Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
The Bucs absolutely need more talent and depth on defense.
NFL free agency kicks off at noon Monday, and there will be a flurry of activity across the league as teams hope to shore up their weak spots.
Will the Buccaneers be one of those first teams out of the blocks? Recent history would indicate not likely, as they focus so heavily on in-house retentions like Chris Godwin, but that doesn’t they won’t be active. This year absolutely feels like one where we might see more outside player courting than in the last few cycles.
We covered the offense a couple weeks ago, but now it’s time to deep dive into the defense, which needs help at all three levels. Let’s not waste any time.
Buccaneers Free Agents
Who are the in-house players available? Here’s the current list:
- LB Lavonte David
- LB K.J. Britt
- LB J.J. Russell
- EDGE Anthony Nelson
- EDGE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
- EDGE Shaq Barrett
- DL Greg Gaines
- DL William Gholston
- DL Eric Banks
- DL C.J. Brewer
- CB Tavierre Thomas
- CB Troy Hill
- CB Bryce Hall
- S Ryan Neal
- S Mike Edwards
- S Kaevon Merriweather
You can just bold and underscore one name on here several times more than the rest.
Lavonte David, one of the greatest Buccaneers of all time, and he’ll continue to play with the franchise for his 14th season in 2025. News broke Friday evening that David signed a 1-year, $10 million contract with $9 million guaranteed. The 35-year-old remained a productive, stalwart presence in the heart of Todd Bowles’s defense last year, even notching his most sacks (5.5) since 2016 and forcing 4 turnovers (3 forced fumbles, 1 interception). Father Time encroaches, but David is still a valuable presence.
Even with him back, the picture is a little grim. The team has only SirVocea Dennis as the other linebacker under contract, and he’s talented but injury-prone. K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell are both far better suited to depth roles if they return, but Britt being one of the worst players in the NFL last year likely puts him on the outs. Russell is a fine depth option to return.
When your own coach says you were fine at everything except the main descriptor of your job, which is rushing the passer, then it likely doesn’t fare well for your return. That’s where Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is currently at, so wouldn’t expect to see him back.
Anthony Nelson has been a grinder through and through in his 6 seasons with Tampa. Never flashy nor dynamic but gutsy and useful (18.5 career sacks), he should return again to continue providing valuable depth. The beloved Shaq Barrett returned in the 11th hour in 2024 after being retired for most of the year, so it seems like he wants to continue playing, but the Bucs might not be willing to sacrifice snaps for younger options, both current and future, for a 32-year-old’s waning career.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25902162/2176964568.jpg "Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Atlanta Falcons")
Anthony Nelson
You then have a bevy of trenchers whose presences are fairly negligible. Greg Gaines is replacement-level backup for Vita Vea, and the team should probably try to upgrade somehow but Gaines coming back isn’t the worst thing. Will Gholston, another career Buccaneer, is in his twilight and is probably welcome back but far from a priority. It’s likely that his career either continues in Tampa or he just retires. Eric Banks and C.J. Brewer are camp bodies who can stick around as competition for practice squad or bottom-of-the-roster slots.
In the secondary, Tavierre Thomas is a limited player who is a small liability on defense but very good on special teams so we’ll see where that gets him. Troy Hill was the break-glass-in-an-emergency option late in the year but got hurt himself anyway so he’s probably gonezo. Bryce Hall sadly broke his leg, again, early in the year so it doesn’t seem like he’ll be signed by anyone for awhile.
Safety-wise, the Bucs already re-signed Kaevon Merriweather, who was an exclusive rights free agent. He’s young and has shown some potential so he’ll be in the backup mix. Ryan Neal was another emergency option who probably won’t return. Mike Edwards, who made his Tampa return after a small hiatus with Kansas City and Buffalo, actually played pretty well and should be back for cheap.
With that all covered, we can delve into some possible options the Bucs might pursue to beef up their lagging defensive core.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25902153/2191134450.jpg "Denver Broncos v Los Angeles Chargers")
Khalil Mack
One of the first reported options with possible Buccaneers interest, Mack is an interesting case.
He has ranged from incredibly good to elite his entire career, mostly the latter as a multi-time All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year winner. In 11 years, he’s logged 107.5 sacks (7th on the active list and top 50 all-time) and 32 forced fumbles, and he was still being a disruptive presence for the Chargers last season (top 25 in pass rush win rate) despite just 6 sacks (he had 17 the year prior).
