Bucs headed in wrong direction despite leading weak NFC South

Even if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squeak out a division title in a struggling NFC South, the team can't feel great about its long-term outlook. 

Even with a playoff berth, the Bucs do not look built to contend with teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. In fact, the team losing 21-3 to the lowly Carolina Panthers a couple of weeks ago shows that anyone in the NFL can beat the Bucs on any given Sunday. 

Quarterback Tom Brady is finally struggling with the weight of Father Time, even if he still can channel his old self on occasion. The Bucs' receiver room isn't doing enough to ignite the offense, and the run game isn't doing much behind running back Leonard Fournette. 

The Bucs defense has lost pass rusher Shaq Barrett for the year, and linebacker Devin White is coming under fire for his play as of late. 

Head coach Todd Bowles is known for his defensive savvy, but he's not providing the stability that former head coach Bruce Arians gave the team during his Super Bowl-winning stretch at the helm. Now, it's not on Bowles that Brady isn't playing to expectation, but the sagging defense is in his wheelhouse. 

The Bucs are going to potentially enter 2023 without a quarterback, a high draft pick and gobs of cap space eaten by veterans.

The team might also lose a good chunk of its talent in the 2023 offseason, with linebacker Lavonte David, wideout Julio Jones, pass rusher William Gholston, cornerback Sean Bunting, safety Keanu Neal, defensive back Logan Ryan and safety Mike Edwards among the players headed to free agency. 

The Bucs have a good front office, but they may also have to pay the piper sooner than later for the Brady era.