The Bucs have gained the NFC South division for a fourth straight season, beating the Saints at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, 27-19. With a 10-7 file, Tampa Bay at present has the twentieth total choose within the first spherical, in accordance with Tankathon.com.
There are 5 10-7 groups within the playoffs, however the Bucs have a energy of schedule of .500, which ranks behind Houston (.481), however forward of Denver (.502) and Pittsburgh (.502). The Los Angeles Rams have a energy of schedule of .505 and at present choose twenty third. With a win in subsequent week’s Wild Card sport towards the 12-5 Commanders, the Bucs will choose no before No. 25 because the group advances to the NFC Divisional spherical of the playoffs. If Tampa Bay loses, it should have the twentieth total choose in April.
Ought to Tampa Bay advance to the NFC Championship Recreation with a win within the Divisional Spherical, the group would choose both twenty ninth or thirtieth if the Bucs misplaced or thirty first or thirty second with a win, advancing to the Tremendous Bowl. If the Bucs lose within the NFC Divisional playoffs, the group will choose between No. 25 and No. 28 relying on the information of different groups in that playoff bracket.
Bucs’ Draft Wants In 2025
There’s a likelihood that Tampa Bay fills a few of these wants in free company, which is up first within the offseason, starting formally on March 12 with the open negotiating interval set to begin on March 10. However the Bucs will nonetheless be seeking to have a defensive-minded draft in 2025. Here’s a have a look at the group’s main wants heading into the offseason.
Inside Linebacker
Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and ILBs Okay.J. Britt and Lavonte David – Picture by: USA Immediately
The Bucs could also be shifting on from Okay.J. Britt, who began 11 video games this 12 months, taking on for Devin White. Legendary linebacker Lavonte David turns 35 later this month and is slated without cost company. Will he come again for another 12 months, retire or will the Bucs look to get youthful and sooner at inside linebacker?
SirVocea Dennis has the potential to begin at one inside linebacker spot, however he’s coming off season-ending shoulder surgical procedure and the group wants to search out at the least another starter and add some extra high quality depth. J.J. Russell is slated to be a restricted free agent and will return to the group for depth functions and to play on particular groups. Russell supplanted Britt because the group’s starter on the finish of the season.
Outdoors Linebacker
Tampa Bay will probably be shifting on from former first-round choose Joe Tryon-Shoyinka this offseason as he’s slated to be a free agent. Prime reserve Anthony Nelson may even be a free agent however may return. And who is aware of what the longer term holds for Shaq Barrett, who turns 33 in 2025, after his transient return from retirement.
Yaya Diaby went from main the group in sacks as a rookie with 7.5 to posting simply 4.5 quarterback captures in his second season. He’s a starting-caliber exterior linebacker, however the Bucs want one other one. Tampa Bay has excessive hopes for Chris Braswell, final 12 months’s second-round choose, however he solely notched 1.5 sacks as a rookie and the group wants so as to add one other speedy rusher who can get to the QB. Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez look like simply rotational cross rushers.
Security
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead – Picture by: USA Immediately
The Bucs thought they mounted their downside at sturdy security by re-signing Jordan Whitehead after he spent two seasons with the Jets. However Whitehead was an enormous disappointment in his return to Tampa Bay when wholesome. The identical may very well be stated for Antoine Winfield Jr., as he solely began 9 video games as a result of harm in 2024. Complicating issues is the truth that Whitehead suffered a severe harm in a automobile accident previous to the season finale towards the Saints, which may put his 2025 season in some jeopardy.
Mike Edwards and Ryan Neal will probably be free brokers, and Kaevon Merriweather and Christian Izien are extra backup-level gamers fairly than starter materials. Drafting one other starting-caliber security to interchange Whitehead and begin alongside Antoine Winfield Jr. may very well be on faucet for Tampa Bay within the 2025 NFL Draft.
Cornerback
The Bucs traded away former starter Carlton Davis III final spring and tabbed Zyon McCollum to interchange him. McCollum was wholesome all 12 months and began off the season scorching earlier than cooling off down the stretch. Jamel Dean, the opposite beginning cornerback, continued his pattern of lacking video games as a result of harm in addition to not being a playmaker. Dean had only one interception this 12 months and missed 5 video games as a result of accidents. The 28-year previous cornerback would possibly get traded away for a similar causes that Davis did – being oft-injured and never arising with sufficient interceptions to justify his massive wage.
Tampa Bay noticed prime veteran cornerback Bryce Corridor get misplaced for the season in Week 1 with a damaged leg. The group might want to add one other proficient, starting-caliber cornerback within the draft to pair with McCollum – both as a rookie or within the close to future. Josh Hayes proved to be extra of a particular groups standout than a real cornerback, and undrafted free agent Tyrek Funderburk didn’t impress in his transient alternative as a starter.