Would he be an upgrade for the Bucs? Presumably yes. However, he’s also a freshly minted 34 years old, which means he’s way closer to the end than the beginning, and he’s still going to be expensive (several contract evaluators value him at $19-$21 million over 1 to 2 years). A move like this would’ve made sense for the Super Bowl-era Brady Bucs, where it was truly win or bust, but maybe not so much for an interaction of that franchise that has been consistently competitive but also trying to balance now and the future.
Overall, it feels like it would be a net positive but perhaps not the optimal route.
Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25902154/2149426618.jpg "Los Angeles Chargers v Las Vegas Raiders")
Malcolm Koonce
If you’re looking for an under-the-radar, Shaq Barrett-type of signing, Koonce is a logical gamble.
Koonce missed all of 2024 with a knee injury that happened in early September, so he should be all clear for this year. Prior to that, there were big expectations for the former University of Buffalo star after breaking out in 2023 with 8 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 9 tackles for loss to go along with a top-25 pass rush win rate. He’ll be just 27 and affordable with a limited portfolio.
If he doesn’t return to the Las Vegas Raiders, one would imagine a 1- or 2-year deal in the range of $10-15 million annually, perhaps a chunk of that heavily based on incentives due to the injury and short track record.
Dre Greenlaw
Greenlaw is the silver tuna of this year’s linebacker class, and he’ll likely command top dollar.
After missing most of the season with a torn achilles tendon, Greenlaw will be a full year’s plus recovered when the 2025 season begins. The 27-year-old looked promising in limited snaps toward the tail-end of 2023, so that bodes even better.
Greenlaw is incredibly well-rounded as a cover man and run defender, and his presence next to or as a successor to Lavonte David would be a huge boon to the overall unit. You’re likely looking at something in the $10-12 million AAV range, probably over 2 to 3 years.
Tyrel Dodson
The Buccaneers must get younger and more reliable in coverage at inside linebacker, and that should make Dodson a prime target. Dodson posted the 5th-best coverage grade of any linebacker in 2024 for Pro Football Focus, though he may not be the best in other areas.
The 26-year-old likely won’t draw top-tier money, which obviously would fit the Bucs better than Greenlaw if they’re casting a wide net across multiple positions, but the downside of that is obviously getting an inferior overall player.
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25902156/2173441129.jpg "Los Angeles Chargers v Pittsburgh Steelers")
Asante Samuel, Jr.
Bowles emphasized the need to create more turnovers and overall disruption on defense. Well, if that’s the goal, Samuel is a good bet.
He’s undersized for what this defense usually prefers, but will the desire to find those ballhawking traits allow the team to look past that? Samuel’s contract year was marred by a shoulder injury that limited him to 4 games, but prior to that he collected 6 interceptions and 37 passes defensed over three seasons (43 starts).
The 26-year-old is looking at a contract evaluation around 4 years, $48 million per Spotrac.
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
At 35 years old, Lavonte David will once again suit up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers have officially started their offseason with a familiar classic, the re-signing of legendary linebacker Lavonte David. Tampa has (willing) spent serveral consecutive offseasons waiting for indications as to whether or not David would decide to retire from football, before ultimately inking a new short-term agreement. This offseason, however, David's return seemed the most unsure— comparable to years prior.
Though David doesn't look it, the Buccaneers' future Ring of Honor member will play next season at 35-years old (relatively ancient for a player at his position). He will be doing so on a one-year deal that is reportedly worth $10-million.
David will enter his 14th season of professional football and will be doing so coming off a year in which he had 122 tackles and 5.5 sacks (his most since 2013).
While David's play has genuinely always been excellent and stats show his value to the franchise, his leadership and consistency are what set him apart from other players.
Lavonte David is a Super Bowl champion and he has been with the Bucs through thick and woefully thin. 3/7/25 is a day Buccaneers' fans will be thankful to have Jason Licht, for giving them a chance to cheer on their legend for at least one more season.
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Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Which players will be returning to Tampa Bay in 2025?
NFL free agency is just a few short days away and for the Buccaneers, they have some questions that need answering in the coming days. While their list of unrestricted free agents is not how it was last year, there still are some important players that Tampa Bay has to decide whether to keep or not.
Let’s take a look at some of their pending free agents and predict whether they are going to remain in Tampa Bay or head elsewhere.
A quick disclaimer though is this is MY opinion. This is not sourced and does not reflect the opinions of anyone else on the BN writing staff, just what I think is going to happen. Let’s get into it!
