The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been at their best the last few seasons when their defense is playing at a high level. They have been easily inside the top 10 since they won the Super Bowl two seasons ago, but things started to slip a little bit in 2022.
Ranking 13th in points allowed and ninth in yardage surrendered certainly isn’t a bad mark by any stretch. But, the players on that side of the ball know if the team is going to find success in 2023, they are going to have to step their game up.
That is exactly what Buccaneers’ safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is planning to do. He recently revealed a lofty goal that he and his teammates on the defensive side of the ball have, as they are setting the bar as high as possible.
“[W]e want to be the No. 1 defense this year,” Winfield said in a recent appearance on Richard Sherman’s podcast, via Adam Silvan of PewterReport.com. “We’ve got the talent around us to do that, so that’s the No. 1 priority, to be the No. 1 defense.”
It has been a long time since the Buccaneers were sporting the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL. In 2005, they ranked first in yardage allowed and eighth in points. The last time they were No. 1 in both categories was the 2002 season with Jon Gruden as head coach, and that team went on to win the Super Bowl.
Another dominating performance from the defense would certainly put this year’s version of the Buccaneers in a position to win a lot of games. It is easily their best path to victory as the offense can no longer rely on Tom Brady to carry them. It will be either Kyle Trask or Baker Mayfield under center in 2023 with a gigantic void to fill.
On paper, the talent is there for the Buccaneers to have one of the best units in the league. With the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they bolstered the defensive front by selecting Calijah Kancey out of Pittsburgh as well.
They retained two starters, linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Jamel Dean, in free agency and still have linebacker Devin White on the roster. With most of their core intact, there will be motivation to get things back on track in 2023.
