Bucs Get Huge Upgrade in NFC Elite Rankings

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated May 2, 2025 8:05 PM ET

It appears that people are finally starting to come around to the idea of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being a rather good football team in 2025.

After back-to-back division titles and playoff appearances under Baker Mayfield, and after keeping most of the roster together, adding Haason Reddick in free agency, and having another solid draft haul, the Bucs are in business.

Now, we aren't saying they will be in Super Bowl contention, but what about contention in the NFC?

CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan, in his latest NFC rankings, has the Bucs at No. 6, with the much-fancied Green Bay Packers (5) and Los Angeles Rams (4) ahead of them.

"For a minute, it felt like Tampa Bay was going to lose Chris Godwin, but it found a way to keep the star receiver along with linebacker Lavonte David," Sullivan wrote. "I loved the addition of Emeka Egbuka in the first round, giving Baker Mayfield another high-powered receiving weapon. It also did well to address the secondary on Day 2 with corner Benjamin Morrison out of Notre Dame and Kansas State corner Jacob Parrish. It's no surprise the Bucs remain the favorite to win the NFC South and make the playoffs for the sixth straight year."

The Buccaneers will welcome the praise for being a favorite in the NFC South, but that is the bare minimum for Todd Bowles' team.

Having won a playoff game and then pushed the Detroit Lions to the brink in 2023, to then follow that up with a one-and-done performance last season with a loss to the Washington Commanders, the focus is not on the regular season for Tampa Bay, but the playoffs.

And that is a big leap for a franchise that is not often mentioned in such a manner.

So, maybe the 2025 season is when we see the Buccaneers take that next step in their evolution with Mayfield, and expectations rise. Winning the division year after year is fine, but players and fans want Super Bowls.

The Bucs aren't there yet, but they have a roster capable of making every team in football nervous, and that's a good trait to have.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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