The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter 2026 with enough offseason drama to fill an entire NFC South season before the season even reaches its first meaningful September kickoff.

On the latest Stephie Smalls Show team preview, Stephie is joined by Jay Huffman, founder and CEO of Champ AI and a lifelong Buccaneers fan, to unpack a roster that still looks talented despite major uncertainty.

The conversation begins with the biggest stories in Tampa Bay: Vita Vea’s trade request, Baker Mayfield’s contract standoff and Mike Evans’ departure. Those developments make the Buccaneers feel unstable, but they also create the exact environment where an angry, doubted Baker Mayfield may be at his best.

Tampa Bay’s disappointing 2025 finish also deserves context. The Buccaneers started 6-2 before injuries overwhelmed nearly every position group. Mayfield played through multiple ailments, the offensive line constantly changed combinations and the receiving corps rarely stayed healthy. Despite everything, Tampa Bay still had a chance to win a fifth straight division title.

That makes the 2026 win total of 7.5 feel surprisingly low. Stephie and Jay both like the over, especially if the Buccaneers receive average injury luck. They also discuss Todd Bowles’ increasingly hot seat, a rebuilt defense, the crowded backfield and an underrated group of receivers led by Emeka Egbuka.

The best-bet conversation includes Mayfield over 25.5 passing touchdowns, Egbuka over 900.5 receiving yards and a long-shot swing on Mayfield to lead the NFL in touchdown passes.

The Buccaneers may not be a perfect team, but they remain capable of winning the NFC South. Their season could end with another division title or a complete organizational reset. Either way, boring does not appear to be an option.

Listen to the full Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview for roster analysis, futures bets and one highly necessary Bucs fan therapy session.