwin would hand it over no questions asked, right?

Maybe not.

As I pointed out the other week before Brady announced his decision to leave the Patriots, him joining the Bucs might create an awkward situation between him and Godwin, who has worn No. 12 since his high school days and while a receiver at Penn State. Godwin has spoken about the issue, but there’s been no definitive answer… yet.

Well, it seems some believe Brady wearing 12 is already a done deal, evident by this tweet.

From a business standpoint, the Bucs should hope Godwin surrenders the number. Not only would Brady sales soar, but whatever new number Godwin selects would itself be a hot item for fans. Godwin had his first 1,000-yard season last year, totaling 86 receptions for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns, career highs across the board. His stellar season also earned him his first Pro Bowl selection.

No matter who is wearing No. 12 next season, the Brady-to-Godwin connection should work just fine.

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See how Bucs players reacted to seeing the team’s new uniforms

If you’re excited about the Buccaneers’ new jerseys, wait until you see how players reacted when they got a sneak peek.

Tom Brady isn’t the only reason Buccaneers fans should be excited about the 2020 season. The team will also unveil new uniforms next month, ditching the alarm clock numbers (we hope) in favor of something a little less futuristic.

While fans will have to wait a little longer to get a glimpse of the team’s new threads, players were treated to a sneak peek of their new uniforms. Check out the video below, courtesy of the Bucs’ Twitter account, to see their reactions.

The question we are all wondering is who will be wearing No. 12 in the fall — Chris Godwin or Tom Brady?

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RB Peyton Barber agrees to two-year deal with Redskins

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are down a running back after Peyton Barber agreed to a two-year deal with the Washington Redskins.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quarterback Tom Brady in the mix now, but they may want to get him some more help in the backfield. While second-year running back Ronald Jones ended up as the team’s starter midway through last season, Peyton Barber still provided the Bucs with 470 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Now, Barber is saying goodbye to the Bucs after four seasons and heading up to Washington to join Ron Rivera and the Redskins.

In his time with the Bucs, Barber amassed 1,987 rushing yards to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns. He also had 349 receiving yards and two scores.

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Brady on move to Bucs: ‘I gotta come in and do my part’

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady spoke to the media Tuesday via phone conference, making it clear he’s ready to lead the Bucs.

Tom Brady is officially a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, although it might not feel that way still for some. Not only have we yet to see Brady holding up his new jersey, but due to the coronavirus pandemic and emphasis on social distancing, the six-time Super Bowl champion has yet to be introduced in person.

Brady conducted a news conference Tuesday over the phone with reporters, and spoke about his move to the Buccaneers. Brady made it clear in his comments that he’s not looking for special treatment and that no one cares about what he’s done in the past. It’s all about what’s ahead.

Here’s an excerpt from Brady’s presser (via ESPN):

“”[It’s] gonna be a busy offseason for me, learning a lot of new things, which is a great challenge and a great opportunity for me. And I’m gonna just do it the only way I know how to do it, which is to fully engulf myself in what’s done here. It’s a new program that I’m a part of, and they have their way of doing things, and they’re committed to winning. And I gotta come in and do my part, and that’s why I’m here.”

Betting against Brady has always been a bad idea in the past. This guy can use a missing straw in his McDonald’s order as motivation. Those who want to doubt a 43-year-old quarterback looking to still prove himself do so at their own risk.

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Fantasy writer Mike Clay picks the Bucs as his most improved team

ESPN fantasy football writer Mike Clay tells you why he thinks the Bucs are the most improved team since free agency began.

NFL free agency started just last week, but already we’ve seen enough moves and been given enough storylines to entertain us between now and the start of the 2020 season. Fans can finally start picturing what the future looks like for their team.

And, we all know the most important team for many people is their fantasy football one, and this free agency period has already given people plenty to think about as they prepare for their own upcoming drafts.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were of course the story of the first week after landing six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady to add to an offense that ranked third in scoring last season despite Jameis Winston’s 30 interceptions. Brady throwing passes to Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and O.J. Howard will likely make him a prime fantasy target for people. And, according to fantasy writer Mike Clay of ESPN, the Bucs are the most improved team since the start of free agency, a ringing an endorsement from a fantasy guru.

