The Buccaneers' four-year reign as kings of the NFC South came to an end in 2025, as Baker Mayfield and company finished on the wrong side of a tiebreaker with the Panthers after losing all but two of their final nine games. Of course, there were some serious early-season highs—most notably Mayfield getting unironic MVP chants while leading a devastatingly banged-up offense—but all in all this was anyone's idea of a mediocre football team by the end of the season.

• 2025: 8-9 (-31 point differential, preseason win total: 9.5)
• Points per game: 22.4 (18th)
• EPA per pass: +0.06 (18th)
• EPA per rush: -0.09 (24th)
• Points per game against: 24.2 (20th)
• EPA per pass against: +0.09 (18th)
• EPA per rush against: -0.12 (5th)

Enter: 2026, and the Bucs have a reasonable amount of cap space to perhaps improve this aging roster. Throw in three quality draft picks during the first two days of the draft (No. 15, 46, 77), and it's not unreasonable to believe an improved squad could have a chance to regain their spot atop the division.

What do the Buccaneers Need to do Ahead of the 2026 NFL Season?

Need 1: Front seven

This is the NFL's fourth-cheapest front seven entering 2026 due to the Bucs having some serious work to do in bringing back three key starters set to enter free agency:

• LB Lavonte David: The 14-year veteran is seemingly contemplating retirement. Finding a long-term replacement is necessary regardless of the 36-year-old's eventual decision.
• EDGE Haason Reddick: Has just 3.5 sacks in his last 23 games after averaging 12.6 across the 2020-23 campaigns. The 31-year-old veteran didn't really come close to living up to his one-year, $14 million deal in 2025.
• DT Logan Hall: The former second-rounder hasn't exactly been a game-wrecker, but will turn only 26 in April and deserves credit for helping Tampa Bay remain so strong up the middle.

Longtime run-stuffer extraordinaire Vita Vea is also now 31 and entering the last year of his deal. It'd be surprising to not see at least one of the team's three draft picks used on the front-seven.

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Need 2: Cornerback

Vea and David have helped the Buccaneers remain strong against the run over the years, although the pass defense has left quite a bit to be desired in recent seasons:

• 2025: 97.5 passer rating allowed (24th)
• 2024: 96.6 (25th)
• 2023: 92 (22nd)
• 2022: 92.7 (22nd)

Longtime starter Jamel Dean is an unrestricted free agent, leaving this cornerback room as one of just nine groups worth under $20 million ahead of 2026. The team doesn't need to go crazy here should they believe better days are ahead for 2025 second-rounder Benjamin Morrison (missed 7 games due to a hip labrum tear) and third-rounder Jacob Parrish, but something needs to be done to improve a pass defense that has allowed the most passing yards in the NFL over the course of the last three seasons.

Need 3: Tight end

Starter Cade Otton and backup Ko Kieft are both free agents, leaving the Bucs with the league's second-cheapest tight end room ahead of 2025. The last time Tampa Bay actually drafted a tight end inside the top-100 picks? OJ Howard back in 2017! Now, the team's loaded wide receiver room makes it fine to refrain from devoting too much dough to a pass-catching tight end, but at a minimum actual breathing human beings need to be added here.

Honorable mention

Speaking of that great wide receiver room: The franchise's all-time leader in receiving yards is hitting free agency. It'd make sense if the Bucs can work out a reasonable one-year deal with Mike Evans, although he will be 33 in August and is fresh off posting career-low efficiency numbers across the board … Running back depth behind Bucky Irving needs to be addressed with both Rachaad White (UFA) and Sean Tucker (RFA) hitting the open market. … Interior offensive line help is also needed with backup guards Michael Jordan and Dan Feeney hitting free agency.

If I were the GM …

I'd strongly consider spending each of the team's top-three draft picks on the defense. Georgia LB CJ Allen or Ohio State LB Sonny Styles would be great gets at 15th overall, considering both have the sort of sideline-to-sideline ability and tenacity to be a long-term replacement for David. Then adding pieces to the defensive line and/or cornerback room in Rounds 2-3 make sense. After all, the Bucs currently have the sixth-most expensive offense entering 2026, but carry the league's 10th-cheapest defense.

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