2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More

This article is part of our Team Previews series.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There are resets, and then there's the type of seismic shift the Buccaneers are navigating following future Hall of Famer Tom Brady's retirement this offseason. Tampa Bay will move forward with either one of journeymen Baker Mayfield or the inexperienced Kyle Trask, but fortunately for Brady's successor, he'll have a well-stocked pass-catching corps, solid ground attack and aggressive, talented defense for support as Tampa Bay looks to remain competitive during its quarterback transition.

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Room

• Veteran Additions: Baker Mayfield (from Rams), John Wolford (from Rams)
• Draft Picks: None
• Departures: Tom Brady (retired), Blaine Gabbert (to Chiefs)

On paper, Mayfield, who seemingly has a slight edge over Kyle Trask in their upcoming job battle, boasts the draft pedigree befitting a successor to a quarterback the caliber of Brady. The top overall pick in 2018, Mayfield provided occasional flashes of brilliance during his four campaigns in Cleveland. However, those moments were rarer last season, as Mayfield split his time between the Panthers and Rams, and he may have reached his NFL ceiling at age 28.

Trask will be trying to make good on the Buccaneers' 2021 second-round investment in him, but he has a significant experience disadvantage considering his Week 18 cameo versus the Falcons in 2022 serves as his only regular-season action. In addition to Mayfield having played in 71 more contests than Trask, Wolford sports a 15-game pro resume himself when factoring in his AAF tenure in 2019 and was serviceable during his infrequent opportunities the past three seasons.

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Backfield

• Veteran Additions: Chase Edmonds (from Broncos)
• Draft Picks: None
• Departures: Leonard Fournette (FA), Giovani Bernard (retired)

Fournette opened 2022 atop Tampa Bay's RB depth chart but progressively ceded touches to then-rookie Rachaad White as the season unfolded. Fournette was released in March, leaving White as the team's top option after he compiled 848 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns across 18 games (including playoffs).

Meanwhile, 2020 third-round pick Ke'Shawn Vaughn entered this year's training camp as the Buccaneers' No. 2 running back, which was somewhat of a surprise because he's shown little as a pass catcher over three years as a pro (12 receptions in 37 games). And the versatile Edmonds has two seasons of 40-plus catches in five NFL campaigns, but he managed only 16 grabs in 13 appearances last year.

Considering White displayed above-average receiving acumen by hauling in 50 of 58 targets in 2022, he seems more than capable of handling all three downs, with Vaughn and Edmonds spelling him on occasion. Behind those three, rookie UDFA Sean Tucker is an intriguing prospect after producing a pair of 1,000-yard seasons at Syracuse, but he went undrafted due to medical concerns.

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Receiving Corps

• Veteran Additions: None
• Draft Picks: TE Payne Durham (Rd. 5, No. 171 – Purdue); WR Trey Palmer (Rd. 6, No. 191 – Nebraska)
• Departures: WRs Julio Jones (FA), Scotty Miller (to Falcons), Breshad Perriman (to Colts); TEs Cameron Brate (FA), Kyle Rudolph (FA)

Despite Tom Brady's much-publicized retirement, the passing game cupboard is hardly bare in Tampa Bay. That's first and foremost due to the ongoing presence of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin atop the wide receiver depth chart, with both players coming off productive 2022 seasons and Godwin reportedly back to his pre-December 2021 ACL tear form this spring. Both wideouts undoubtedly will miss Brady, but each prospered plenty prior to the legend's arrival in 2020.

Veteran Russell Gage also is back in the No. 3 role after posting a 51-426-5 line across 13 games during his first season with the team a year ago. The depth behind the top trio is thin on experience, but the blazing fast Palmer (4.33 40) offers some promise following a 1,000-yard campaign at Nebraska last season, while David Moore recorded 78 receptions and 13 touchdowns during the 2018-20 seasons with the Seahawks.

The tight-end room is very young yet has some intriguing pass-catching talent in Cade Otton, who led all rookies at his position in catches in 2022, and Durham, who was a highly productive component of the Boilermakers' passing game over the last three seasons in particular. 

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sleepers

⬆️  Sleeper: Chase Edmonds

Edmonds logged only 84 touches in 13 games with Miami and Denver last season after compiling 903 total yards in 12 contests with the Cardinals in 2021. The five-year vet has a viable opportunity for a rebound campaign in 2023 considering the Buccaneers' need for an experienced complementary option alongside first-time lead back Rachaad White. Edmonds' 144 career receptions also should afford him regular snaps and even some opportunities to share the field with White.

😴  Super Sleeper: Payne Durham

Cade Otton logged 65 targets as a 2022 fourth-round pick despite starting the season behind Cameron Brate, ultimately finishing with a rookie-high 42 receptions at tight end. Otton now heads up the depth chart, affording Durham a chance to replicate his teammate's accomplishments as his top pass-catching backup. The Purdue product's measurables aren't remarkable, but with 126 grabs at the Division 1 level, Durham possesses the skills to make an impact in an air attack that could rely heavily on his position.

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Todd Bowles (Year 2)

Offensive Coordinator: Dave Canales (Year 1) – West Coast offense

Defensive Coordinator: Larry Foote, Kacy Rodgers (Year 2) – 3-4 scheme

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Depth Chart

QB: Baker Mayfield / Kyle Trask / John Wolford

RB: Rachaad White / Ke'Shawn Vaughn / Chase Edmonds / Patrick Laird / Sean Tucker / Ronnie Brown

WR1: Mike Evans / Trey Palmer / David Moore

WR2: Chris Godwin / Deven Thompkins / Kaylon Geiger

WR3: Russell Gage

TE: Cade Otton / Payne Durham / Ko Kieft

O-Line: LT Tristan Wirfs / LG Matt Feiler / C Ryan Jensen / RG Cody Mauch / RT Luke Goedeke (RotoWire Rank: No. 24)

Kicker: Chase McLaughlin / Rodrigo Blankenship

Full 2023 Depth Chart

Stats to Know for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2023 Projected Wins via FanDuel Sportsbook: 6.5 (T-26th)

2022 Record: 8-9

2022 Points Scored: 313 (25th)

2022 Points Allowed: 358 (13th)

2022 Point Differential: -45 (25th)

2022 Run-Play Rate: 32.1 percent (32nd)

2022 Offensive Snaps: 1,159 (1st)

2022 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 9

Full 2022 Team Stats

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Schedule

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds To Win Super Bowl LVIII

• Buccaneers Super Bowl 58 Odds: 80-1

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 11:00 PM ET on Aug. 1, 2023.