Two weeks into the 2018 NFL regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were sitting pretty as one of the most pleasant surprises in the league. They were 2-0, having knocked off the New Orleans Saints on the road, and the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in their home opener.
After losing seven of their last eight games, however, the Bucs have gone from having legitimate playoff hopes to looking like a lock for a top-five pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
In fact, the Bucs are firmly planted in a wide-open race for next year’s No. 1 overall pick.
At 3-7, Tampa Bay is just one game behind three 2-8 teams: The Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.
If the Bucs lose at home to the 49ers next week, they could be sitting at 3-8 and looking at a difficult finish to their 2018 schedule that includes a trio of division matchups, as well as road trips to face the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys.
It wouldn’t be crazy for the dust to settle in early January with the Bucs sitting at the top of the draft board for the second time in five years.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Even LeBron James can’t ignore the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hype – The Pewter Plank
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LeSean McCoy on Super Bowl, Tom Brady and Signing with Buccaneers – Buccaneers.com
