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[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers top offseason needs

The Buccaneers find themselves in a bit of unfamiliar territory here as they have missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. A disappointing finish leaves them at 8-9 for the season and sitting at home instead of playing postseason football. With that, it is clear that this team needs a lot of work in order to get back on track. It’s not impossible, but it also will be difficult to fill every hole in one offseason. However, Tampa Bay can certainly make sure they cover some of their bases at important positions. Let’s take a look at some of their top needs for this upcoming offseason.

EDGE Rusher​

Tampa Bay finished the 2025 season tied for 18th in the NFL in sacks with a total of 37. It is their lowest sack total as a team since 2017 when they had just 22 total sacks. The Bucs had 16 different players show up on the stat sheet with a sack this season. The issue? Tampa Bay’s edge rushers only contributed 14 sacks for the entire season. Yaya Diaby led the team with seven total sacks so that means that Diaby was responsible for half of the edge group’s production and that is simply not good enough.

Diaby is a solid player, but he is likely better suited as a number two or even number three pass rusher than he is a top option. The Haason Reddick signing did not work out the way the Bucs envisioned when they signed him last offseason, David Walker went down with a season ending injury in the preseason and Chris Braswell did not develop the way the team had hoped. Whether it is through free agency, trade or the draft they need to look for an upgrade at edge rusher. Reddick likely won’t be back, so you are likely looking at Diaby, Anthony Nelson, Braswell and Walker being the current room in 2026. That won’t get the job done against good offenses. I’d expect Tampa Bay to be involved with many different pass rushing options this offseason.

Inside Linebacker​

Some people will argue that inside linebacker is the team’s biggest need this offseason and for good reason. Long time Buccaneer great Lavonte David is about to turn 36 and it seems that retirement is pretty likely at this point. The SirVocea Dennis experiment did not work at all and at times became a liability on the field and none of their depth options really worked out. This is probably the one room on the entire team that might need a complete overhaul. Dennis is still on a rookie contract and can serve as cheap depth so you likely aren’t moving on from him, but the rest of the room may look a lot different in 2026.

Needing two, maybe three quality linebackers in one offseason might prove to be a tall task, but that shouldn’t stop them from trying. Linebacker has been an issue for this team for a few years now and the Bucs have tried to develop their own guys with K.J. Britt and Dennis and neither one worked out. It’s time to invest some serious resources for outside help. I wouldn’t be shocked if they targeted a top linebacker in free agency and also looked to draft one fairly early. That may seem like a lot of resources to dump into one spot, but that may be what is required to turn this room around.

Offensive Line Depth​

When healthy, Tampa Bay’s offensive line is one of the top units in the NFL. The key words there are “when healthy” which is not something they had the luxury of in 2025. The Bucs intended starting five of Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Luke Goedeke played ZERO games together this past season. Wirfs, Bredeson and Goedeke all dealt with injuries throughout the year and Mauch suffered a season ending injury in week two. For the final few games of the season, games that Tampa Bay needed to win, they had to start Dan Feeney and Mike Jordan at the guard spots. Neither of those guys were on the Bucs original roster to start the season and they both struggled at times.

Robert Hainsey departed the Bucs to join Liam Coen in Jacksonville, and the team also allowed Justin Skule to depart for Minnesota. They replaced Skule with veteran Charlie Heck, who was fine but had his down moments as well and the team even resorted to starting undrafted free agent Ben Chukwuma at left tackle when Tristan Wirfs was hurt. The depth along this offensive line cost them last year and it is something that needs to be fixed this offseason. They can hope for better health for the unit but ultimately, they need to make sure they are better suited to handle injuries in 2026.

It is a big offseason for Tampa Bay. There are more needs than just these three, but these ones feel like spots they must find upgrades back if they want to find themselves back in the playoffs in 2026. Failure to do so may result in even bigger changes next offseason so the time is ticking to get it right over the next couple of months.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-bay-buccaneers-analysis/66723/buccaneers-top-offseason-needs

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers end busy week of interviews with a top offensive candidate

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been actively interviewing candidates for their crucial offensive coordinator vacancy, with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel emerging as the headline name.

