It could be a critical year for some people in the organization.

As the 2023 season approaches, it comes with a crucial opportunity for some players and coaches to prove themselves. Today we are going to be taking a look at who needs to prove a lot of the doubters wrong in 2023.

Baker Mayfield

This is an obvious one as Baker Mayfield could very well be on his last leg as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The Bucs are Mayfield’s fourth team in a calendar year and now he has an opportunity yet again to be the starter. After being the number one overall pick in 2018, Mayfield has battled injuries and consistency since entering the league.

He now finds himself in a battle with former second round pick Kyle Trask after signing a one year deal with Tampa Bay in free agency this past offseason. I think it is safe to say that Mayfield is almost out of chances and if Kyle Trask beats him out for the starting quarterback job, Mayfield is likely not finding another starting opportunity elsewhere.

We will see if Mayfield can prove his doubters wrong and play well enough for the Bucs to save his spot as a starting signal caller in the NFL.

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

I have written about JTS a few times before, most recently mentioning him as a potential breakout player for the Bucs. Even though he has the potential to break out, that does not mean he is a lock to be productive, either. After being selected with the final pick of the first round by the Bucs, JTS has not been able to find consistent production even with a larger role in 2022.

Now entering his second year as a starter, he needs to prove that he can be a good pass rusher in this league. It is even more important that he play well because Shaq Barrett is recovering from a torn Achilles. At 30 years old, there is no guarantee that Barrett returns to form. If Barrett is not the same player, JTS must step up or else the Bucs pass rush will not be good enough to keep up with some of the best offenses in the league.

This is year four for JTS. The kiddie gloves are coming off and there are no more excuses for the former first round pick to be productive.

Todd Bowles

The first non player on the list, Bowles has a lot to prove this season. There is a serious chance that Bowles could be coaching for his job in 2023 as another losing season could lead to the Bucs moving on. During his time with the Jets, Bowles’ first season was good, going 10-6 but then it went downhill from there, going 5-11 two straight seasons and then 4-12 in his final season with the team. During his first season as Bucs head coach, the team went 8-9 with Tom Brady as their quarterback. Now with no Brady in the mix, how will Bowles find wins this season?

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Tampa Bay is a young team and there will be some growing pains, but Bowles still needs to win. A four or five win season may be the final nail in the coffin for Bowles. He may just be one of those coaches who is a really good coordinator, but does not find the same success as a head coach. Only time will tell, but the clock is ticking.

This is just three of the many names with things to prove in 2023. Who will step up and who will fall short?