The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive core still has plenty of talent, but CBS Sports believes it has more to prove heading into the 2026 season.
In his annual rankings of the NFL’s offensive “triplets,” CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin placed the Buccaneers 19th overall with Baker Mayfield at quarterback, Bucky Irving at running back, and Emeka Egbuka at wide receiver. The rankings evaluate each team’s top quarterback, running back, and wide receiver combination, and Tampa Bay landed in the bottom half of the league after finishing much higher last year.
Dubin noted that the Buccaneers experienced one of the biggest drops in the rankings, falling from ninth to 19th. He pointed to Mayfield’s uneven 2025 campaign following Liam Coen’s departure, Irving’s injury-plagued sophomore season, and Egbuka’s second-half decline after an explosive start to his rookie year as the primary reasons for the slide.
While those concerns are understandable, each member of Tampa Bay’s trio also enters 2026 with a legitimate opportunity to bounce back. Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract and remains the unquestioned leader of the offense. Irving is expected to be healthier after battling injuries throughout much of last season, while Egbuka is projected to take on a significantly larger role following Mike Evans’ departure.
There’s also reason to believe the ranking could look much different by the end of the season. Egbuka flashed WR1 potential during the first half of his rookie campaign before his opportunities declined in a crowded receiver room. Irving already proved as a rookie that he can be one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers when healthy, and Mayfield has previously shown he can produce at a Pro Bowl level in Tampa Bay’s offense.
For now, CBS Sports views Tampa Bay’s offensive trio as a middle-of-the-pack group. The Buccaneers will have an entire season to prove that their ranking is too low and show they belong back among the NFL’s top offensive combinations.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs ‘triplets’ ranked in bottom half of the NFL in 2026
Reporting by Mason Riney, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mason Riney, Buccaneers Wire | USA TODAY Network