McDaniel, known for his innovative offensive schemes and previous success running high-powered units under Kyle Shanahan’s tutelage and as Miami’s OC and head coach, completed an in-person interview Friday with the Bucs for their open offensive coordinator position.

We've completed an interview with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel for our offensive coordinator position.

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 16, 2026

His experience as both a play-caller and leader makes him an enticing fit to revitalize Tampa Bay’s offense after the firing of Josh Grizzard following the 2025 season.

Alongside McDaniel, Tampa Bay has interviewed several other offensive coordinator candidates, including Todd Monken, who is following John Harbaugh to New York, Mike Kafka, the Giants’ interim head coach, and David Shaw, the Detroit Lions’ passing game coordinator with decades of coaching experience.

Tampa Bay seeks a dynamic play-caller who can get the most out of Baker Mayfield and Tampa’s run game and wide receiving corps. With McDaniel still in demand around the league, his meeting with the Bucs stands out as the premier candidate interview of the cycle.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-ba...offensive-candidate-mike-mcdaniel-todd-monken

 

[Zedster]

Interesting offseason shaping up for Tampa Bay. The McDaniel interview definitely caught my attention - he's got a creative offensive mind and could be exactly what they need to get more out of Mayfield and that receiving corps. The Dolphins offense had its moments under him despite the Tua situation, so pairing him with a more mobile QB like Baker could be intriguing.

That said, the defensive needs concern me more long-term. Edge rusher and linebacker are glaring holes, and you can't paper over both in one offseason. Diaby is solid but asking him to be your #1 pass rusher is a lot. And if David retires, that linebacker room is basically starting from scratch.

The OL depth issue is real too. When your intended starting five plays zero games together, that's brutal. Feels like they've been chasing depth there for a couple years now.

Bowles getting another shot makes sense given the division titles, but this really does feel like a make-or-break year for him. The staff shakeup was necessary - Grizzard just couldn't adapt when things weren't working. Curious to see if they go with McDaniel's creativity or someone more established like Monken who already knows the organization.

What's everyone thinking about the draft approach? Edge in the first round seems obvious but linebacker depth might be harder to find in free agency.

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Danny Smith hired as Buccaneers Special Teams Coordinator

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that the team has hired Danny Smith as its Special Teams Coordinator. Smith brings more than three decades of NFL coaching experience to Tampa Bay, including 29 as a special teams coordinator.

“Danny is one of the most respected and highly regarded special teams coaches in our league,” said Head Coach Todd Bowles. “He is an extraordinary teacher and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all areas of special teams. I am confident that he will get the most out of our players and take our special teams unit to the next level.”

Smith joins the Buccaneers following his 13 years as special teams coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin. He brings 31 seasons of NFL experience with stints leading special teams units for the Philadelphia Eagles (1995-98, where he also served as defensive backs coach), the Buffalo Bills (2001-03) and the now-Washington Commanders (2004-2012). In addition, Smith spent two seasons as the Detroit Lions’ tight ends coach (1999-2000).

Smith’s units were among the league’s best in blocked kicks during his time in Pittsburgh, ranking tied for eighth since 2013, with 21. Over the past nine seasons, the Steelers are tied for the league lead with 17 blocked kicks. Under Smith’s tutelage, Miles Killebrew earned consecutive Pro Bowl trips as a special teamer from 2023-24 and leads all active players in career blocked punts (four). Conversely, the Steelers are 1-of-2 teams to not allow a blocked punt over the past nine seasons. Since 2013, Pittsburgh surrendered only 12 total blocked kicks of its own, which are tied for the fourth-fewest during that span.

In 2025, Smith’s kickoff unit limited opposing teams to the fifth-worst starting field position following kickoffs (their own 29.0-yard line), while having the second-lowest touchback rate in the league (8.2%).

