Bucs Nation
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.
Who are the in-house players available? Here’s the current list:
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...
