How open is the Buccaneers' Super Bowl window ahead of the 2025 season?
Now, entering the 2025 season, the question is no longer whether they're good. It's whether they're great enough to win another Super Bowl. And, just as importantly, how long their window to do so might stay open.
The short answer is yes; the window is still open. But it's not wide, and it may not be for long.
What keeps the window cracked is stability and stars. Baker Mayfield has emerged as a reliable franchise quarterback, playing the best football of his career under the Buccaneers' system. He's under contract through 2026. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. remain one of the most productive wide receiver duos in the league, and the offense returns all 11 starters for 2025.
If new coordinator Josh Grizzard can maintain offensive efficiency, Tampa Bay should again be in the top tier of NFC offenses. Defensively, the Bucs have made smart moves to remain competitive. Antoine Winfield Jr. is in his prime. Vita Vea anchors the line. Veteran Haason Reddick was signed to help with edge pressure. And in the 2025 draft, they added young difference-makers in Jacob Parrish, Elijah Roberts, and Benjamin Morrison, hoping to accelerate a soft transition on that side of the ball.
But here's the catch: many of the players keeping the window open are aging, nearing the end of their contracts, or both. Lavonte David is on what may be his final deal. Evans is signed through this season, but his long-term future is uncertain. And Mayfield, while currently cost-effective, could quickly shift into high-end cap territory if his performance justifies it.
Financial flexibility will be tested by 2026. Roster turnover is inevitable. And unless young players like Cade Otton and Emeka Egbuka take star-level steps, the talent gap between Tampa Bay and elite NFC teams could widen.So yes, the Super Bowl window is still open, but it depends on how well the Bucs draft, manage the cap, and develop a new generation of Buccaneers.
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