A Fast Look Forward To 2026

There was a time when draft season for the Bucs would already be underway by the tip of October, however that’s not the case anymore. Tampa Bay ended its playoff drought in 2020 and gained Tremendous Bowl LV and has since gained the NFC South in every of the final 4 years. And naturally proper now, Todd Bowles and Co. are 6-2 and maintain a two-game lead atop the division as they pursue a five-peat.

Nonetheless, it is the Bucs’ bye week and in some respects, draft season by no means actually ends. So, from what we’ve seen within the first half of the 2025 season and taking contract and profession statuses into consideration, why not take a fast sit up for the 2026 Draft and see what a few of the crew’s positional wants is perhaps? In fact, the 2026 free company interval will come earlier than the draft, too, so there’s at all times an opportunity a few of these wants will probably be full of exterior additions in March.

Basic supervisor Jason Licht and his workers have finished a masterful job in recent times when it’s come to retooling the roster and preserving it in place to contend. The Bucs may’ve been in for a little bit of a rebuild after Tom Brady’s retirement on the finish of the 2022 season, particularly with the invoice coming due for the Tremendous Bowl window. However Licht and his crew have been on hearth as of late within the draft, and that’s helped each when it comes to remaining aggressive atop the NFC South and with the ability to retain key in-house free brokers 12 months in and 12 months out.

So, as Licht and the Tampa Bay participant personnel/scouting departments look to maintain their scorching streak going subsequent April, which positions is perhaps of the very best precedence? Let’s take an early look.

Bucs Nonetheless Want Lengthy-Time period Solutions On Protection At EDGE, ILB

There’s a cause why nearly each Bucs fan is clamoring for the crew to be energetic on the commerce deadline and purchase assist at each outdoors linebacker and inside linebacker to make a run to the Tremendous Bowl this 12 months. These are nonetheless urgent wants for Tampa Bay, and whereas nobody could be blamed for wanting the entrance workplace to handle these wants proper now, it could appear far likelier that impactful assist will probably be on the way in which by way of the 2026 Draft.

First, let’s take into account what the Bucs have at outdoors linebacker. Yaya Diaby, who presently leads the crew with 4 sacks and 28 pressures, will probably be getting into a contract 12 months in 2026. Veteran reserve and reigning NFC Defensive Participant of the Week Anthony Nelson will even be getting into a contract 12 months after re-signing on a two-year deal this previous offseason, whereas 2024 second-round choose Chris Braswell is ready to be in 12 months three of his four-year rookie contract.

Tampa Bay will even get 2025 fourth-round choose David Walker again subsequent 12 months, and the crew was very excessive on him earlier than he tore his ACL in coaching camp this summer time. Markees Watts and Mo Kamara, a newer pickup who finds himself on the observe squad, are the opposite our bodies on the place, although their futures in Tampa are removed from locked in.

Bucs OLB David Walker – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

In the meantime, Haason Reddick, the big-money exterior free agent addition final offseason, is barely on a one-year deal. He’ll flip 32 early subsequent season and whereas his 27 pressures this 12 months rank second on the crew, he has simply 1.5 sacks and is presently week-to-week with ankle and knee accidents. It’s laborious to think about him being again in 2026 on something apart from one other one-year deal, proper?

So, move rush stays one of many greatest wants for the Bucs heading into 2026, and so they could even want a Day 1 starter given the place issues stand proper now. However is that the protection’s greatest want? It’s actually excessive on the listing, however there’s a case to be made that inside linebacker would be the extra important want come subsequent spring.

As a lot because it generally looks like Lavonte David could very properly play perpetually, odds are that 2025 is the swan tune for certainly one of Tampa Bay’s all-time greats. He turns 36 years outdated in January and whereas he can nonetheless do some unreal issues on a soccer subject, there’s no denying that he’s begun to decelerate in recent times, particularly in move protection. David has been going year-by-year on his contracts as of late, so he’s a free agent once more in March.

Whereas there’s at all times an opportunity he opts to check Father Time for another 12 months, he could finally resolve to hold up the cleats for good after a stellar 14-year profession. So, the day that nobody needs to just accept is coming will probably be right here eventually and the Bucs should lastly discover a substitute for No. 54 in the course of their protection.

