Pre-Draft Projected Starters: 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2023 Bucs starters are slowly taking form. They’ve been stuck in a bit of a cap nightmare with $2.4 million in team space, so some of their big salary starters are restructuring. Tom Brady will collect his final NFL paychecks as a now former player. It will create $11 million in dead money for 2023 and $24 million for 2024. They’re likely going to restructure and use monetary ingenuity through the next couple of seasons to make it work. Here are the pre-draft projected starters:

Quarterback

Baker Mayfield is primed to take over the starting position. He still must beat out Kyle Trask, who was a second-round pick in 2021 and was perhaps the last quarterback lucky enough to learn directly from the GOAT. Mayfield, however, has started in 65 NFL games to Trask’s none. They’ll be installing a new offense under OC David Canales.

Left Tackle

Brandon Walton – After releasing Donovan Smith earlier this year to help free up cap space, the Bucs are in a place of need before the draft. Walton has only started two games. There’s been talk of moving RT Wirfs to LT, but it’s likely they’re approaching it with a ‘wait and see’ attitude. They’re almost certainly eyeing the draft regarding this important position.

Left Guard

Nick Leverett is still recovering from his knee injury. Leverett was drafted as a Center but he’s capable of playing other positions as well. Left Guard is likely on the Bucs’ list of needs before the draft.

Center

Ryan Jensen carved a name for himself and is known around the NFL as a fierce competitor and arguably the best in the league at his position. He’s known to be a bully in the trenches and has an insatiable appetite for competing with the league’s best. He’s playing on the second year of his three-year, $39 million contract.

Right Guard

Aaron Stinnie is a veteran lineman who re-signed with the Bucs to begin free agency. Stinnie is recovering from an MCL + ACL injury which has him questionable for training camp.

Right Tackle

Tristan Wirfs – The former first-rounder has this position on lockdown unless chatter becomes a reality and he gets moved to LT.

Running Back

Rachaad White – The release of Leonard Fournette prompts the next man up unless someone more talented comes along via draft, trade, or free agency. White was a third-round pick who had just concluded his rookie season for the Bucs. He rushed for 481 yards with a 3.7-yard average.

Tight End

Cade Otton is the TE that would likely start in the event the Bucs don’t go after a veteran.

Wide Receiver 1

Mike Evans is a proven veteran and a leader on the Bucs with the accolades to go along with it. He is one of the premier receivers in the league and was an integral part of their Super Bowl run in 2020.

Wide Receiver 2

Chris Godwin is a ridiculously talented player who could fill the role of the Bucs’ number-one receiver if not for the immensely talented Evans standing in his way.

Left Defensive End

Greg Gaines is a recent acquisition and will be an important part of the positional depth for the Bucs’ DL, regardless of whether he’s the starter. Gaines is listed as a DT, but he could potentially play anywhere on the line. He’s got size at 312 lbs. and will be a solid backup for Vea at NT. The Bucs will potentially look to the draft or free agency to find their starting defensive end for the left side.

Nose Tackle

Vita Vea will certainly be the starter in this position. He’s signed through 2026 and restructured his contract for the second straight year to free up cap space. He’s agile enough to get after the quarterback but perhaps more importantly, he’s a huge run-stopping plug smack dab in the middle at 6’5”, 347 lbs. Still, this pales in comparison to the size of his birth name.

Right Defensive End

Logan Hall had a rather uneventful rookie campaign. Head coach Todd Bowles is expecting him to take a leap in his second year.

Left Inside Linebacker

Devin White was the 5^th overall pick in 2019 and didn’t disappoint. He made the PFWA All-Rookie team and has constantly been a thorn in the other team’s side ever since. Rumor has it that he will potentially be getting shopped around on draft day.

Right Inside Linebacker

Lavonte David is celebrating his 11^th season in the NFL. The longtime tackling machine still plays at a very high level. Even in his most recent playoff game against the Cowboys, he led the team with 14 total tackles. Barring unexpected events, he’ll also be the starter in 2023.

Strongside Linebacker

Shaquil Barrett – The Bucs’ top pass rusher suffered a torn Achilles against the Ravens just about midway through the 2022 season. He is now questionable for the start of training camp. The former Broncos LB signed a four-year extension in 2021.

Weakside Linebacker

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was PFF’s choice for the team’s most-improved player in 2022. There is a big ceiling under his emerging talent, which is still under construction. Look for him to take another leap in 2023.

Strong Safety

Nolan Turner signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent. He signed a reserve/future contract after being waived in December. Safety will likely be a position of need in the draft.

Free Safety

Antoine Winfield Jr. is the son of former Bills CB Antoine Winfield Sr. and it shows.  He’s developed into an important strategic piece. Coach Bowles was quoted at the NFL league meeting as saying, “We talked about it, and I told him I really want him to stay at free safety this year as far as we can help it, and I am going to try and keep him there.”

Right Cornerback

Carlton Davis was a second-round pick in 2019. He re-signed with the Bucs, proving their unrelenting faith in him. His was a three-year, $45 million contract.

Left Cornerback

Jamel Dean was a third-round pick in 2019. He recently signed a four-year extension for the Bucs worth $52 million.