Breaking down the NFC South: Can Baker Mayfield keep the Bucs at the top?

David Wilson, Miami Herald on Aug 30, 2025

Published in Football

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The 2025 NFL season is set to get underway on Sept. 4 when the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys.

The Miami Herald broke down each division and continues with the NFC South, looking at the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

— Coach: Raheem Morris (second season with the Falcons; 29-47 in the regular season)

— Last season: 8-9 (second in the division)

— Key additions: WR Nick Nash, DE James Pearce Jr., LB Jalon Walker, S Xavier Watts

— Key subtractions: C Drew Dalman, S Justin Simmons

— Looking ahead: The Falcons waited too long to pivot away from Kirk Cousins and to fellow quarterback Michael Penix last year, and wound up just short of the NFL playoffs. In Year 2, Penix will get the reins from the start of the year and Atlanta should be a postseason contender. The Falcons kept most of their roster intact and spent their first three picks in the 2025 NFL Ddraft on defensive players, which means they’re banking on Penix elevating the offense through his own talent and a little bit more experience, plus some help from superstar running back Bijan Robinson.

Carolina Panthers

— Coach: Dave Canales (second season with the Panthers; 5-12 in the regular season)

— Last season: 5-12 (third in the division)

— Key additions: RB Rico Dowdle, WR Tetairoa McMillan, DE Nic Scourton, DT Tershawn Wharton, S Tre’von Moehrig

— Key subtractions: RB Miles Sanders, LB Jadeveon Clowney

— Looking ahead: After a rocky rookie season and a benching ahead of Year 2, quarterback Bryce Young finally looked something like a first-round pick when he reentered the Panthers lineup last year. Carolina is banking on Young working out: The Panthers spent their top pick in the 2025 NFL draft on wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan to give Young a big-bodied, potential No. 1 receiver to play alongside. Ultimately, Carolina is still sorely lacking top-end talent beyond star cornerback Jaycee Horn and new safety Tre’von Moehrig, which means a postseason push would be all because of a big leap forward for Young.

New Orleans Saints

— Coach: Kellen Moore (first season as an NFL head coach)

— Last season: 5-12 (fourth in the division)

— Key additions: QB Tyler Shough, T Kelvin Banks Jr., LB Danny Stutsman, S Julian Blackmon, S Justin Reid

— Key subtractions: QB Derek Carr, T Ryan Ramczyk, CB Paulson Adebo

— Looking ahead: Everything is new for the Saints this year. Coach Kellen Moore enters his first year in the head job with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough taking over after former quarterback Derek Carr abruptly retired in the offseason. This will likely be a multiyear rebuild in New Orleans, as the Saints lack much in the way of exciting, experienced talent beyond star running back Alvin Kamara. This season will be all about figuring out whether Shough, a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, can be the franchise’s quarterback going forward.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

— Coach: Todd Bowles (fourth season with the Buccaneers; 53-65 in the regular season, 1-3 in the playoffs)

— Last season: 10-7 (first in the division), lost in the NFC wild-card round to the Commanders

— Key additions: WR Emeka Egbuka, DE Haason Reddick, CB Benjamin Morrison, CB Jacob Parrish

— Key subtractions: T Robert Hainsey, DE Joe Tryon Shoyinka

— Looking ahead: The Buccaneers quietly remain undeniable in the NFC South. Even after losing both Super Bowl-winning coach Bruce Arians and legendary quarterback Tom Brady to retirement in the span of less than a year from 2022-2023, Tampa Bay has still managed to rattle off back-to-back division titles behind star quarterback Baker Mayfield. Although superstar tackle Tristan Wirfs is dealing with an injury to start the season, the Buccaneers still should be a cut above everyone else in the perennially weak South.