Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports recently ranked the NFL’s projected division winners entering the 2026 season and identified the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the biggest threat to the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South race.
While Sullivan selected Carolina as the projected division winner, the article made it clear that Tampa Bay remains the team best positioned to prevent the Panthers from reaching that goal.
Part of that reasoning stems from the Buccaneers’ offseason improvements on defense. Tampa Bay entered the offseason looking to address several areas on that side of the ball and added first-round edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., second-round linebacker Josiah Trotter, veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone, and several additions in the secondary.
The article also pointed to quarterback play as a significant factor in the division race. While Carolina continues building around Bryce Young, the article noted that Baker Mayfield has already established a consistent level of play, giving the Buccaneers stability at the game’s most important position.
Tampa Bay also enters the season as the betting favorite to win the NFC South at +160, ahead of both New Orleans and Carolina. That reflects the confidence many around the league still have in the Buccaneers despite questions surrounding the division as a whole.
The NFC South remains one of the NFL’s most unpredictable divisions, but according to CBS Sports, if Carolina hopes to finish atop the standings in 2026, Tampa Bay is still the team it must overcome first.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs labeled as biggest threat for the Panthers in the NFC South
Reporting by Mason Riney, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
