5 bold predictions for Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020

The Buccaneers won the offseason by stealing Tom Brady away from the Patriots. Can Brady bring a Super Bowl title to fans in Tampa Bay?

The quarterback upgrade from Jameis Winston to Tom Brady is intended to make the Buccaneers a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year. To make that kind of leap, Brady is going to need a lot of help from his new teammates.

He’s still an elite signal caller, but he’s also be 43 years old early in the 2020 campaign. That means Bruce Arians needs to be careful not to place too much pressure on his veteran quarterback.

Fortunately the offense already has a ton of talent at the skill positions. Mike Evans and Chris Howard will give Brady a substantial upgrade over the receiving corps he worked with in his last several seasons in New England. O.J. Howard could also be in line for a career season at the tight end spot.

Then again, offense wasn’t the issue for the Buccaneers in 2019. Arians’ team gave up 28.1 points per game a season ago. The franchise hopes that Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul can repeat their strong performances rushing the passer. Internal improvement will be required from the team’s young secondary to really take a step forward.

Going from 7-9 to a Super Bowl contender is a big jump. The outcome of these five bold predictions will determine whether or not the Buccaneers can make such a big leap.

5. Ndamukong Suh will double his sack total

Suh only got to the quarterback for 2.5 sacks in 2019. Somewhat surprisingly, the Buccaneers still elected to bring him back for another season. It’s safe to assume they expect more production in 2020.

The veteran defensive tackle is a liability because of his desire to freelance on every down, but that should allow him to create pressure more frequently than more disciplined interior defensive lineman. The Buccaneers should play from ahead plenty this season. Expect Suh to get at least 5 sacks as a result of his increased opportunities to rush the passer.