Smith has also developed a number of wide receivers into key special teams performers, including Antonio Brown, who became the first player ever to record 1,000 yards receiving and 1,000 yards returning in the same season when he did so in 2013, earning a Pro Bowl selection. In 2019, Smith mentored Diontae Johnson to a league-best 12.4 yards per punt return during his rookie campaign. This past season, Ben Skowronek finished fourth in the NFL in special teams tackles (21) on his way to a Pro Bowl selection.

During his time in Pittsburgh, Smith coached kicker Chris Boswell to a pair of Pro Bowl selections and an Associated Press first-team All-Pro honor. In their 11 years together (2015-25), Boswell ranked second in the NFL in field goals made (299), second in field goal percentage from 50+ yards (82.5%, which trailed only current Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin’s 84.3% during that span) and fourth in overall field goal percentage (87.7%, min. 200 attempts). Over Smith’s full tenure in Pittsburgh dating back to 2013, the Steelers enjoyed the league’s second-highest field goal percentage (88.0%), ranked fourth in total field goals made (388), and tied for fifth in the NFL with 18 game-winning field goals.

A Pittsburgh native, he attended Central Catholic High School, where he later coached from 1977-78, helping mentor future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. Smith went on to play defensive back at Edinboro State from 1972-76 and later served as a graduate assistant for the Fighting Scots. He was inducted into the Edinboro University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. He and his wife, Elaine, have three children: Erin, Courtney and Jason.

(Courtesy of the Buccaneers Communications Department.)

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-ba...buccaneers-special-teams-coordinator-steelers

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers tab Zac Robinson as new offensive coordinator

The Buccaneers moved quickly to secure their next offensive coordinator Wednesday night, tabbing former Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson after a second interview in-person.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the deal Thursday morning.

Staying in the NFC South: Buccaneers are finalizing a deal to hire Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson as their offensive coordinator, per sources. pic.twitter.com/Hljnyl9vGE

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 22, 2026

The Bucs forewent seeing through another second interview with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan, as Todd Bowles and Co. seemed to come away impressed with a now-former division rival. The options began to dry up hastily, with perceived No. 1 option Mike McDaniel opting to join the Los Angeles Chargers and Todd Monken in ideal position for either the Giants offensive coordinator spot or even a head coaching role.

So the team opted against another first-time hire (like Cincinnati’s Dan Pitcher) and landed on experience with Robinson, who concluded a tumultuous two-year tenure with the Falcons. It both compares and contrasts in some key ways to the team’s last three coordinator hirings: Dave Canales, Liam Coen, and Josh Grizzard.

Generally, the McVay tree continues to ingrain roots in Tampa, as Robinson served as an assistant with the Rams in multiple capacities before the Falcons hired him under Raheem Morris. This matches up with Coen, who was on staff in L.A. with Robinson, and slightly so with Canales, who worked a good deal with former Rams staffer Shane Waldron in Seattle. Coen and Robinson also hold the key distinction of coaching Baker Mayfield during his brief, but important, career renaissance with L.A.

Where it differs is that Robinson now has actual NFL playcalling experience, which neither Canales, Grizzard nor Coen did — the latter did call plays in college for Kentucky.

Here’s the problem though: Robinson was not great for Atlanta.

Despite having an above-average offense line, an elite running back in Bijan Robinson, and a top-15 receiver in Drake London, the Falcons consistently ranked amongst the league’s worst in several metrics.

Last season, the Falcons ranked 23rd in points per game (20.8), 19th in total passing, 24th in passing touchdowns, 8th in overall rushing, and 11th in overall rushing touchdowns. With a peek under the hood of advanced metrics, it doesn’t paint a much prettier picture. Atlanta ranked 24th in total Expected Points Added (EPA) and EPA per play, with the passing EPA per play sitting just below average (18th overall) and rushing EPA per play (24th) in the bottom third.

So you might look at Bijan Robinson’s tremendous success and decent traditional rushing numbers overall and see some positives, but what the deeper analytics are saying is that the Falcons excelled at gaining yards and generating impact plays in low-leverage situations.

