Buccaneers 2024 NFL Schedule Released for Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay's Playoff Push

It was just over a year ago that there were questions about the future of Baker Mayfield.

The 2018 No. 1 pick was coming off a lackluster season split between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams following his unceremonious departure from the Cleveland Browns. He signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in hopes of reviving his career, and he achieved his goal.

The resurgence of Mayfield helped propel the Bucs to their third straight NFC South title and a run to the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs.

Let's examine the schedule the Bucs will be up against as they try to make another run to the playoffs in 2024.

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2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Schedule

Full schedule information available on the team's official website.

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Analysis

Tampa Bay rewarded Mayfield with a three-year contract extension worth $100 million with $50 million guaranteed.

Now, the Bucs will embark on another journey through the competitive NFC. Mayfield leads a young, but experienced, group that has enough youthful exuberance to dream about a trip to Super Bowl 59.

The Buccaneers could be well on their way to a fourth straight division title thanks to their favorable slate for the 2024 campaign. Tampa Bay is tied for 27th in strength of schedule based on its opponents' winning percentage in 2023. Things won't be completely easy, as six playoff teams are on the docket.

However, Mayfield and company should be favored in the majority of their matchups, thanks in large part to his impressive performance last season. The 29-year-old threw for career highs of 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions while completing a career-best 64.3 percent of his passes.

The Bucs retained their most important free agent before he even hit the open market by signing star receiver Mike Evans to a two-year, $52 million contract in early March. The deal undoubtedly was music to Mayfield's ears, as the two of them showed impressive chemistry and connected for 13 touchdowns in 2023, which tied Evans for the league lead among wide receivers.

One of the biggest issues Tampa Bay faced last season was keeping Mayfield upright, as he was sacked a whopping 40 times, the sixth-highest total in the NFL. The Bucs addressed that by drafting offensive lineman Graham Barton.

Tampa Bay's biggest losses in free agency came on the defensive side of the ball. The team was unable to hold on to a pair of Pro Bowl linebackers in Shaquil Barrett and Devin White, who signed with the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. Starting cornerback Carlton Davis also left the team to sign with the Detroit Lions.

However, the Bucs managed to make some additions that should mitigate those losses. Tampa Bay signed veteran linebacker Randy Gregory and reunited with veteran safety Jordan Whitehead. The team also retained longtime veteran linebacker Lavonte David for a 13th season with the franchise and used its franchise tag on 2023 first-team All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

The Bucs' strong offseason will make things easy for Mayfield as the team tries to achieve a deeper playoff run in 2024.

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Pivotal Matchups

If Mayfield and the Bucs want to contend for a spot in Super Bowl 59, they will need to be at their best when they face the elite teams on their schedule.

A road matchup against the back-to-back reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will provide the perfect measuring stick for Tampa Bay. The Chiefs retained their core while continuing to add youth through another strong NFL draft class, so they are in a strong position to chase an elusive three-peat. Mayfield will be tasked with trying to keep up with Kansas City star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which is no easy task.

Road games against fellow division champions the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions will also present tough battles for the Bucs. The team will also host the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, all of whom are hungry to compete for a Super Bowl title this season.

Tampa Bay is likely to see tougher competition from within the NFC South this year, particularly from the Atlanta Falcons following their signing of veteran Kirk Cousins this offseason. The New Orleans Saints are also looking for a better finish in Derek Carr's second year with the team, and the Carolina Panthers are hoping Bryce Young's second year in the NFL goes better than the first.

All in all, the Buccaneers are in a good position to compete for a spot in the postseason. Mayfield, Evans and company will have a strong chance to light up the scoreboard in 2024.