The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have started the 2026 NFL season with a surprising and disappointing record of 0-2, following a loss to the Cleveland Browns at home. Quarterback Baker Mayfield expressed his shock at the team's struggles early in the season, stating he was “pretty shocked” by their performance.

The Buccaneers' offense has been plagued by execution issues and a lack of efficiency in the red zone. Analysts believe that a significant roster shift in the offseason may be the root cause of these problems. Former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon commented on this, noting in a critique on NFL on CBS's X platform that the team is missing playmaker Mike Evans. He emphasized that Mayfield needs reliable weapons around him to succeed, casting doubt on whether the Buccaneers currently have enough offensive talent to turn the season around.

"They miss Mike Evans … Baker Mayfield needs weapons around him to be successful."

Ran Carthon is uncertain the Buccaneers have enough offensively to turn around their season.#justfootball pic.twitter.com/XORheGa7s7

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 21, 2026

The lack of depth at playmaking positions has intensified the impact of self-inflicted errors, which both head coach Todd Bowles and Mayfield have acknowledged. After the loss, Bowles pointed out recurring issues such as costly penalties and missed tackles, stressing that “nobody is coming to save us” and calling for immediate improvements before their Week 3 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

As the Buccaneers search for an offensive spark in the absence of their legendary wide receiver, the pressure is increasing on the coaching staff to address these glaring mistakes before falling into a deeper 0-2 deficit becomes too difficult to overcome.