Coach Todd Bowles’ setting the bar high for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, and it’s all about that Lombardi Trophy! In a recent address to his team (courtesy of the Bucs’ official Twitter), Bowles laid down the gauntlet: “The expectation for us shouldn’t be just the division [title]. It’s got to be the Super Bowl.”

But steering a team to the Super Bowl takes more than just a strong roster. That’s where the new QB Baker Mayfield comes in. Coach Bowles offered some clear instructions: “Bake, you run the show. It’s your team. You get to be the eyes and the ears. Give them the ball, let them go. That’s what they get paid for… make smart decisions, get us in the right set and we can go.”

QB Mayfield joined the Tampa Bay team last year in March on a one-year contract. Despite a rough start initially (3 for 11), the 29-year-old turned it around, pulling off a solid 20-17 win. This guy’s first year was all about showing up and showing out!

But the real fireworks were in Week 15 against the Packers. Mayfield pulled off a perfect passer rating, hitting 22 of 28 passes for 381 yards and 4 TDs. He didn’t just crush Bayland, but also snagged career-highs of 28 TDs, 4,044 passing yards, and a literal 64.3% completion rate. With these amazing numbers, can the QB lead the Bucs to a Super Bowl win?

Looks like there’s a hitch in the plan. Buccaneers’ edge rusher Randy Gregory’s MIA at training camp. 

Randy Gregory’s no-show at training camp raises concerns for Bucs’ pass rush 

One NFL insider took to X to share the news of Tampa Bay’s edge rusher’s absence from voluntary offseason workouts. He’s now been placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list. Coach Bowles ain’t very happy with this unexplained absence, stating, “He’s not here. I’ll talk about the guys who are here. We’ll deal with that internally.”

The 31-year-old veteran’s been around the block with the Niners, Broncos, and Cowboys. Dallas gave him a five-year extension deal, but contract disagreements had Gregory bouncing. He then snagged a five-year, $70M deal with the Broncos on March 18. But his ten games with the team weren’t as effective, so he had to part ways. Now with the Buccaneers (on a one-year contract), his absence from training camp is making people wonder just how committed he is.

With Gregory out, the Bucs’ pass rush might take a hit—a big one for their Super Bowl dreams. The road to the Lombardi trophy is going to be anything but easy for Tampa Bay.