Per Clay:

“There are teams that added multiple impact players, but no team got nearly as much of a boost from one player as Tampa Bay did by signing quarterback Tom Brady. Brady vaults the Buccaneers from a borderline playoff contender to a strong bet to push for 10 wins and potentially an NFC South crown. The Bucs also did well to re-sign edge rushers Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul.”

You can’t overlook the Barrett and JPP signings. The Bucs defense had a bounce-back year in 2019 under first-year defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and with rookie linebacker Devin White coming on strong in the second half of the year, Tampa Bay is expecting big things from their D in 2020.

Oh, and they are pretty excited about their new-look offense, too.

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Mike Evans calls Tom Brady to the Bucs ‘surreal’

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans spoke about the Tom Brady signing while live-streaming.

Some Tampa Bay Buccaneers players were initially quiet on social media following the signing of Tom Brady last week. But now that reality is setting in for everyone, with their eyes focused on the 2020 season, it’s time to celebrate the addition of the six-time Super Bowl champion.

Two players who will likely benefit the most from the Brady signing are Pro Bowl wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Evans just completed his sixth-straight 1,000-yard season, tying him with Randy Moss for the most ever by a receiver to begin their career. Evans finally broke his silence and talked about the Brady signing while playing Fortnite on the Twitch live-stream app, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Here’s what Evans had to say:

“It’s surreal. He’s about to be my quarterback, bro. I know you don’t know football like that, but I’ve played six years in the NFL, and I haven’t been to the playoffs yet. Tom Brady has won six Super Bowls.”

With Brady on board, Evans could easily set the NFL record next season with another 1,000-yard year. And, it’s not crazy to think that Brady could eclipse the 5,000-yard mark for the second time in his career (2011).

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A reminder that Tom Brady went 2-0 against his new OC Byron Leftwich

New Bucs QB Tom Brady has bragging rights over his new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.

Tom Brady is officially Tampa bound after signing his two-year deal with the Buccaneers last week.

The six-time Super Bowl champion will be playing for a new team for the first time after 20 years with the New England Patriots, meaning he’ll also be working with a head coach not named Bill Belichick for the first time in two decades.

Bruce Arians will certainly be a refreshing personality for Brady to be around, but Brady will also be working with a new offensive coordinator in Byron Leftwich. And, Brady may take joy in the fact that he holds bragging rights over his new OC as he holds a 2-0 record against Leftwich when the Bucs coordinator was quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Brady’s Patriots beat Leftwich’s Jags in 2003 during the regular season and again in the Wild Card round following the 2005 season. The Pats outscored the Jaguars 55-16 in those games, with Brady throwing for five touchdowns and zero interceptions. By comparison, Leftwich had a combined one touchdown and three picks in the losses.

Guess Leftwich owes Brady a lunch.

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There’s a reason some Bucs players were quiet on social media after the Brady signing

Find out why Tampa Bay Buccaneers players were noticeably quiet on social media following the news of the Tom Brady signing.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are celebrating the signing of quarterback Tom Brady, as the six-time Super Bowl champion will now call Raymond James Stadium his home.

But with the signing of Brady comes the definitive end to the Jameis Winston era. The 2015 number one overall pick failed to develop into the franchise quarterback the Buccaneers had hoped for when they handed over the keys to the franchise to the former Heisman Trophy winner. Inconsistent play on the field, coupled with trouble off of it, led to just one winning season out of five with zero playoff appearances. Winston now hits the open market for the first time in his career.

And, if you wondered at all why Bucs players weren’t celebrating on social media after the Brady news broke, you can thank their love and respect for Winston for that. According to Jenna Laine of ESPN, several players were “refraining from reacting to the Brady signing out of respect for Winston, who was a valued presence in their locker room.”

Per center Ryan Jensen:

“Battling with Jameis the last two years has been some of the most fun I’ve had playing football. Not only did we become teammates but also good friends over the last two years. This business is always tough and just that — a business. I’m excited to see where Jameis lands. With that, I’m excited to go to battle with Tom and excited to see what he will bring to the organization.”

Remember, too, that Winston was a part of a group of Bucs players who went to former Bucs DT Gerald McCoy’s son’s Senior Night back in the fall when McCoy was in Carolina with the Panthers. Teammates loved Winston, and even though he may not be a part of the Bucs locker room anymore, he’ll still be a part of their lives.

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