Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates after catching a pass for a two point conversion against the Carolina Panthers. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

NFL insider drops bold Super Bowl take involving the Buccaneers

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Logan Robinson | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 11:00 AM ET

There is plenty to like about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as we head into the mandatory minicamp this week and enter the 2025 season.

The Bucs had a great offseason once again. They brought in much-needed players in free agency, including Haason Reddick and punter Riley Dixon. Also, they netted some highly productive players in the NFL Draft, including first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, to go along with a host of defensive stalwarts.

With football heating up in Tampa Bay, we can start to examine how the Buccaneers will fare throughout their 2025 schedule. The schedule isn't the most difficult, but there will be some challenging moments for them early and following their Week 9 bye.

The Bucs will have four primetime matchups in 2025, but will have to finish the season strong as four out of their final five games come against NFC South opponents.

Tampa Bay might not be the most thought-of team when talking Super Bowl contenders, but after visiting the team last week, NFL analyst Pete Prisco believes the Bucs are legit. Prisco is high on what the Buccaneers did this offseason to build upon their roster, and despite having a new offensive coordinator at the helm, he believes the Bucs will go 12-5 to win the NFC South for a fifth consecutive year. Not only does Prisco think that, but he also thinks that the Bucs are a Super Bowl contender in the NFC for the 2025 season.

"I think they have a real chance to get hot at the end and onto the postseason," Prisco said.

I feel as if 12 wins for the Bucs is a bit rich. The Bucs have middled and luckily still wound up winning the division the past couple of seasons. The division got better this offseason, and I would expect them to be fighting with either the Atlanta Falcons or the Carolina Panthers to capture the throne.

The Bucs will also have a couple of tough stretches, including weeks four through seven when they will play the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. They also will have another tough stretch following their bye week when they face off against the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and Los Angeles Rams.

While I may believe 12-5 is asking a bit much, it is plausible that they reach this. The NFL is the NFL, and any team can win on any given Sunday. The Bucs offense will hopefully remain one of the top in the league, so it will be up to some major improvement on the defensive side of the ball if they do hope to be one of the true contenders for the Lombardi Trophy in 2025.