Defensive Sort out
Bucs DTs Logan Corridor and Vita Vea and OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
On the floor, the Bucs appear set at defensive deal with with Professional Bowler Vita Vea beginning subsequent to Calijah Kancey, who led the group in sacks this 12 months. Logan Corridor had a breakout 12 months as a rotational participant in his third season, ending with a career-high 5.5 sacks. However he’ll be heading right into a contract 12 months in 2025 and Vea will flip 30 this 12 months. Tampa Bay might want to add one other proficient defensive deal with with future beginning potential to bolster the depth and preserve the energy of the place shifting ahead.
Regardless of having Vea, Kancey and Corridor, the Bucs nearly drafted one other defensive deal with within the first spherical in 2024. Had middle Graham Barton not been on the board when the group picked at No. 26, Tampa Bay would have chosen Illinois defensive deal with Johnny Newton, a St. Petersburg native. That simply exhibits how vital trench play is to normal supervisor Jason Licht. Greg Gaines and Will Gholston are slated without cost company and should or could not return in 2025.
Vast Receiver
The Bucs look like fairly deep throughout the board on offense. Tampa Bay’s operating again secure is the envy of the league, the group likes its depth at tight finish, and the offensive line is without doubt one of the youngest and greatest within the NFL. However offensive coordinator Liam Coen likes to run 11 personnel, which is three-receiver units. Mike Evans will probably be again for his contract 12 months in 2025 on the age of 32, and the group is anticipated to re-sign large receiver Chris Godwin, as Pewter Report has reported.
Rookie Jalen McMillan, considered one of two third-round picks this 12 months, has actually come on and ought to be an excellent No. 3 receiver subsequent 12 months. However the group’s depth was examined with a rash of accidents on the receiver place. Godwin, who turns 29 in March, was misplaced for the season in Week 7 and Evans missed three and a half video games as a result of a severe hamstring harm. Tampa Bay may use one other starting-caliber receiver to bolster the depth and have an eventual alternative for Evans or Godwin on deck.
A Look At Bucs’ Final 5 Prime Picks
2020 No. 14 – Traded up one spot for OT Tristan Wirfs at No. 132021 No. 32 – Drafted OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka2022 No. 27 – Traded again to No. 33 for DT Logan Hall2023 No. 19 – Drafted DT Calijah Kancey2024 No. 26 – Drafted C Graham Barton
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles, DT Calijah Kancey and GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Tampa Bay has drafted fairly effectively within the first spherical during the last 4 drafts regardless of the group choosing so late. After deciding on considered one of his best-ever first-round picks, offensive deal with Tristan Wirfs in 2020, Bucs normal supervisor Jason Licht picked exterior linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka with the ultimate choose within the first spherical of the 2021 draft. Tryon-Shoyinka has not lived as much as expectations and have become the primary first-round choose to not have his fifth-year choice picked up in Licht’s tenure. After 4 years with Tampa Bay, the group is anticipated to let Tryon-Shoyinka go away in free company after recording a season-low two sacks.
The Bucs traded out of the primary spherical with the Jaguars the next season and wound up deciding on defensive deal with Logan Corridor. He’s been a rotational participant alongside the D-line and an occasional starter when both Calijah Kancey or Vita Vea have been injured. After a disappointing second season wherein he didn’t file a sack, Corridor has made massive strides in his third 12 months and completed the 2024 common season with a career-high 5.5 sacks.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles, OL Graham Barton and GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Breaking away from the group’s previous of drafting greater defensive tackles, Licht pulled a little bit of a shock in deciding on Kancey, a 6-foot, 280-pound defensive deal with with the nineteenth total choose in 2023. The group picked contained in the Prime 20 for the primary time in two years because of the Bucs’ 8-9 end in 2022, along with dropping their residence Wild Card sport to the Cowboys. Kancey has rapidly develop into a pressure as a cross rusher and led the group with 7.5 sacks in his second season.
Tampa Bay was lucky to have Graham Barton, a participant the group was coveting within the 2024 NFL Draft class, nonetheless on the board when Licht turned within the No. 26 total choose. Barton moved from left deal with at Duke to middle within the NFL and has proven Professional Bowl skill. The proper mix of energy, athleticism, toughness and a excessive soccer I.Q., Barton has discovered some classes as a rookie that ought to make him take a quantum leap ahead subsequent 12 months the way in which proper guard Cody Mauch did in his second season this 12 months.