Bucs ILBs Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis – Photograph by: USA At this time

The issue at inside linebacker, after all, is that the depth chart may be very skinny. Tampa Bay hasn’t been capable of finding that true next-in-line man to take over for David simply but. There was a time when it felt like Devin White may’ve been the one to take the torch, however that didn’t come to fruition. And proper now, it’s laborious to take a look at the way in which SirVocea Dennis is enjoying and say he’s a lock to even begin in 2026, a lot much less take over and fill David’s legendary footwear.

It hasn’t been all unhealthy for Dennis, as he’s finished some superb issues going ahead each as a blitzer and in run protection. However his move protection capability has been woeful, and if he isn’t capable of enhance upon that and get that a part of his sport the place it must be, he could also be preventing simply to carry onto his job as he enters a contract 12 months in 2026.

Elsewhere at inside linebacker, Tampa Bay has Deion Jones, who is way from a long-term reply as he’s set to show 31 this week, in addition to 2025 undrafted free agent John Bullock. Fellow undrafted rookie Nick Jackson can be on the observe squad.

With all of that mentioned, if there’s a 1A and 1B for the Bucs’ high wants heading into the 2026 offseason, it’s these two positions.

By no means Rule Out Tampa Bay Including To Its Inside Defensive Line

That is decrease on the listing of the Bucs’ urgent wants, however it is going to be a necessity nonetheless. Jason Licht loves drafting to construct from the trenches as it’s, however it’s clear that depth on the inside of the defensive position goes to be an actual want for subsequent 12 months.

As a lot of a pressure as he nonetheless is and may proceed to be, Vita Vea is about to show 31 years outdated in February and will probably be getting into the ultimate 12 months of his present contract. The eighth-year veteran will nonetheless be a serious a part of the Buccaneer protection in 2026 and will and may get one other contract. However there’s additionally worth in beginning to consider life after Vea by a minimum of drafting a younger nostril deal with who can present good depth on the place earlier than finally taking up.

Bucs DTs Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey – Photograph by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

Past simply Vea’s standing, there’s additionally the truth that Logan Corridor is ready to be a free agent, plus Calijah Kancey will enter the fourth 12 months of his rookie contract in 2026. The crew will face a choice on his fifth-year possibility in Could, and you’ll assume that’s a no brainer given his stage of play. And it in all probability is, however the reality of the matter is that Kancey missed chunks of the 2023 and 2024 seasons and can miss a lot of the 2025 season.

Kancey’s present pectoral harm is difficult the crew’s depth up entrance, and it wouldn’t harm to draft one other defensive deal with in April as insurance coverage for Kancey. In fact, that draft choose would additionally work into the defensive position rotation as properly. As for Corridor, he is probably not again on a second contract, particularly with the way in which 2025 fifth-round choose Elijah Roberts has burst onto the scene as a rookie. So, there’s more likely to be an open roster spot for an additional inside lineman.

Would possibly The Bucs Discover Themselves In The Market For A Tight Finish?

That is an fascinating one for Tampa Bay. The crew loves Cade Otton, particularly with the selflessness he has displayed early this season inn phrases of getting fewer targets as a consequence of staying in and blocking to account for the Bucs’ accidents at each deal with positions. And whereas Otton has by no means been the flashiest playmaker, he’s been a gentle pressure within the passing sport and appears to have a great rapport with Baker Mayfield. He’s coming off a 12 months through which he set profession highs with 87 targets, 59 catches and 600 yards.

Bucs TE Cade Otton – photograph by: USA At this time

And with the accidents at receiver this season, Otton will nearly actually proceed to be a much bigger and greater a part of the offense into the second half of the season. Nevertheless it’s price questioning what the plans is perhaps at tight finish so far as the long run goes. When two of the crew’s 2022 draft picks, Luke Goedeke and Zyon McCollum, received contract extensions simply earlier than this season, Otton didn’t get one himself. Maybe the Bucs are merely going to have their high tight finish play this season out to allow them to get a greater gauge of his worth. However perhaps there’s extra to it?

