Are Buccaneers legitimate Super Bowl contenders? Senior NFL Analyst Thinks So

Pete Prisco is confident that the weak NFC South presents an opportunity for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers to make the Super Bowl.

Are Buccaneers legitimate Super Bowl contenders? Senior NFL Analyst Thinks So

Analyst Pete Prisco believes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can win the Super Bowl (Images via Open Source)

Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have proven themselves to be one of the better teams in the NFL. While some attribute the team’s success to weak competition within the NFC South, some believe the team is capable of getting back to where it was in 2021- the Super Bowl.

Respected analyst Pete Prisco has high hopes for Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season. He expects the franchise to not only win the division but also substantially improve their overall record to 12-5. He is confident that the Buccaneers will take full advantage of the weak division.

I think they’re going to go 12-5 and win the division again. This is not a great division…I think this Bucs team is better, I think they’re better than they were a year ago. I think they go 12-5, and I think they’re a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Prisco said

Prisco set the standard high for the Buccaneers early on with his statements on CBS Sports. The analyst’s take makes sense. Look at who Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers will go up against for the most part: the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and the Atlanta Falcons.

The Panthers will stick to Bryce Young this year, and despite the promise he has shown, he has yet to prove that he can deliver at least 5 wins in one season. The Saints have a problem of their own. With the unexpected retirement of Derek Carr, the team is now relying on Spencer Rattler, rookie Tyler Shough, and an undrafted quarterback who lost his NCAA eligibility after he was found to have been actively involved in gambling with his parents’ support.

The Atlanta Falcons are the only team capable of putting up a fight in front of the Buccaneers

This leaves Atlanta. Despite their disastrous run with Kirk Cousins last year, the Falcons received some positive news after rookie Michael Penix Jr. stepped in. He showed promise, but this year, there will be a lot more expected of him. If Penix plays well, then the Falcons will be the only team that can remotely put up a fight against Tampa Bay.

Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield (Via NFL.com)

Pete Prisco believes Baker Mayfield will have a lot to gain personally by leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl.

If they do make that push to get there, and get close, or get there, and maybe win it. Baker Mayfield is in for an enormous payday. He’s scheduled to make $33 million, which is the average of his salary right now. He’s in the bottom of the league, and there’s only a few starting quarterbacks other than rookies who make less than him.

Prisco added

Prisco believes that Mayfield’s current three-year deal, which pays him $100 million, will shoot up in value if he can lead this franchise to the NFC Championship or the Super Bowl. Despite having resurrected his career in Tampa Bay, Mayfield continues to earn peanuts in comparison to his peers. Younger quarterbacks that were drafted in recent years but whose accomplishments are nowhere near his earn more than him.

Prisco expects a 12-5 season from the Buccaneers. That is a realistic number because Tampa Bay has continued to improve over the last three years. The team has won 10, 9, and 8 games, respectively, in each of the last three seasons. Winning an additional two games when the division is in shambles will not be an issue. However, Baker Mayfield will play under a new offensive coordinator following the departure of Liam Coen to the Jaguars, so it will be interesting to see how the approach is taken by the new OC.

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