The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the 2025 season with sky-high expectations, jumping out to a blistering 6-2 start that included a statement win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Fans were buzzing, the locker room was confident, and a deep playoff run seemed well within reach. But then came the bye week—and everything unraveled. The Bucs stumbled to a brutal 2-7 finish down the stretch, ultimately losing their division crown in heartbreak fashion.

It's hard to imagine a more painful outcome for a team that looked so dominant just months earlier. Yet, as the 2026 season approaches, there's a nightmare scenario that could make last year's collapse feel like a minor setback.

According to Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, the Bucs' worst-case scenario for 2026 revolves around one critical player: quarterback Baker Mayfield. Gagnon warns that if Mayfield's late-season struggles in 2025 weren't just a temporary slump but a sign of regression, Tampa Bay could pick up right where it left off—stuck in a 2-7 tailspin that carries over into the new campaign.

Mayfield enters a pivotal year on multiple fronts. The most pressing? His contract. Set to become a free agent in 2027, the 2026 season will serve as a de facto audition for his long-term future with the franchise. General manager Jason Licht and the Bucs' front office have publicly backed Mayfield as their guy moving forward, but that vote of confidence could quickly evaporate if the offense sputters out of the gate.

Of course, it would take a significant downturn for the Bucs to abandon ship. But in the unpredictable world of the NFL, stranger things have happened. For a team that was once on the cusp of greatness, all eyes will be on No. 6 to see if he can bounce back—or if Tampa Bay's worst fears become reality.