Ralph Vacchiano· Aug 12, 2026
Vacchiano expects the Buccaneers to be contenders and improve to around nine wins, enough to win the NFC South, while the Jets remain held back by Geno Smith and might scrape out about six wins. He also sees rookie edge rushers David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr. becoming Pro Bowlers, with Bailey among the NFL's best pass rushers.
“The Bucs could easily be a nine-win team, and in the NFC South that might be more than enough.”
published in writing · Fox Sports · read the original →
7 checkable claims — 2 pro bowl and all-pro calls, 2 season win totals, 1 depth chart call, 1 division winner and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Where this call stands in the room
Emeka Egbuka · 2026 season17 calls from 13 pundits between 1 and 2. Ralph Vacchiano said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the room
winsTheir call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
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Who this take is about
7 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Season Win TotalsTampa Bay BuccaneersAug 12, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with 9 wins
“The Bucs could easily be a nine-win team, and in the NFC South that might be more than enough.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Positional FinishesDavid BaileyNew York JetsAug 12, 2026
David Bailey to finish top ? at his position, by sacks
“His speed, power and explosiveness are going to make him one of the best pass rushers in the NFL over the next few years.”
Too vague to check — we could not tell what would count as right.
Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart
“He's got No. 1 WR potential, especially if he can get help from someone else to take some of the coverage away.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Rueben Bain to make Pro Bowl
“The two of them could easily be Pro Bowlers a year or two down the road, if not sooner.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsNew York JetsAug 12, 2026
New York Jets to finish with 6 wins
“Maybe they can squeeze out six wins, if everything breaks right.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersTampa Bay BuccaneersAug 12, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
“The Bucs could easily be a nine-win team, and in the NFC South that might be more than enough.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
David Bailey to make Pro Bowl
“The two of them could easily be Pro Bowlers a year or two down the road, if not sooner.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Marcus RayScore Predictions · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 19Marcus predicted a 30-13 Buccaneers win over Cleveland with three touchdowns and three field goals, and picked the Raiders to beat a Jim Harbaugh team to start 2-0.
- Ryan LaVoyScore Predictions · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 17LaVoy predicted a 28-10 Buccaneers win over the Browns, said even the Falcons would beat Cleveland, and named Detroit, Baltimore and the Rams as teams he expects in the playoffs.
- Jaron SporScore Predictions · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 19The host predicted a comfortable Buccaneers win over Cleveland, 27-10, picked Jacksonville as an upset winner at Denver, said the Giants could win seven or eight games as a sneaky team, and expected Deshaun Watson and the Browns to part ways soon.
- Carmen VitaliGame Outcome Picks · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 0In the show's weekly picks segment Vitali took the Broncos over the Rams, the Ravens over the Cowboys in Rio, Tampa at home over Minnesota, the Bills over the Chargers and the Eagles on the road in Chicago. She also agreed that Caleb Williams would be out roughly two to three weeks.
- Pat FitzmauriceScore Predictions · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 36Fitzmaurice gave rest-of-season positional rankings for several Chiefs and other skill players, including Mahomes as his QB10, Kenneth Walker as RB4 behind Gibbs, Bijan and McCaffrey, Kelce at TE8 and Worthy down at WR50, and he picked Tampa Bay to beat Minnesota 21-20.
- Derek BrownScore Predictions · Tampa Bay BuccaneersClose · 40Brown laid out aggressive rest-of-season positional rankings — Mahomes QB8, Kenneth Walker RB3, Kelce up to TE7, Rashee Rice all the way down at WR31 and Worthy at WR42 — called Drake London a WR1 with Penix back, and picked Tampa Bay 21-18 over Minnesota while declaring Zay Flowers will not play in Brazil.
More pro bowl and all-pro calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Pat GustavsonPro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · Charles CrossMiss · 0Gustafson picked the Bears, Eagles, Rams, Patriots, Jaguars and Texans in the wild card round, the Rams and Bears in the NFC, the Broncos and Patriots in the AFC, and the Patriots to beat the Bears in the Super Bowl. His awards slate included Stafford for MVP, Puka for OPOY and Liam Cohen for Coach of the Year.
- Brandon CarneyPro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · Trent WilliamsMiss · 0Carney made a full playoff bracket, picking the Bears, Niners, Rams, Patriots, Jaguars and Texans in the wild card round, then Seahawks and Rams in the NFC divisional, Broncos and Patriots in the AFC, with the Rams beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl. He also gave award picks including Stafford for MVP and Vrabel for Coach of the Year.
- Peter BukowskiPro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · Zach ThomasMiss · 0Bukowski breaks down combine performances and predicts Caleb Banks will be the first defensive tackle drafted, that Kyle Lewis will rise into second-round range, that Lee Hunter's poor testing will keep the Packers away, and that the Packers will not draft a tight end in the top 100. He also predicts the Packers will cut Elton Jenkins and expects Kingsley Enagbare to leave while Rashan Gary returns.
- Jeff "Coach Jags" JagodzinskiPro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · Tucker KraftMiss · 0The former Packers tight ends coach said Tucker Craft is a Pro Bowl-caliber tight end, and separately endorsed Christian Watson as a true No. 1 receiver for Green Bay. He also ranked the tight ends he has coached all-time.
- JP AcostaPro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · Devon WitherspoonMiss · 0JP picked the Eagles to beat the 49ers in a low-scoring game and the Jaguars to beat the Bills, called Bijan Robinson the best running back in the league, and named his own first-team All-Pro roster.
- Danny ParkinsPro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · Puka NacuaMiss · 0Parkins insisted the Bears cannot lose at home to Green Bay, laid points with Buffalo, Philadelphia (in a blowout) and Houston, picked Justin Herbert and the Chargers to beat New England, and said Puka Nacua will be a first-team All-Pro.