Feb. 13, 2026, 12:36 p.m. ET
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers missing the playoffs following a 5-1 start to the season was not on their bingo card, or the card of fans. As a result, folks will have some anger heading into 2026, and they want to see change, but instead, the team is looking to heal up and see how things go.
However, with so many questions on the defense as a whole and around the roster remaining, can the Bucs actually return to the playoffs? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler discussed every team that missed the playoffs, including the Bucs, and offered suggestions on why they will or won’t make the playoffs in 2026.
For the argument that they can return to the playoffs, it all starts with the aforementioned.
Fowler writes, “Tampa Bay can score with anybody when healthy. Its receivers room is among the league’s deepest, and the offensive line has a clear identity. Baker Mayfield, 30, has shown he’s a quality NFL starter with whom Tampa Bay can win.”
At one point, the Bucs had nine of their 11 offensive starters affected by injuries. Getting healthy will certainly start, but more may need to happen with the roster. Free agency and the NFL draft will ultimately determine how fans feel about their chances of returning to the NFL.
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