Buccaneers Fall in Latest NFL Offseason Power Rankings
If I told you three years ago the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were keeping their No. 2 cornerback Jamel Dean, franchise stud linebacker Lavonte David, and replacing quarterback Tom Brady with a former No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, you'd probably be pretty happy given the circumstances.
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Now that it's happening however - and coming off the season the Bucs just had - those moves are good enough to rank the team 24th in the NFL, one spot down from where they were at the end of last season.
"The Bucs profiled as a team that might be ready to tear it all down after Tom Brady announced his retirement," NFL.com's Dan Hanzus wrote in his post-free agency frenzy power rankings. "Instead, the organization looks to keep its veteran core together for another run...Tampa signed Baker Mayfield to compete with former second-round pick Kyle Trask. Expect Mayfield to win the job if no other competition enters the picture."
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24th overall might seem low for a team coming off a playoff appearance and back-to-back NFC South Division titles.
Given how the playoff spot and division crown were won, however, it's not unreasonable to see Tampa Bay ranked this low.
Add to it the loss of players like safety Mike Edwards and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, and the fact the Buccaneers are the lowest power-ranked team that made last year's postseason is also not a surprise.
In its current state, many will expect the team to fall in the NFC South standings as well, but Hanzus still has the Bucs ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (No. 27) while the Carolina Panthers (No. 18) and New Orleans Saints (No. 22) both rank higher.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
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