The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making changing offensive coordinators an annual tradition, hiring their *third* new OC in as many offseasons. Zac Robinson is now the guy, taking over an offense that coughed up a measly 5.2 yards per play last season. That’s the lowest they’ve seen in three years, a full yard less than what they managed under Liam Coen in 2024. Talk about a revolving door, huh?
Another New Face on Offense, Same Old Dominance on D
So, Robinson steps in, replacing Josh Grizzard after an 8-9 season that just didn’t get it done on offense. His two-year average in Atlanta was 5.5 yards per play, so there’s some cautious optimism he can refine things. But while the offense tries to figure out who’s calling the shots, you know one thing will be rock solid: Head Coach Todd Bowles is gonna keep that defense flying high. We’re talking a top-three blitz rate for the *eighth straight season*. Consistency for the D, chaos for the O. That’s a wild contrast. The Bucs’ 2025 offense was middle of the pack at best: 22.4 points per game (18th), 320.4 total yards (21st), and a rough -0.09 Rush EPA per play (24th). Something clearly had to give.
The Play-Action Puzzle and A Deep WR Room
Even with No.1 wide receiver Mike Evans finally gone after 12 years, Tampa Bay still fields an intriguingly deep wide receiver corps, backed up by capable pass-catching running backs. Robinson’s Falcons offenses ran a lot of plays per game (10th in 2024-25), but their play-action pass rate was bafflingly low at 17.9 percent (32nd). This is for an understudy of Sean McVay, mind you! There was an improvement, though, from 13.8 percent in 2024 to 22.0 percent in 2025. And tight end Cade Otton even said this week that Robinson’s scheme involves “a lot of play action.” Let’s hope for another jump, because NFL offenses averaged 7.76 yards per pass play with play action in 2025, compared to just 6.72 without. Robinson’s wide receiver-heavy preference fits the Bucs’ personnel perfectly, which means their starters should deliver every week, and even the Nos. 3-5 guys can pop off for usable stat lines. Think Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and of course, Otton at tight end.
Baker’s War of Attrition: A QB1 Resurgence?
Now, let’s talk about Baker Mayfield, because the guy is built different. He recently spilled the beans that he played through MCL and PCL sprains from Week 2 last year! And that’s just the start: a foot/toe injury in Week 3, a throwing-arm biceps contusion in Weeks 4-5, an oblique injury in Week 8, and then he re-sprained his previously injured left shoulder in Week 12. Good grief! Despite all that, averaging his lowest 6.8 yards per pass attempt and 71.9 percent adjusted completion rate in Tampa Bay, he *still* finished as the overall QB12. Are you kidding me? A bounce-back is absolutely expected, health pending. He’s a mid-to-low QB1 candidate, no doubt. With rookie Emeka Egbuka, who just came off an extended season winning a College Football Playoff championship, joining the WR room, Baker could have some real weapons.
So, as we head into camp, the Bucs are banking on Robinson to finally get this offense rolling and for Baker to stay healthy enough to unleash his potential. If those two things click, this team could be a problem. If not, well, it’s back to the drawing board for another OC next year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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