Who Will Be The Faces Of The 2023 Bucs?

Anyone who has been to Raymond James Stadium or simply driven by it knows that every year, murals of some of the Bucs’ core players adorn the walls on each corner. When the new season rolls around, new murals go up — almost like it marks the return of football.

Those player murals are sure to look different in 2023, though. This offseason has brought some significant changes to the group you could consider as the faces of the franchise.

Former Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

Tom Brady, who was a fixture on the side of the stadium for the last three years after arriving via free agency in 2020, retired in February. Perhaps his name will soon be up inside of Raymond James Stadium in the Bucs Ring of Honor, but the Brady mural outside on the southwest corner of the stadium is soon going to come down.

Leonard Fournette, who found himself featured on the northeast corner last season after the retirement of Rob Gronkowski, was released in March. So, there’s another mural that will need replacing when the calendar turns to July.

Finally, there’s the case of Devin White. While he’s still a member of the Bucs and figures to still be around this fall, his trade request this offseason was highly publicized. As a result, his stock with some of the Tampa Bay faithful has plummeted. There are still some diehard fans of the young linebacker who will always have his back, but his approval rating is likely at an all-time low within the Bucs fan base.

The fact that White is supposed to be a team captain doesn’t help matters, and the decision-makers may be hesitant to keep him as one of the featured faces on the stadium in 2023. He feels like less of a “franchise guy” these days, especially given his uncertain future beyond this season.

It wouldn’t be unprecedented for White to be left off the stadium. It was a different situation entirely, but the Bucs opted not to include Jameis Winston among the players featured on murals at the start of the 2018 season. Winston, the team’s quarterback at the time and a fixture on the stadium previously, was facing a three-game suspension to start that year.

White’s circumstances aren’t the same, of course. But it would feel somewhat awkward to see him featured on the side of Ray Jay this year (much like it would’ve been awkward to see Winston up there in 2018).

Who Joins The Bucs’ Mural Mainstays In 2023?

Bucs WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So, who might be featured on the corners of Raymond James Stadium for the new year? Assuming the Bucs continue with the way things have been in recent years — two players on each corner — there are eight spots.

Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Lavonte David and Vita Vea are sure to keep their places. Evans and Godwin are the two who make the offense go. David is a team legend and Vea was a first-time captain in 2022 and remains one of the anchors of Tampa Bay’s defense. Shaq Barrett is likely to maintain his spot in the group as well. He’s the team’s top pass rusher and one of the most established players on the defense.

But who replaces Brady, Fournette and potentially White?

Tristan Wirfs has certainly earned his place. He’s one of the best in the game at his position, and he’s set to become a bigger leader for Tampa Bay this year.

Wirfs is set to move from right tackle to left tackle, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t be the same dominant force he’s been for the first three years of his career. He’ll figure into the Bucs’ plans for a long time to come, so seeing him featured on their home stadium could become a regular thing.

Beyond Wirfs, the other spots are a little less clear. It feels like the defense is more likely to be represented by the final two spots than the offense. Antoine Winfield Jr. should have a case, as should Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean. Could they realistically put all three on one corner of the stadium to showcase the secondary? It’s hard to pick just two of the three defensive backs, especially after Dean’s decision to re-sign for four more years.

What do you think, Pewter People? Who should everyone be seeing on Ray-Jay as they’re driving up and down Dale Mabry Highway and Himes Avenue this fall? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

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