The Tampa Bay Buccaneers vastly underperformed in 2025, falling off a cliff over the second half of the season. The Bucs went from 6-2 and in first place to 8-9 and out of the playoffs for the first time since the 2019 season.

What will it take to get back to the top of the NFC South in 2026? More importantly, what will it take for the Bucs to actually push to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time in six years?

Here are six things that need to happen for the Bucs to reach Super Bowl XLI.

1) Baker Mayfield needs to get his groove back

It all starts and stops on offense with Baker being Baker again. The Bucs got Pro Bowl performances from Mayfield in 2023 and 2024 that, with the right breaks in the postseason, could have gotten the Bucs to the Super Bowl. The former No. 1 overall pick looked and played like a true franchise quarterback over that stretch, and the Bucs rewarded him with a contract extension in March 2024.

But 2025 was a step in the wrong direction, both for Mayfield and the Bucs’ offense. Mayfield struggled, both with performance and with nagging injuries throughout the year. If the Bucs are going to get to where they want to go, it’s going to have to get a vintage Baker season. And to do that, he’ll need to stay upright, which leads to…

2) The offensive line stays healthy

…the Bucs’ offensive line being a far healthier version than what we saw last season.

The Bucs lost every starter except one (Graham Barton) for a significant stretch of the season last year, with starting right guard Cody Mauch lost for the season after a Week 2 win over Houston with a knee injury.

Injuries are often simply a product of bad luck, and the Bucs need better fortunes on that front in 2026. Simple as that.

3) The Bucs’ defense needs a fast and significant impact from its newcomers

Tampa Bay’s meteoric fall from first place to out of the playoffs last year had plenty to do with a sputtering offense, but just as much to do with a defense that couldn’t stop much of anything over that brutal second half of the season, particularly in the passing game.

Jason Licht and his staff have created reason for optimism that the pass rush could be improved this fall, with rookie Rueben Bain, Jr. and veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad in the fold. The pass defense between the hashes should be improved with Alex Anzalone patrolling the middle of the field. Rookie LB Josiah Trotter and veteran DL A’Shawn Robinson should bring some physicality and toughness at the line of scrimmage. Defensive back Keionte Scott, who proved to be a big time playmaker at Miami in 2025, could end up being a steal in the fourth round.

If those pieces all make an impact quickly, this could be a very different unit from last year, and frankly, it has to be.

4) Zac Robinson channels 2024 Bucky Irving

Irving’s own injury problems helped derail his 2025 season, but the Bucs’ prolific 2024 offense was driven by a 1500+ scrimmage yard season from Irving. Liam Coen knew how to get Irving involved in a variety of ways, and it paid off in a big way for Tampa Bay.

While Kenneth Gainwell will have a role and is a versatile weapon himself, getting Irving back on track should be a priority for new OC Zac Robinson in his first season in Tampa. Another season akin to 2024 — or better — needs to be in the cards this fall for Tampa Bay’s young running back.

5) Emeka Egbuka hits another gear or two and morphs into one of the game’s best wideouts

Tampa Bay had an Offensive Rookie of the Year winner in the works over the first half of the season with 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka. But then, like the rest of the roster after the mid-season bye week, Egbuka hit a wall. He topped 45 receiving yards in a game just once with no receiving touchdowns over the final eight contests.

Egbuka clearly has a special ability, as he showed in his seven catch, 163-yard output against the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks on the road. Can he do it every week? Can he turn himself into one of the game’s 10 or 12 best receivers? Even with a healthy Chris Godwin back, the Bucs need that level of play from Egbuka.

6) Find a killer edge they haven’t had in a while

I’ve already seen and heard the pounding of your keyboards about none of this mattering because Todd Bowles is still in charge. And I get that — to a point.

The Bucs looked absolutely flat and lifeless down the stretch last year. The polar opposite of a hungry playoff team. Whatever the reason, the Bucs have to become a physical and motivated group for any of the above factors to matter.

Can they? We’ll find out soon enough if the team’s new additions can help galvanize the rest of the roster and serve to put 2025 far in the past.