How much younger can Bucs realistically get this offseason?

The Bucs have clearly enjoyed unprecedented success in recent years. When Tom Brady arrived in 2020, he took them to the Super Bowl in year one – and they won it. In 2021, Tampa Bay won a franchise-record 13 wins and won the NFC South for the first time since 2007. And despite battling an 8-9 season in 2022, the team repeated as division champions for the first time ever.

Utilities, where do the Bucs go from here? As Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds wrote in the latest edition of SR’s Fab 5, this is a team that can use a lot more speed in 2023. The 2022 squad often looked slow, both offensively and defensively.

It’s certainly arguable that the Bucs need to get younger this offseason as well. Last season, they were the 11th oldest team in the NFL in terms of average age (26.42), plus they had 10 players who were 30 or older, which is also near the top of the league in that category.

Bucs LB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So, can Tampa Bay realistically get younger this offseason? That can prove difficult.

For starters, the team’s top two free agents—both in importance and presumed priority—are well over 30 years old. If Tom Brady comes back to play his 24th NFL season, he’ll be 46 by the time Week 1 rolls around. On the defensive side of the ball, longtime captain Lavonte David has just turned 33.

The Bucs should want Brady and David back. They are the leaders of their respective sides off the ball, with both still managing to play at a high level in 2022. Brady struggled overall, but he still racked up 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns to nine interceptions with a bang. offensive line and not a run game.

David isn’t as smashing as he used to be, but he’s still remarkably stable. He finished 2022 with 124 tackles (80 solo), three sacks, 10 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble to recover. Not to mention, the Bucs have no suitable replacements for Brady and David if they don’t return for another season.

Where can the Bucs get younger heading into 2023?

So if the Bucs manage to bring back Brady and David, where can the team get younger? The skill positions in attack would be a start. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are about as good a 1-2 punch as you’ll find in the NFL, but the group behind them left a lot to be desired in 2022. Julio Jones’ season of 33 years was a huge disappointment, while Russell Gage spent much of his season at age 26 with injuries. Tampa Bay could get younger and faster at the wide receiver position.

Bucs TE Kyle Rudolph and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The tight finishing position got a shock from the youth this season, with rookies Cade Otton and Ko Kieft being in demand to contribute. They did so in part because Cameron Brate’s age (30) – and injuries – caught up with him and Kyle Rudolph (33) appeared to have very little left in the tank after signing a one-year contract during training camp.

The Bucs’ backfield isn’t precise old, but Leonard Fournette has just turned 28 and had a bad year in 2022. It could be a wise, forward-looking move to field another young running back to complement Rachaad White.

On defense, the Bucs charged veterans last season. They signed Keanu Neal (27), Logan Ryan (31) and Akiem Hicks (now 33) in addition to William Gholston (31). Ryan and Hicks struggled with injuries in 2022, while Neal and Gholston were largely ineffective.

On special teams, kicker Ryan Succop is 36 and no longer has the leg to make reliable contact on field goals longer than 45-47 yards. Head coach Todd Bowles recently spoke about the team’s kicking situation and while complimenting Succop, he noted that they should also be able to kick out from 50-55 yards.

This offseason, the Bucs would be wise to get younger. Now, younger doesn’t automatically mean better and more effective, but when it comes to things like durability and speed, youth can be a big plus. And for where Tampa Bay is right now, health and speed trading experience should be the way forward.

Why Tampa Bay could struggle to get younger this offseason

Bucs GM Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As much as the Bucs would like to get younger in the coming months, it can be challenging. And that’s not just because Brady and David would still impact the age of the team when they return. It’s a ‘salary cap’ issue. Tampa Bay is now $54,833,921 over the limit, per OverTheCap.com.

Some of the moves the Bucs make to become cap-compliant will likely make them younger, but they won’t have much room to work with once free desk kicks in. As it stands, many of their moves may fall within the veteran minimum, and those kinds of contracts are usually issued to, well, veterans.

The NFL Draft will definitely give the Bucs a chance to get younger, which is where they might be able to get faster. A young, fast receiver, like Boston College’s Zay Flowers,appearing in the new Pewter Report Bucs mock draft, to mingle with Evans and Godwin would be hugely important, as would some young pass-rushers.

Those are priorities, regardless of Brady’s status. There was a serious lack of explosiveness on offense in 2022 and the defense didn’t pressure the quarterback with much regularity. It’s hard to win if you fail in both areas.

Now, if Brady comes back, some sort of “youth movement” may not be on the agenda this offseason. Tampa Bay is all about maximizing the Super Bowl window, which was more open than ever with the timeless seven-time quarterback in town. Proven, reliable additions have been the priority since its arrival in 2020, and that roster-building strategy has largely succeeded.

But Brady or no Brady – as many as possible – the Bucs need to start building the other parts of their roster for the future.

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