The full list of free agents will be provided by Spotrac
WR Chris Godwin: Re-signs with Tampa Bay on a 3 year, 72 million dollar deal (24.0 AAV)
The Bucs are able to secure Godwin back in Tampa for another three seasons. I have no doubt that Godwin’s market could be robust and he could probably get a bit more than this from another team. With Tee Higgins receiving the franchise tag, Godwin is the best receiver available in free agency, but I think the Bucs know how valuable he is to what they want to do and with Mike Evans only having one more year left on his deal, they make sure to lock up Godwin long term.
The ankle injury does have some impact on this number. Had he not gotten hurt against Baltimore back in week 7, he would likely command a whole lot more than this especially since he was on pace to have a career year. I think the Bucs want Godwin back in Tampa and I think Godwin feels the same way.
ILB Lavonte David: Re-signs with Tampa Bay on a 1 year, 7 million dollar deal
I still think this is a coin flip. Not that David would play anywhere else, but I believe retirement is still fully on the table for the longtime Buccaneer great. In this scenario, he returns to Tampa for one last run. Is David the same player he was six or seven years ago? No and that is perfectly fine because what he is still is a darn good linebacker.
I have to imagine the Bucs would love to have their leader on defense back for one last go but honestly, I think this one is pretty much up to Lavonte David and he has certainly earned that right.
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25900087/2194142802.jpg "NFC Wild Card Playoffs: Washington Commanders v Tampa Bay Buccaneers")
G Ben Bredeson: Re-signs with Tampa Bay on a 1 year, 5 million dollar deal
The Bucs starting left guard from the 2024 season returns on a one year deal but gets a raise. Bredeson was solid for Tampa and earned the right to come back. He is the perfect player you can plug into a starting spot, but also still look for ways to upgrade. It wouldn’t shock me if Tampa Bay took a guard at some point in the draft to compete with Bredeson, but he played well enough to return.
In my mind, these are the three biggest free agents the Bucs have to worry about. Let’s dive into the other names on the list and see where they will land.
Anthony Nelson- Stays
Greg Gaines- Stays
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka- Goes
Chase Edmonds- Goes
Tavierre Thomas- Stays
Kyle Trask- Goes
William Gholston- Goes (Retirement)
Sua Opeta- Goes
Justin Skule- Stays
Sterling Shepard- Goes
Troy Hill- Goes
Shaq Barrett- Goes
Robert Hainsey- Goes
Bryce Hall- Goes
Mike Edwards- Stays
Royce Newman- Stays
Eric Banks- Goes
Ryan Neal- Goes
K.J. Britt- Goes
Restricted Free agents/Earned Rights Free agents brought back: J.J. Rusell, Kaevon Merriweather, C.J. Brewer
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
Tampa Bay is looking to fix their pass rush this offseason
It is no secret that the Buccaneers need some serious help on the defensive side of the ball and the pass rush seems to be a big point of emphasis this offseason.
In Indy this past week at the NFL scouting combine, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles spoke about needing to be able to rush the passer with just four instead of having to constantly blitz in order to get pressure.
Well with free agency just around the corner, it appears Tampa Bay is doing their due diligence on the edge market. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote an article detailing some notes and rumblings he’s heard, and Khalil Mack’s name popped up in connection with the Bucs.
Here is what Fowler had to say:
“Teams agree edge rusher Khalil Mack played lights out last season, and the only real concern with his free agency is age (he’s 34). A few people I’ve talked to have made potential connections to the Buccaneers and Bears. Tampa Bay typically doesn’t spend big on external free agents but is looking for pass rush help.”
Bucs media outlet Pewter Report later also confirmed Tampa Bay’s interest in Mack.
It’s not all that surprising that the Bucs are keeping an eye on the pass rusher market, but does Mack make sense for them?
He is 34 years old and posted six sacks last season. However, the year prior he had 17 sacks. He was a solid player for the Chargers last year and is still a good run defender who plays with a motor, but how much will be potentially cost?
Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25894708/2192602096.jpg "Los Angeles Chargers v Las Vegas Raiders")
Spotrac’s market value for Mack has him a little over 23 million per season. That’s a lot of money to commit to someone who is still good, but not quite in his prime anymore.
Time will tell where things go with Mack and the Buccaneers but regardless, it’s clear they are trying to upgrade that pass rush.
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Liam Coen has poached his first Buc.
When the Buccaneers lost Liam Coen, last year's offensive coordinator, some defections were to be anticipated. While the Buccaneers did avoid losing famed assistant GM and Jason Licht protégé Mike Greenburg, who pulled his name out of consideration early on in Jacksonville, the team was not all the way out of the woods yet.
