Rankings – Page 2 – Syndication Server

ESPN lists Bucs as best free agent fit for QB Baker Mayfield

Experts and pundits have been impressed with what Mayfield did in Tampa Bay in 2023 and see no reason why that shouldn’t continue.

Baker Mayfield will certainly have outside suitors in free agency, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are likely to try and run it back with the veteran signal-caller come free agency.

Mayfield was on a one-year, $4 million deal with the Bucs in 2023, and after one of the best years of his career, he’s due for a big payday. ESPN’s Matt Bowen released an extensive list of which teams he believes are the best fit for their top free agents, and he has the Bucs as Mayfield’s best fit this free agency.

Here’s what Bowen had to say about Mayfield:

Yeah, here’s another big-name Tampa Bay free agent returning, but it makes sense. Given Mayfield’s production over the second half of last season and some impressive playoff tape (two postseason games with over 300 passing yards), there will be free agent interest for the veteran quarterback. But in this new Tampa Bay system — which will fit his aggressive throwing mentality behind defined play-action concepts and schemed verticals — I think Mayfield could keep posting big numbers.

The Bucs clearly care about Mayfield — in fact, he’s the largest reason the team brought in offensive coordinator Liam Coen to replace Dave Canales, as Coen runs a very similar system and has worked with Coen before. Mayfield put up 28 touchdowns to just 10 picks and threw for over 4,000 yards in Dave Canales’ system, so if Coen can perform at that level or better, it’s possible that Mayfield could see some added production once again in 2024.

Additionally, stability may be something Mayfield is looking for at this point in his career. He played for three teams in 2022, and after enjoying his time with the Bucs in 2023, it’s possible he may take a deal slightly below market value to stay in Tampa Bay.

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Bucs have five players listed in PFF’s top 100 free agents

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had quite a few standouts in 2023, and the rest of the league will keep a close eye on their free agents come March.

Free agents for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to be highly rated across the NFL.

Pro Football Focus released their top 200 free agents on Monday, and five Tampa Bay Buccaneers players not only made the cut, but were featured in the top 75 players. Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was ranked the highest at No. 8, followed by wide receiver Mike Evans (No. 13), linebacker Lavonte David (No. 39), linebacker Devin White (No., 73) and quarterback Baker Mayfield (No. 75).

Here’s what they had to say about Winfield Jr., who is their sixth-highest defensive free agent on the list:

“Winfield can line up in the box, take on receivers in the slot and play as a roaming deep-third free safety, finding success in single-high and two-high coverage shells. The former second-round pick is a difference-maker on the backend, and his remarkable versatility carries value at a position that appreciates it more than perhaps any other.”

Winfield Jr. is a likely candidate for a franchise tag coming up, so it’s likely he remains with the Bucs. Mayfield, too, has strong links to Tampa Bay, and although he’ll likely test free agency, a stable team after his hectic 2022 and stability with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen are likely to woo him back to the Bucs. Unless a very small deal could be reached, White is the most likely of the group to leave, as he’s vastly underplayed his worth the past few years.

Evans and David are somewhat more complicated. While it’s hard to imagine David playing anywhere else if he does intend to play in 2024, he could still end up retiring. Evans will likely favor Tampa Bay in negotiations in free agency, but a team that could offer him above market value may be enough to lure him away if the Bucs don’t match of get in the ballpark of a big offer.

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NFL.com ranks Bucs 2023 draft class in middle of pack

The ranking seems a little low given how frequently Tampa Bay’s draft class contributed in 2023.

Tampa Bay’s rookie draft class was a big part of its 2023 team, but despite that, some aren’t convinced it was one of the better ones in the league.

NFL.com recently ranked every rookie draft class in 2023, and the Bucs came in at a staggering 16th of 32 teams. Writers Eric Edholm and Chad Reuter mostly gave praise to the Bucs’ class, particularly on defense — they highlighted the good work of both Calijah Kancey and Yaya Diaby and wrote that offensive prospects like Cody Mauch and Trey Palmer.

16th seems a little low for how much Tampa Bay’s rookie class contributed. As the article itself mentions, 15 Bucs rookies appeared in at least one game throughout the season and only one player in its draft class, edge rusher Jose Ramirez, didn’t get any game snaps. Diaby had a spectacular 7.5-sack season and Calijah Kancey was good enough to win an NFC Offensive Rookie of the Month award.

All these players will be entering Year 2 next year, and should even most of them hit a stride and break out into solid contributors once again, the Bucs could get even better in 2024.

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ESPN ranks both Bucs’ Super Bowl teams in all-time list

ESPN ranked every championship winner of the Super Bowl era, and both Bucs teams placed fairly high on the list.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the lowest win-loss percentage in NFL history. Despite this, Tampa Bay has two Super Bowls to its name.

The Bucs put together two of the most impressive Super Bowl victories in recent history − both in pretty lopsided fashion. How does each Tampa Bay championship team rank among all 58 Super Bowl winners? Here’s what ESPN writer Aaron Schatz thinks:

2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had nearly all the pieces to call themselves a championship-caliber team. They just needed a quarterback.