The passing game understandably withstood some major hurdles, with first-round QB Michael Penix Jr. struggling in limited action and then tearing his ACL, and Kirk Cousins then came in and did not perform particularly well either. London and other starting receiver Darnell Mooney also endured multi-game absences due to injuries.

Those excuses sound familiar?

The Falcons also performed horribly on third downs. With a conversion rate of just 33.8%, they ranked 30th out of 32 teams — ahead of only the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings. They struggled in basically every aspect, from short down in distance (-11.97 EPA on third downs between 1-3 yards) to third and long (-33.77 EPA on third downs 8+ yards).

The Bucs under Grizzard, who got plenty of flak for his third-down calls, performed much better in several key every areas than the Falcons did. What this tells is that Bowles thinks Robinson will have a much better chance of coaxing out the best in his offense with access to Tampa’s array of tools.

What have been some of the Falcons’ best offensive performances over the last two years? Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Bowles’s defense.

The team’s best offensive output all year came in Week 15, the heartbreaking 29-28 affair that punctuated Tampa’s tailspin. Kirk Cousins went for 373 yards and three touchdowns, all to Kyle Pitts, the latter of whom can thank the Bucs for basically handing him second-team All-Pro this year. Their total EPA and EPA per play both easily cleared any other game they played.

And of course, many of us likely remember the 2024 Thursday Night Football matchup that ended in a 36-30 overtime defeat — the very one that saw Cousins throw for 509 yards and 4 touchdowns and their offense record 550 yards total.

So yeah, it sure feels like Bowles got taken out back behind the woodshed by Robinson, as is often the case when he faces McVay / Shanahan adjacent offenses, and saw bigger potential than statistics against the rest of the league proper would actually evidence. Logistically, Robinson showed very little to indicate he deserves a second chance at playcalling so soon, and it’s hard to generate much enthusiasm with this in mind.

Bowles’s lame duck status surely had a lot to do with this resolution, as his tenuous job standing simply is not going to be appealing to top-end names, just as it was three years ago. Maybe the Bucs turn it around and prove doubters wrong, but it’s hard to look at this marriage with current facts and see the potential for a top-tier football team in 2026.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-ba...tab-zac-robinson-as-new-offensive-coordinator

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Assessing pending 2026 Buccaneers free agents

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 28: Chris Godwin Jr. #14 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As the Buccaneers face potentially their biggest offseason in recent years, given 2025’s tumultuous ending, they’ll need to evaluate their pending free agent class.

While the list isn’t as long as some recent years, there will still be some major decisions on the road ahead — especially when considering outside free agents might get stronger consideration than in years past.

Here is the complete list of free agents for the Buccaneers, all statuses included:

Unrestricted Free Agents​

• WR Mike Evans
• WR Sterling Shepard
• LB Lavonte David
• LB Deion Jones
• CB Jamel Dean
• CB Kindle Vildor
• RB Rachaad White
• TE Cade Otton
• TE Ko Kieft
• DL Logan Hall
• DL Greg Gaines
• EDGE Haason Reddick
• QB Teddy Bridgewater
• OL Charlie Heck
• OL Dan Feeney
• OL Mike Jordan

Restricted Free Agents​

• RB Sean Tucker
• S Christian Izien
• EDGE Markees Watts
• LS Evan Deckers (exclusive rights)

Club Option​

• P Riley Dixon

Let’s take a look at how the team might lean when it comes to keeping or letting go of these players.

Lean Staying​

Evans, David, Otton, Gaines, Tucker, Izien, Watts, Deckers

There’s been some recent rumblings from outsider sources with limited credibility that Evans wants to leave the Bucs in 2026. The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud firmly shut down any talk of that, as there’s been no indication Evans has even had those discussions with his agent or the team.

While it’s not impossible, of course, Evans is a future Hall of Famer who has spent his entire 11-year career with the Buccaneers. He’s the best offensive player in team history by a vast margin, and his entire family is well-ingrained in the community. Entering his age-33 season, he’s battled injury the last two seasons but has shown he still has gas in the tank. Given all we know about him as a player and person, it feels more likely than not he will want to finish on much better terms if possible with the only team he’s known.