After the Jaguars' clear commitment to clear out their roster and build anew, there was warranted concern that Tampa Bay's prize free agent, Chris Godwin, who was on pace for a career season prior to his season-ending injury a year ago, might be a high-priced addition to Coen's new offense. Godwin has since been retained, however, Tampa has officially lost a member of Coen's former offense for his current offense.
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25906110/2181671333.jpg "Atlanta Falcons v Tampa Bay Buccaneers")
Center Robert Hainsey, Tampa's former starter turned back-up center, has reportedly agreed to terms with Liam Coen and the Jacksonville Jaguars. In leaving, Hainsey secures himself a three-year contract, a substantial raise, and perhaps more importantly and starting spot— Something he wouldn't have an opportunity to do in Tampa Bay.
For the Buccaneers, the drafting of Graham Barton a year ago all but ensured the end of Hainsey’s tenure with the team. The Bucs will retain all five starting linemen from 2024, however, one of their best depth pieces will playing on the other side of the state.
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Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!
Hey Bucs fans! We’ve got a new treat for everybody. You’ve had a chance to play our SB Nation in-5 trivia game for the past six months. Today, we’re launching our Bucs-specific game.
The SB Nation version has been a general NFL game with active and retired players from all 32 teams featured. Moving forward, at Bucs Nation you’ll get a daily Bucs version of this game. We’ll be rotating between current Bucs and some of our old favorites and not so well-known options. You can still play the SB Nation version. You just need to go to sbnation.com, where it lives on the front page every day.
You can play the game below and share your results in the comments or on social media. Please share any and all feedback about the game, both good and bad. You can post feedback in the comments, but we also have a Google Form. We’re past the beta stage of the game, but it’s still a work in progress.
Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game
If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.
Previous games
Monday, March 10
Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games
NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5
Bucs Nation in-5 instructions
The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.
After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.
Enjoy!
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
‘Nelly’ is back…
On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured a key piece of their defensive front by re-signing outside linebacker Anthony Nelson to a two-year, $10 million contract, with a $12 million max, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Nelson, a 2019 fourth-round pick from Iowa, has been a reliable rotational player for Tampa Bay, contributing 11 sacks and 107 tackles across six seasons — not to mention room being instrumental against the run. His best campaign came in 2022, with 5.5 sacks, showcasing his value as a pass-rushing complement to a defense that features defensive tackle Vita Vea. The move ensures continuity for a Bucs defensive front that ranked among the league’s best in 2024, allowing just 19.2 points per game.
At 28, Nelson’s familiarity with Todd Bowles’ system, made him a priority to retain. With free agency heating up, Tampa Bay’s decision to lock in Nelson underscores their strategy of maintaining depth and stability as they aim for a fifth straight NFC South crown.
Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!
Hey Bucs fans! We’ve got a new treat for everybody. You’ve had a chance to play our SB Nation in-5 trivia game for the past six months. Today, we’re launching our Bucs-specific game.
The SB Nation version has been a general NFL game with active and retired players from all 32 teams featured. Moving forward, at Bucs Nation you’ll get a daily Bucs version of this game. We’ll be rotating between current Bucs and some of our old favorites and not so well-known options. You can still play the SB Nation version. You just need to go to sbnation.com, where it lives on the front page every day.
You can play the game below and share your results in the comments or on social media. Please share any and all feedback about the game, both good and bad. You can post feedback in the comments, but we also have a Google Form. We’re past the beta stage of the game, but it’s still a work in progress.
Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game
If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.
Previous games
Tuesday, March 11
Monday, March 10
Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games
NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5
Bucs Nation in-5 instructions
The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.
After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.
Enjoy!
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
A big move that kick started the day for Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a splash in NFL free agency by signing veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick to a one-year, $14 million contract, with $12 million guaranteed. The deal, reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport Monday, marks a major move for the Bucs defensive front and bolsters a Bucs defense that ranked sixth in the NFL with 46 sacks last season.
Reddick, a two-time Pro Bowler, brings a proven track record, having recorded 59 sacks over eight seasons, including double-digit totals in four straight years from 2020 to 2023 while in Arizona, Carolina, and Philadelphia. His addition addresses Tampa Bay’s need for an elite outside pass rusher to complement interior stars Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey.
After a tumultuous 2024 with the New York Jets, where a holdout limited him to one sack in 10 games, Reddick aims to reclaim his dominant form. For the reigning NFC South champions, this low-risk, high-reward signing could be a game-changer in their pursuit of a fifth consecutive division title.
