Whereas all eyes are set on the 2023 season, Pewter Report is having a look on the Bucs in 2023 and into the long run. Going place by place, we’ll present a three-year outlook to get an thought of what the 2024 and 2025 Bucs would possibly seem like — and the way 2023 might influence these future groups.

Quarterbacks

Working Backs

At this time, we proceed with the large receivers.

Bucs Extensive Receiver Contracts

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay has had two of the higher large receivers within the NFL for occurring six seasons now, and the staff certainly doesn’t need that to alter any time quickly. Mike Evans is coming into a contract yr as of now, however an extension for the nine-time 1,000-yard receiver and four-time Professional Bowler is coming at some point. He figures to be locked in previous this three-year window we’re speaking about, and he’ll be given the prospect to construct on his resume because the Bucs’ prime offensive participant of all time.

As for the 1B to Evans’ 1A, Chris Godwin signed a three-year cope with the staff when he hit free company final offseason. In 2022, he bounced again properly from the torn ACL that he suffered the prior December, and he needs to be absolutely again to himself in 2023. Barring an extension, his contract will expire after the 2024 season.

Russell Gage is about to play the second yr of the three-year deal he signed with the Bucs final offseason, although he took a considerable pay minimize from $10 million to $7 million, and can want look to hit some incentives this season to rack up $3 million he misplaced. He’s a free agent after 2024 as nicely, however the staff might transfer on from him after this season with no lifeless cap hit if he disappoints once more.

Relating to the remainder of the Bucs’ large receivers, the image isn’t so clear. They aren’t tied to anybody else on the place in the long run. Trey Palmer, the staff’s sixth-round draft decide this yr, is more likely to be Tampa Bay’s WR4 as a rookie. However how lengthy he sticks round will rely upon what he reveals in his debut. The identical could be mentioned for Deven Thompkins, Kaylon Geiger Sr., David Moore and a bunch of undrafted free brokers. In only a yr or two, this large receiving corps is certain to look fairly completely different.

How This Yr Impacts 2024 & 2025

Bucs WR Russell Gage – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Within the rapid future, the contract extension Mike Evans is certain to signal will present a greater thought as to what the Bucs’ large receiver room will seem like in two or three years. So long as he’s round in purple and pewter, his title shall be atop the staff’s depth chart in Sharpie, circled thrice in everlasting paint whereas underlined in much more everlasting paint. What Chris Godwin does this season is unlikely to maneuver something by hook or by crook. He’ll be round in 2024 regardless, nevertheless it’s subsequent yr (and the next offseason) that can decide his future in Tampa.

The place issues actually get fascinating with the 2023 receiving corps is behind Evans and Godwin. Russell Gage was a letdown in 2022, battling a hamstring damage from coaching camp all through a lot of the season. His effectiveness was restricted because of this, although he did end the season on a stronger word by hauling in some touchdowns. He completed the season with 5, leaving him one behind Evans for the staff lead. However he averaged a career-low 8.4 yards per catch and it took a pay minimize for him to even make it to yr two of his three-year contract.

Gage is in want of a bounce-back yr, and it’s already gotten off to a tough begin. He missed OTAs and mini-camp with an damage, and whereas he might take psychological reps to regulate to Dave Canales’ offense, he’s missed out on time to work with quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask. If accidents stay an issue for Gage and/or he simply doesn’t reside as much as his standing because the Bucs’ WR3, he will not be round in 2024. Tampa Bay can transfer on from the veteran receiver subsequent offseason and revel in some cap financial savings, so the 27-year-old is up towards it.

Trey Palmer has the kind of pace Tampa Bay has been lacking, however as a sixth-round decide, he doesn’t have sufficient invested in him to make him a slam-dunk long-term certainty for the Bucs. He, together with Deven Thompkins, Kaylon Geiger, David Moore and a variety of others will jockey for positioning on the 2023 depth chart, and the way they carry out this yr will determine what Tampa Bay wants sooner or later.

3-Yr Outlook: Bucs Extensive Receivers

Bucs WRs Russell Gage and Chris Godwin – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

The place Mike Evans matches into the three-year outlook is dependent upon the size of his contract extension. He turns 30 in August, and he’s proven no indicators of slowing down within the final couple of years. His manufacturing is certain to stay even with a change on the quarterback place (the person surpassed 1,000 yards throughout a 2-14 season quarterbacked by Josh McCown and Mike Glennon). His new contract might very nicely take him previous 2025 and past this three-year window, however on the very least it ought to take him by means of 2025.

Chris Godwin is much less of a positive factor. He solely signed a three-year deal as a free agent in 2022, and that was coming off of a torn ACL the yr earlier than. He bought a pleasant contract from the Bucs, positive, but when 2023 and 2024 are massive years for the previous Penn Stater, he might command much more when he hits the free agent market once more in March of 2025. He’ll nonetheless solely be 29 at that time, so if one other staff needs to return alongside and pay him massive cash to be their WR1, it’s at the least attainable he strikes on.

Russell Gage’s future with the Bucs appears to be like bleak. Until he turns issues round in an enormous means this season, he’s unlikely to be round in 2024. It’s even much less probably that he’ll be with Tampa Bay in 2025. Trey Palmer and the remainder of Tampa Bay’s depth receivers have rather a lot to show over the following yr or two with the intention to have Bucs decision-makers feeling content material with the place going into the long run.

It’s greater than probably that the staff shall be available in the market for a younger receiver or two within the early rounds of the following couple of drafts. Evans is just going to play for thus lengthy and with Godwin set without spending a dime company once more in two offseasons, Tampa Bay might want to begin discovering its subsequent wave of prime receivers. Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, Texas’ Xavier Worthy, LSU’s Malik Nabers, USC’s Mario Williams and Florida State’s Johnny Wilson are among the many draft class of 2024 receivers to know, in accordance with Professional Soccer Focus.

Three-Yr Outlook Abstract

In three years, the Bucs’ large receiver room is more likely to look very completely different. The place doesn’t have a whole lot of depth as it’s proper now, and rather a lot hinges on Russell Gage bouncing again this season. Whether or not he does or not, although, Tampa Bay might want to begin rebuilding — or at the least retooling — its receiving corps within the subsequent yr to 2 years.

Greatest-case, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are nonetheless round in 2025 and the staff has a few younger up-and-comers able to take over the torch when wanted. However with Godwin not being a positive factor previous his three-year deal, it’s necessary that some gifted youth is injected into the room quickly.