So when the Bucs made a splash in free agency and won over QB Tom Brady, they found the final missing piece of the puzzle. Brady hoisted Tampa Bay to its first playoff appearance since 2007, and eventually led the way in a 31-9 Super Bowl victory against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Schatz ranked the Bucs’ 2020 Super Bowl team as the 20th-best championship team of all time. Here’s what he said about the team:

“The Buccaneers were fourth in total DVOA for 2020 although they would have been No. 1 without a single game, a 38-3 stomping at the hands of the Saints in Week 9. Overall, the Bucs were third on offense and fifth on defense.”

Schatz made sure to give credit to the massive turnaround Tampa Bay made after their bye week. The Bucs were 7-5 and won the final four games of the regular season, and then, of course, swept the playoffs.

2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Everything finally came together during the Bucs’ first Super Bowl-winning team. After letting go of HC Tony Dungy in the offseason and trading a first-round pick for former Raiders HC Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay found its footing in the playoffs. The Bucs arguably had one of the best defenses of all time and earned the No. 14 spot amongst championship teams by ESPN.

Here’s what Schatz wrote about the 2002 Bucs:

“This team ranked only 22nd in offensive DVOA. But the Bucs had the best pass defense DVOA ever put up in a full nonstrike season, and the third-best total defense in DVOA history behind the 1991 Eagles and 1986 Bears. Both sides of the ball worked together well once the Bucs got to the postseason, as they won by an average margin of 23.0 points per game.”

Tampa Bay cleared through the NFC, winning 31-6 against the 49ers and 27-10 against the Eagles. Led by 2002 Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brooks, the Bucs stomped the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in the Super Bowl.

Tampa Bay defensive back Dwight Smith logged two pick-sixes off Rich Gannon, and Bucs WR Keenan McCardell caught two touchdown passes from QB Brad Johnson.

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Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

The proliferation of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine the cream of the boxing crop.

That’s why Boxing Junkie came up with its “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes –heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight and so on down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and strawweight.

In this installment of “Great Eight,” we ask (and answer) the question: Which of our champions is most likely to lose his championship in his next fight?

Many might suggest it’s Tyson Fury, who struggled to defeat Francis Ngannou by a split decision last October even though the MMA star was making his pro boxing debut.

Fury’s performance led to comments suggesting the longtime heavyweight star has started his inevitable decline, criticism he deserved after a weak performance.

And now Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) set to face unbeaten boxing wizard Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia. I had thought that would be an easy fight for Fury, who I believed was too big and good enough to handle the former 200-pound champ.

Now I’m not sure because of the Ngannou debacle even though I believe he struggled because he thought he could roll out of bed on any day — and in any condition — and defeat Ngannou with his eyes closed, which is no way to go into any fight.

I have no doubt that he’ll be fully prepared — physically and mentally — when he faces Usyk.

Still, Fury has to prove to me and everyone else that he’s not in decline by winning the most important fight of his career. In other words, Usyk poses an enormous threat to Fury.

So does that mean Fury is the Great Eight champion most likely to be dethroned? No.

I believe Dmitry Bivol, our light heavyweight champ, is most likely to get knocked off when he faces fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is a tremendous boxer with an outstanding resume, which is why he’s one of our champions. The fact he conquered Canelo Alvarez is his calling card but he has demonstrated repeatedly that he’s one of the best in the business.

He’s a better boxer than Beterbiev, which is why I pick him to win a close decision. However, Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is an underrated technician and a physical freak, one who seems to have superhuman strength, historic punching power and a sturdy chin.

And the Canada-based Russian demonstrated in his most recent fight that he hasn’t slipped even though he’s 39, as he beat up, twice dropped and finally stopped capable Callum Smith in seven rounds on Jan. 13.

Bivol can win only if he can prevent Beterbiev from walking through his punches, which will be difficult. Indeed, Bivol had better be at the top of his game or he could become Beterbiev’s 21st knockout victim in as many fights and lose his position here.

Here are the top fighters in the original eight divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury appeared to be fit before his showdown with Usyk (originally scheduled for Feb. 17) was postponed because Fury suffered a cut in sparring. That’s a good sign for the Englishman, who seemed to have taken victory for granted when he eked out a decision over Ngannou.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will determine not only the Great Eight champion but also the best 175-pounder of the era. Few possible matchups in boxing are better or more significant than this one.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder came up short against 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez but he remains the best at 160 and 154. He wants to fight pound-for-pound and welterweight king Terence Crawford, who would take Charlo’s place in this division with a victory.

WELTERWEIGHT

Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford, coming off his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr., could be poised to move up to 154 to challenge titleholder Charlo, which would create an opening here. Only talented Jaron Ennis would appear to be a genuine threat at 147.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might have something to say about who reigns in Great Eight before all is said and done. Now we need to see these pivotal matchups.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave another dominating performance against Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino in the 10th round to become undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anyone compete with him? Luis Nery will be the next one to try. They meet on May 6.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer from Mexico didn’t fight last year but he presumably will get back to work soon. He has hinted that he might move up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight, which would make him eligible to retain his title here.

FLYWEIGHT

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion here after leaving no doubt about who is the best 112-pounder in the world. However, he has said he plans to move up to junior bantamweight. We’ll wait until he schedules a fight to remove him.

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Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?