David confirmed with Kay Adams last week that, if he’s returning for Year 15, it will be in Red & Pewter without any doubt. The franchise legend, who just turned 36, has clearly slowed down to no surprise, but if he feels he can still play and the team wants him, they’ll find a role for him.

Cade Otton is the definition of a reliable contributor who fills his role with limited flash. In 63 games (58 starts), Otton has produced a respectable 207 catches for 2,018 yards and 11 TDs. He’s a willing and adequate blocker, and he has filled in several times over the last two years as a primary receiver when injuries afflicted the primary weapons. Unless he wants to leave, he’ll likely have a place in Tampa on a modest deal.

Gaines is unspectacular nose tackle depth but the team seems to like him and he’s very cheap so it seems unlikely he will leave.

It seems likely the restricted free agents will stick around. Tucker is poised for a bigger role and he’s proven to have big-play ability from time to time, while Izien and Watts are core backups and special teamers. Izien in particular provides considerable flexibility as a nickel or safety. Deckers is the long snapper and those tend to have pretty long tenures around the league, doesn’t seem like he’s given them any strong reason to move on.

Lean Leaving​

Dean, White, Reddick, Bridgewater, Vildor, Jones, Heck, Feeney, Jordan

After having a career season on the heels of a paycut, it doesn’t seem likely Dean will stick around entering his age-30 season. As great as he was, Dean is still often-injured (missed three games) and it’s very risky to pay big money to a corner in his 30s. Plus, the Buccaneers drafted his replacement in Benjamin Morrison just last year. Dean’s contributions will always be appreciated, but it might be the end.

White has made painfully obvious in recent weeks via social media posts and interviews that he is not coming back so there’s not much to be said. He’s a reliable runner, pass catcher, and protector who deserves an expanded role elsewhere.

Reddick, the team’s crown jewel of the 2025 free agent class, got severely hampered by knee and ankle injuries but even then struggled to make the impact the team envisioned (2.5 sacks total in 13 games). The one-year prove-it deal did not work out, so he’ll need to find somewhere else to continue his career.

Bridgewater seems to be taking his career on a year-by-year basis, though the Bucs seemed to have very little faith in him to do much actual quarterbacking based on they kept trotting a brutalized Baker Mayfield out onto the field week after week. The team would do well to seek an upgrade here.

Vildor was valuable depth but he might seek out opportunities to start like he has done in the past.

Jones, Feeney, Heck, and Jordan are replacement-level players who should be upgraded upon whenever possible.

50/50​

Hall, Dixon

Hall, the team’s top pick from 2022, has not turned into a top-level contributor but showed some growth in 2025. Entering his age-26 season, Hall might still have a future, so the Bucs may want to keep him around a while longer to see if there’s more meat on the bone. That said, he might want to get a fresh start elsewhere.

The team has a club option on Dixon’s contract for 2026, so that will be one of the bigger evaluation points. He’s due a $3 million cap hit, which isn’t nothing, and there was a bad taste on the entire special teams unit minus Chase McLaughlin and Kameron Johnson. Dixon honestly wasn’t bad most of the year, but the team could probably seek an upgrade if they wanted.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-ba...assessing-pending-2026-buccaneers-free-agents

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Bucs Nation Survey: Predict the Super Bowl LX winner

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: The Vince Lombardi Trophy is framed by the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots helmets during Super Bowl LX Opening Night at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on February 02, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Buccaneers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

With the Super Bowl just days away, it’s time to get everyone on the record. Who will win Super Bowl LX? Let us know if it will be the Seattle Seahawks or New England Patriots. We will have results later this week and can compare how Buccaneers fans feel about the game compared to the rest of the league. Cast your vote now before the survey closes!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/tampa-bay-buccaneers-discussion/66793/buccaneers-predict-super-bowl-lx