The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quietly been one of the more successful franchises in the NFL in recent years.
The organization has made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, including winning the Super Bowl in 2020. While key franchise pieces like Tom Brady and Bruce Arians have moved on, the Buccaneers have continued to succeed.
Last season, the team went 9-8 and upset the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. While they were eliminated by the Lions the following round, the season was still viewed as a success for Tampa Bay.
Baker Mayfield found his footing as the starting quarterback and produced his best overall season. The former number-one overall pick earned a healthy payday this offseason as a result. He’ll look to build off last year’s success in 2024.
Tampa Bay is tied for the 9th-worst odds to win it all at +8000 on DraftKings Sportsbook. They have the 10th-best odds to win the NFC at +3500, hold +320 odds to win the NFC South, and +145 odds to make the playoffs outright. The Buccaneers’ season-long win total is 7.5 games, with the over favored at -135 odds.
Baker Mayfield Over 11.5 Interceptions (+100)
Baker Mayfield has not had a great relationship with interceptions throughout his NFL career.
In the 89 career NFL games that Mayfield has played in, he has thrown 74 total interceptions. He has thrown at least eight every season in the league. This includes 21 in the 2019 season. Even last season in which Mayfield had his best statistical year, the former number-one overall pick still managed to turn the ball over ten times through the air.
Mayfield plays with a gunslinger mentality. That comes with highs and lows. The 29-year-old has exceeded this 11.5 interception margin in three of his six seasons thus far. This is slightly more encouraging than the reality as he still had ten interceptions in 2022 despite only playing in 12 games and splitting time with the Panthers and Rams.
Tampa Bay handed Mayfield a three-year extension worth $100 million this offseason. This comes with the expectation he will deliver as the starting quarterback. The Buccaneers will roll with Mayfield as their surefire starter for the entirety of the season, barring any injuries or significant decline.
Whether or not Mayfield has truly turned a corner is to be determined. Even if he has taken a step forward, expect some regression in his interceptions this season. The Oklahoma product did a solid job taking care of the ball last year and still tallied ten interceptions. Count on Mayfield to eclipse 11.5 interceptions for the fourth time in his career during his second season with the Buccaneers.
Rachaad White Over 825.5 Rushing Yards (+105)
Baker Mayfield was not the only Buccaneers player to take a notable step forward last season. Second-year running back Rachaad White started all 17 games tallying 990 yards on the ground and six touchdowns.
While the addition of fourth-round draft pick Bucky Irving may lead to a handful of carries being taken away from White, he still is the surefire number-one back. White was tied for second in the NFL in carries last season with 49ers star Christian McCaffrey with 272 carries. They fell just eight carries shy of Derrick Henry, who led the entire league.
If White can receive near the 16 carries per game that was the case last year, he should have no issues clearing the 825.5 rushing-yard margin once again.
In addition to the opportunity he will receive, White will benefit from the Buccaneers’ improved offensive line. Tampa Bay spent a first-round pick on Duke lineman Graham Barton. He’s since been named the team’s starting center. The rookie has received a great deal of praise in training camp; he could be the missing piece to make the Buccaneers’ offensive line unit function as one.
With an improved offensive line and a similar opportunity expected, count on Rachaad White to build on his successful season last year. In so doing, he’ll eclipse 825.5 rushing yards once again this season.
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