ESPN believes Bucs have the 'next big thing' at a key spot but there are probably more mixed feelings than good ones

A lot of people have eyes on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading into 2025 and there's good reason behind the attention.

The Bucs had one of the NFL's best offenses last year and when healthy, the defense is one of the scarier units in the league. The offense only got better over the offseason and there were necessary additions made on defense that should help it get back to its Top-10 ways.

Flipping it back to the offense: 2024 was one of the best offensive outputs in franchise history. Only 2020 and 2021 are in the same conversation.

2025, however, has the chance to feature the best Bucs offense we've ever seen and that's because the unit returns all 11 starters from last year. The only change is Liam Coen's departure and Josh Grizzard's ascension. And while it's a big change, the pieces are in place for Grizzard and Co. to do big things this year.

Ben Solak of ESPN thinks the same, as well. He mentioned Grizzard's name in the top "10 names you need to know" section of his latest article detailing 100 talking points 100 days out from the start of 2025:

Grizzard has had a quick rise in the NFL coaching ranks; he was first an offensive quality control coach with the Dolphins in 2017 and had only two years as a wide receivers coach in Miami before he got the job with the Bucs last season. At just 34 years old, and with experience under Mike McDaniel and Coen, it's fair to have "next big thing" suspicions around Grizzard. If he can keep the train chugging from last season, the Bucs should have a top-10 offense again.

The Bucs probably love this but also hate it at the same time

It's simple, too. Both Dave Canales and Coen have been swiped out from underneath the Bucs' noses after one good year in Tampa Bay. If Grizzard is able to keep things running smoothly, there's certainly a chance he finds a head coaching job in 2026. 

If that were to happen, it'd mark the third time in as many years that a first-year OC in Tampa Bay has left for a head coaching job and it'd eventually become the Bucs' fourth OC in as many years. Even with a talented roster, it'd be really hard to find/elevate another guy who can come in and make sure some sort of continuity sticks.

Outside his first year as head coach in 2022, which was a year where he didn't have a say in the composition of the coaching staff due to Bruce Arians' late retirement, Bowles has had to find a new OC every offseason. It has to be tiring at this point and I'm sure he won't want to do it again, next year.Especially if the offense lights up the scoreboard like it should. Some problems are good to have, but I'd think the Bucs would love to have an offseason where they're not trying to replace a the same key staff member. Even if it's on the heels of a historical year.