The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2025 season was a tale of two halves. The first half was outstanding, as the Bucs went into the break as one of the NFC’s best teams at 6-2. They finished 8-9 and out of the playoffs after a devastating second-half collapse.

But with the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, the 2025-26 season is now in the books, and full focus can begin on next season.

ESPN did that by putting out their power rankings of all 32 teams for next season, with each ESPN beat writer summarizing in three words what each team’s primary offseason need is. Tampa Bay checked in at 17, and ESPN beat writer Jenna Laine listed the Bucs’ primary offseason need as needing to “recapture their mojo”.

ESPN ranked the Bucs 17th in power rankings, but they were off by one spot about the team’s primary offseason need

This is what Laine had to say about the Bucs’ primary offseason need:

“Offseason in three words: Recapture their mojo

After one of the hottest starts of any team in the first half of the 2025 season, the Bucs missed out on the postseason for the first time since 2019. Quarterback Baker Mayfield struggled after back-to-back seasons of personal bests, the defense seldom looked like it was in “attack mode” and the special teams unit was nightmarish. As a result, coach Todd Bowles significantly revamped his staff. The team will await word on the futures of wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David, but the Buccaneers need to find more marquee players regardless (especially an edge rusher opposite YaYa Diaby).“

Respectfully, I think that a good part of recapturing that mojo will take care of itself with some staff changes that have been put in place. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson should be a step up from what the Bucs had last season in Josh Grizzard. There’s simply too much talent on the Bucs’ offense to perform as poorly as they did in the second half of the season, and even with or without Mike Evans next season (preferably with), the Bucs should be better across 17 games on that side of the ball. They should also be back to full health on their banged-up offensive line.

But the flashing red arrow is pointing directly at the head coach and the roster on his side of the ball.

Finding roster help on defense should be the principal offseason concern and focus for 2026

Dallas checked in at No. 18 on ESPN’s rankings, and its three-word offseason message also fits the Bucs’ primary need to a T: “fix the defense”.

I’m not sure there’s recapturing any mojo on defense with what the roster on that side of the ball looks like going into 2026. The edge rushing group outside of Yaya Diaby, who was adequate last season, frankly, is among the league’s worst. 2025 fourth-round pick David Walker, who was lost in training camp to a knee injury, should return and work into the mix, but there’s no guarantees there of a breakout. Haason Reddick disappointed in 2025 and is a free agent.

The Bucs’ inside linebacker group, with or without Lavonte David in 2026, needs two starting-caliber players. Deion Jones is a free agent, along with David, and SirVocea Dennis — who did not play as well last year as he did in an injury-shortened 2024 season — enters the final season of his rookie deal.

The team also has some question marks in the secondary. Do they bring back Jamel Dean, who earned a big payday with a very strong 2025 season? It’s hard to see this unit without him in 2026, but he should have a strong market. The importance of that question is further amplified by a down 2025 season from Zyon McCollum, who the team paid handsomely last year.

Benjamin Morrison spent much of the year dealing with a hamstring issue, missing seven games. The Bucs do seem to have the nickel cornerback spot locked in with rookie standout Jacob Parrish looking like a seasoned pro quickly.

In addition to Jason Licht having his work cut out for him with the aforementioned roster issues, Todd Bowles might need to take a look in the mirror and figure out, schematically, what went wrong. He’ll never change his defense completely, but even franchise legend Ronde Barber has said he’s not a fan of Bowles defense and the complexity it entails (and perhaps confusion it creates).

It’s a truly pivotal offseason, particularly for Bowles, and there’s a ton of work to be done to make his defense look like a competent and capable NFL unit. Because if it doesn’t, the Bucs undoubtedly won’t recapture the “mojo” they enjoyed in September and October.

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