The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter the 2026 season with plenty of reasons for optimism. The roster has been retooled on both sides of the ball, the pass rush has received a much-needed infusion of youth, and Todd Bowles believes his defense has the pieces to be more disruptive than it was a season ago. If there’s one statistic that could determine just how far Tampa Bay goes this year, it’s forced turnovers.
Bowles’ defenses have always been at their best when they’re taking the football away. Pressure is important, but pressure without turnovers only goes so far. Plays that can completely change the outcome of a game are something the Buccaneers will need more of in 2026. The Buccaneers drafted Rueben Bain Jr. to bolster the edge rush, signed linebacker Alex Anzalone, who has already spoken about the opportunities to force fumbles in Bowles’ defense, and will welcome back a healthy Calijah Kancey, whose interior pressure can lead to hurried throws and turnover-worthy plays.
Add in proven playmakers like Antoine Winfield Jr. and Yaya Diaby, and the potential is there for Tampa Bay to become one of the league’s more opportunistic defenses.
Creating takeaways also benefits the other side of the ball, as Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers’ offense are capable of putting points on the board, but extra possessions can be the difference in close games. Short fields created by turnovers often lead to quick scores, allowing Tampa Bay to control momentum instead of chasing it. The Buccaneers have enough talent to compete for another NFC South title, but talent alone won’t be enough. The teams that consistently make deep playoff runs are the ones that capitalize on momentum-swinging moments.
If Tampa Bay finishes near the top of the league in forced turnovers, there’s a good chance it will also be competing for a postseason run. If the defense struggles to take the ball away, the Buccaneers could once again find themselves on the wrong side of too many close games.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: What stat will define success for the Bucs in 2026?
