CBS Details “Worst Case” For 2026 Bucs
June 29th, 2026
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
One of the Joes is a lot more pessimistic than the other when it comes to the 2026 Bucs. That doesn’t mean the Bucs cannot return to their division-winning ways.
For the Joe typing here, it seems Tyler Sullivan of CBS touched on many issues Joe frets about as training camp is roughly a month away.
Sullivan typed up what could be in store if the Bucs have an awful season.
Worst-case: The second-half struggles from Baker Mayfield (14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions over his final 11 games in 2025) persist in 2026. The young pieces the Buccaneers were hoping would rise up — like Egbuka and Bain Jr. — aren’t ready for that responsibility just yet. That allows the rest of the division to continue closing the gap, with Atlanta and New Orleans both catching lightning in a bottle in their respective quarterback rooms. For the second straight year, the Bucs miss the playoffs, putting Todd Bowles’ job firmly at risk.
Oh, no need to worry about teams “closing the gap” with the Bucs. They lost out on winning the division on a three-way tiebreaker in 2025. Carolina has very much caught up since they won the NFC South landfill last year.
And Sullivan seems to have questions about the Bucs defense. Joe has plenty. As much hype and promise as Rueben Bain has, he’s going to play for a defensive coordinator known for not developing pass rushers. Throw in the fact Bain hasn’t taken a snap of football in the NFL, it’s why this Joe is not exactly driving the hype train this offseason.
On top of that the Bucs are banking on significant production from rookies on every level of the defense.
And Sullivan’s point about Baker Mayfield? That’s exactly why the same Joe typing here wants to see how this season plays out before rushing to extend Mayfield.
June 29th, 2026 at 12:28 am
If the Bucs miss the playoffs.. Bowles’ job is a lot more than “firmly at risk”.
He gone.
At least in a normal world.
June 29th, 2026 at 1:03 am
I would say Bowles is gone if they miss the Playoffs with this team.
Of course we all thought that last year so who knows with the Glazers doughnuts.
June 29th, 2026 at 1:34 am
The blessing is, a new GM will be brought in with explicit instructions to hire a HC with an offensive track record of success, and he will have three full time coordinators with a modern view of the game. He will model practice habits after BA’s model, with three fields and an accountability sheet that is enforced.
2028 could be a good year.
June 29th, 2026 at 1:51 am
No new GM.
Bucs will enter the playoffs and win.
Bowles will either retire or be replaced…by Mike Tomlin.
June 29th, 2026 at 2:51 am
If Bain is legit jump off the screen DAWG, then I don’t believe that HE will EVEN ‘ALLOW’ Bowles to hold him back. My guess would be that IF Bowles even TRIED TO… Then, Bain will just give him the Ol’ Dikembe Mutombo Finger, and be like, I don’t freakin’ think so, Old Man.
June 29th, 2026 at 4:24 am
I don’t think Licht is going anywhere. It isn’t his fault that the Bucs Coach(es) can’t coach them up or the screwy scheme where DL are defending WRs, TEs or RBs coming out of the backfield.
June 29th, 2026 at 4:42 am
In the NFL, successful HCs have two common elements, structure and discipline! With their current HC, the Bucs have neither! From the outside looking in, it’s way past time for a change!
June 29th, 2026 at 5:02 am
Bowles might be gone even if we make the playoffs. If the Bucs do good offensively, which I think they will, Zac Robinson is as good as gone. Glazers can’t let another good young offensive coach leave in order to keep Bowles. I see a situation like what happened with the Bills. You can always find a DC. It’s harder to find that OC who has a connection with your franchise QB. Glazers can’t let the next Coen walk out the door.
June 29th, 2026 at 6:21 am
Joe … ‘And Sullivan seems to have questions about the Bucs defense. Joe has plenty.’
So do I Joe, and so does just about every Bucs’ fan. How could anyone NOT have big questions; Bucs will have between 4-6 positions with new starters on defense this season. It’s a question in my mind of (1) how good are the new guys we’ve added; and (2) can Todd Bowles & his defensive coaching staff get this thing to gel & become a quality (Top-10) defensive unit. Those questions won’t be answered until we start playing the actual games.
Our offense however concerns me more than our defense, and most of my concerns center on Baker Mayfield. He MAY very well be the best we can get, BUT … in my eyes he’s not a franchise QB because he’s middle-of-the-pack & quite INCONSISTENT. Some games he’s been red-hot & willed the team to victory; others he’s been cold as ice & dragged us to defeat kicking & screaming. He’s had THREE winning years (11-5 with Browns and 9-8 & 10-7 with Bucs) in his 8-year career, and led his teams to 2-out-of-5 playoff wins in the 3 years his teams made the playoffs. His career Pass Completion Percentage of 63.5% is in itself middle-of-the-pack (with the exception of his 1 year with Coen in 2024 where he completed 71.4% of his passes, his other yearly Completion Percentages have ranged from 57.8% to 64.3%). Those 7 years (average of 62.1%) better define to me who Baker is than his 1 year at 71.4%.
So yes Joe I’m with you: Let’s ‘see how this season plays out before rushing to extend Mayfield’.
June 29th, 2026 at 6:41 am
None of those things are concerns to me. My biggest worry is the incredibly thin and questionable cornerback room and our lack of proven depth at offensive guard.
June 29th, 2026 at 6:46 am
It doesn’t mean a thing.
June 29th, 2026 at 7:16 am
I’m not too worried about everything going wrong.
We will start off out of the gate strong. Might even knock iff Cincy out of the gate.
But what you should worry about is the 3-4 game losing streak that’s going to happen mid season. It’s not a bug of this HC, it’s a feature.
June 29th, 2026 at 7:30 am
And after that mid season 3-4 game losing streak we don’t have a cushy 6 game end of season schedule like previous seasons, 3 straight mid season will likely turn into 9 straight or 8 of 9 to close the season then everyone is gone
June 29th, 2026 at 8:12 am
Bowles should have already been gone. Pretty sure this is his last lifeline he is hanging on by a thread.
June 29th, 2026 at 8:27 am
Gotta play it out before extending baker
if bucs miss the playoffs, both baker and bowles are gone
GO BUCS
June 29th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Like thier news CBS is a garbage news source
June 29th, 2026 at 9:14 am
Hey there Bonzai! Looks like I’m not the only one with a Mike Tomlin prediction.
And just to note, it’s a prediction, not a wish.
And just for fun, watch Green Bay this year. For anyone wanting an offensive minded HC, that one may be available in 2027.
June 29th, 2026 at 9:43 am
813
Keep preaching!
17 more games with Licht, Bowles and Baker then we can rid ourselves of the 3 stooges. Prepare to be underwhelmed. The Bucs are going with the same losing plan they’ve been going with the past 3 seasons. This season will be different because *checks notes* we have an alpha rookie on the OL and a new OC. Superbowl here we come!
June 29th, 2026 at 11:53 am
The sooner Bowels is gone, the sooner we get back to being a franchise of quality again.
Todd was handed the Taj Mahal and turned it into a ghetto.
He can’t even win a division with zero winning teams in it.
All other 31 teams would have fired him by now.
But not the Glazers. They embrace his losing culture.
June 29th, 2026 at 12:01 pm
Last year had as much hope as this year, but players didn’t materialize, and injuries really change a team.
“Worst case”? Mayfield goes on IR in Game 1. Then what is this season…