Both approach, it’s not as if Tampa Bay has the deepest tight finish room within the league. Payne Durham has been strong, however nothing actually extra. Devin Culp has but to construct on the robust end he needed to his 2024 rookie season, nor has he actually gotten an opportunity to. And Ko Kieft suffered a season-ending harm and can now be a free agent heading into 2026. So, whether or not it’s a brand new TE1 or just higher depth, tight finish might be a sneaky want for the Buccaneer offense this spring.

What’s The Plan In The Backfield For 2026 And Past?

Right here’s one other place that would doubtlessly be a sneaky want in 2026. All of it depends upon what the long run holds for Rachaad White. Bucky Irving, a 2024 draft choose, got here into this 12 months because the crew’s starter, however he has missed the final a number of video games and White has been the go-to again in his place. The fourth-year operating again is in a contract 12 months, so if he needs to exit on the lookout for a state of affairs the place he can problem for a beginning job elsewhere, the Bucs might be in a spot the place they want to determine their RB2 function.

What the market would appear to be for White is fairly fascinating. Usually talking, he could solely discover that he’s going to be checked out for a job just like the one he has in Tampa Bay. And given his friendship with Irving, his consolation with this offense and his crew and the truth that he’s nonetheless a fairly key a part of issues with the Bucs, he could not go anyplace. In fact, that hinges on Jason Licht and Co. desirous to re-sign him, which would appear possible given his capability in move safety in addition to what he contributes as a move catcher.

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photograph by: USA At this time

But when he does go elsewhere, what’s the plan? Sean Tucker has cooled off after displaying a variety of promise final season, so his candidacy for the RB2 job appears shaky. And as a lot as undrafted rookie Josh Williams has impressed Tampa Bay since getting within the constructing this previous offseason, he’d be a longshot to exchange White as properly. May that imply dipping into the draft pool for an additional operating again to enrich Irving? Possibly.

The place The Bucs May Add Some Depth Heading Into 2026

The reality is that nearly as good because the Bucs is perhaps this 12 months, there’s at all times room to enhance depth at each place on the roster. And there’s at all times worth in going with one of the best participant out there within the draft, so it’s price mentioning another potential positions of wants right here as we wrap issues up.

The offensive line may stand to realize one other depth piece or two, particularly after what we’ve seen in 2025. The excellent news is that the Bucs have their beginning offensive line locked in for an additional 12 months a minimum of, and Cody Mauch is the one one who’s getting into a contract 12 months in 2026. However depth at each guard and deal with is an evergreen want within the NFL, even with guys like Elijah Klein and Ben Chukwuma ready within the wings to supply useful depth, with Chukwuma doubtlessly turning into the crew’s swing deal with as quickly as subsequent 12 months.

Broad receiver is one other fascinating case, as Tampa Bay has already finished a great job getting some key items within the door each for the current and the long run, with 2025 draft picks Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson trying the a part of long-term contributors for this offense. However Mike Evans is in a contract 12 months and could be 33 subsequent season. It’s laborious to think about him calling it a profession after the harm he suffered in Week 7 that may price him the vast majority of the remainder of the season, if not all of it. So, if he needs to maintain enjoying, he’ll clearly have a spot in Tampa.

Bucs WRs Emeka Egbuka and Mike Evans – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

However Evans at 33 and Chris Godwin Jr. at 30 subsequent season would warrant the crew investing in some extra high-upside depth, proper? That turns into an much more urgent endeavor contemplating the unlucky information concerning Jalen McMillan’s neck harm.

The Bucs did a great job boosting their depth at cornerback this previous offseason, however would possibly they must do it once more in 2026 now that Jamel Dean will probably be a free agent a 12 months sooner than he was initially speculated to be? That’s a risk. And depth at security stays a necessity, too.

And the way about one final intriguing query: What is going to the Bucs do on the backup quarterback place in 2026? Teddy Bridgewater is about to be 33 and is way from a lock to maintain enjoying soccer past 2025, and the one different possibility on the roster proper now could be rookie Connor Bazelak, who’s on the observe squad. May Tampa Bay draft a quarterback to again up Baker Mayfield, who will probably be 31 subsequent season?

If the crew does go that route, what spherical is acceptable? That may be primarily based on the size of the contract extension Mayfield will presumably be getting this offseason. Nonetheless, it’s an fascinating thought train to contemplate.