The Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2023 season is going to be a bumpy ride. The retirement of Tom Brady brought an onslaught of moves and left the Buccaneers’ roster exposed.

What’s worse is that they made the NFL playoffs last year with a losing record. They weren’t a very good team and got worse, but didn’t get the benefit of a top draft pick despite their losing record. On top of that, because Tampa Bay won their division, they also have to play a first-place schedule. Buckle up, Bucs fans; this Buccaneers season preview won’t be pretty.

Everything You Need Ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2023 NFL Season

As mentioned, Brady is out, and his final season in Tampa Bay did more damage than good — to both him and the franchise. Below is everything you need to know about what roster changes the Buccaneers have made, additions or subtractions from the coaching staff, and the results of their 2023 draft.

Buccaneers Roster Changes

• Players Signed
  • DL C.J. Brewer
  • WR David Moore
  • QB John Wolford
  • G Matt Feiler
  • S Ryan Neal
  • K Chase McLaughlin
  • DL Greg Gaines
  • RB Chase Edmonds
  • OLB Anthony Nelson
  • QB Baker Mayfield
  • CB Jamel Dean
  • G Aaron Stinnie
• Players Drafted
  • DT Calijah Kancey
  • OT Cody Mauch
  • EDGE YaYa Diaby
  • LB SirVocea Dennis
  • TE Payne Durham
  • DB Josh Hayes
  • WR Trey Palmer
  • EDGE Jose Ramirez

• Players Cut
  • K Ryan Succop
  • TE Cameron Brate
  • RB Leonard Fournette
  • OT Donovan Smith
• Players Whose Contracts Have Expired
  • QB Tom Brady
  • DE Akiem Hicks
  • WR Julio Jones
  • DE William Gholston
  • DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
  • QB Blaine Gabbert
  • TE Kyle Rudolph
  • CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
  • RT Josh Wells
  • RB Giovani Bernard
  • SS Keanu Neal
  • WR Breshad Perriman
  • DE Carl Nassib
  • CB Logan Ryan
  • DE Genard Avery
  • S Mike Edwards
  • WR Scotty Miller
• Players Lost via Trade
  • G Shaq Mason

The Buccaneers purged their roster in what is clearly a rebuilding year. They released veterans who were key contributors in years past, like Cameron Brate and Leonard Fournette, and allowed other contracts to expire. Tampa Bay did make a few key additions in free agency, notably Baker Mayfield, who will use this opportunity to redefine himself as a legitimate NFL starter.

The Buccaneers had eight draft picks and used much of it to rebuild both lines on each side of the ball. That’s a clear signal of a rebuild. This year will be focused on developing young players and identifying which ones are going to be key to their new core.

Buccaneers Coaching Staff in 2023

• Head Coach: Todd Bowles
  • Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator: Harold Goodwin
  • Assistant to the Head Coach: Mike Chiurco
  • Assistant Coach: Tom Moore
• Offensive Coordinator: Dave Canales
  • Quarterbacks: Thad Lewis
  • Assistant Quarterbacks: Jordan Somerville
  • Running Backs: Skip Peete
  • Wide Receivers: Brad Idzik
  • Tight Ends: John Van Dam
  • Offensive Line: Joe Gilbert
  • Offensive Quality Control: Jeff Kastl

• Defensive Coaches
  • Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line: Kacy Rodgers
  • Outside Linebackers: George Edwards
  • Pass Game Coordinator/Inside Linebackers: Larry Foote
  • Cornerbacks: Kevin Ross
  • Safeties: Nick Rapone
  • Assistant Secondary: Tim Atkins
  • Defensive/Special Teams Assistant: Keith Tandy
  • Defensive Quality Control: Joey Fitzgerald
  • Defensive Assistant: Rashad Johnson
• Special Teams Coordinator: Keith Armstrong

Predicting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Depth Chart

Offensive Depth Chart

• QB: Kyle Trask, Baker Mayfield
• RB: Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Chase Edmonds, Sean Tucker*
• WR: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, Trey Palmer*, Deven Thompkins, Kaylon Geiger, Rakim Jarrett*
• TE: Cade Otton, Ko Kieft, Payne Durham*, David Wells
• OT: Tristan Wirfs, Luke Goedeke, Brandon Walton, Matt Feiler
• G: Robert Hainsey, Cody Mauch*, Nick Leverett, Matt Feiler, Aaron Stinnie, John Molchon
• C: Ryan Jensen, Robert Hainsey, Nick Leverett, Cody Mauch*

Defensive Depth Chart

• DE: Calijah Kancey*, Greg Gaines, Pat O’Connor
• NT: Vita Vea, Deadrin Senat
• DT: Logan Hall, Greg Gaines
• EDGE: Shaq Barrett, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson, YaYa Diaby*, Jose Ramirez*, Cam Gill
• ILB: Lavonte David, Devin White, K.J. Britt, SirVocea Dennis*, J.J. Russell
• CB: Jamel Dean, Carlton Davis, Zyon McCollum, Anthony Chesley, Don Gardner
• NB: Dee Delaney, Zyon McCollum, Josh Hayes*
• SS: Ryan Neal, Josh Hayes*
• FS: Antoine Winfield, Jr., Dee Delaney, Nolan Turner

Special Teams Depth Chart

• K: Chase McLaughlin, Jake Verity, Jake Bates*
• P: Jake Camarda
• LS: Zach Triner, Evan Deckers*
• KR/PR: Deven Thompkins, Trey Palmer*, Rakim Jarrett*

* Notes rookies

2022 Results and Standings

The Buccaneers finished first in the NFC South standings a year ago. But as mentioned, it was easily the worst division in football, and they won it with a losing record.

That likely did them more harm than good. They didn’t get the benefit of a higher draft pick, or an easier schedule in 2023. With Brady being checked out most of the year and his retirement immediately following the season, Tampa Bay must now rebuild.

2023 Power Ranking and Season Outlook

According to PFN’s Dalton Miller, the Buccaneers are dead last in his post-draft Power Rankings. They are in a tier titled, “It Would Take a Miniature Miracle.” In fact, it would take a major miracle worthy of Vatican investigation. Here is what Miller says about them:

“Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask are the quarterbacks in the building. Even though the Buccaneers still field Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the outside, it’s hard to imagine their offense being on par with the unit they fielded with Tom Brady a season ago.

“It’s still a bit early to completely bury Baker Mayfield, but given the circumstances of his injury, rehab, and situation in Carolina, it takes some imagination to see how he returns to his 2020 self.”