The Bucs were quite active on the first day of 2026 NFL free agency. They started by re-signing tight end Cade Otton followed by adding some new players with running back Kenneth Gainwell and inside linebacker Alex Anzalone. Of course, they took some major hits as well, losing two more members from their 2020 Super Bowl winning team.
The legendary Mike Evans has moved on for Tampa Bay for another bay area team – the San Francisco 49ers. This ends a historic 12-year run between Evans and the Bucs where he broke several franchise records and an NFL record of his own. Lost in the shuffle of the Evans news was that starting cornerback Jamel Dean signed with the Steelers. That move isn’t as surprising considering that Tampa Bay restructured his contract and gave him this opportunity to hit free agency.
Following a busy first day in free agency that featured some triumph and heartbreak, everybody wants to know – what’s next for the Bucs in free agency? What should be their next priority?
In my opinion, the focus has to remain on the defensive side. And in particular, they have to find an edge rusher next.
Bucs Must Sign A Pass-Rushing Outside Linebacker
The edge rusher market has moved fast already. Raiders Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby was traded to the Ravens before free agency even began. Jaelan Phillips received $30 million a year from the Panthers despite never recording double-digit sacks in his career.
Other names off the board include Boye Mafe, Arden Key, Kwity Paye, Dre’Mont Jones, Khalil Mack, Odafe Oweh, and Joseph Ossai.
That leaves only a couple of options remaining for Tampa Bay, including one big fish remaining. The big ticket item still available is former Saints and Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler. While there are some concerns over Hendrickson being 31 years old and coming off of a hip-pelvic surgery, this is a signing that the Bucs desperately need to land – if his price tag comes down.
Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson – Photo by: USA Today
No team should make a signing in free agency to just improve their public relations. But the optics in Tampa Bay don’t look good right now, and fans are angry seeing Mike Evans sign a lesser contract to leave the Bucs for the 49ers. That move signaled that Evans doesn’t think the Bucs can win this season.
It also shows that by Bucs ownership backing Todd Bowles for two seasons in a row and re-signing an injured Chris Godwin Jr, it cost them former offensive coordinator Liam Coen, another chance at an offensive head coach this offseason, and Evans. A big splash signing like Hendrickson could ease the sting of Evans’ departure, and give Bowles less of an excuse if he can’t turn his defense around in 2026.
Tampa Bay needs a pass rusher, and that’s where Hendrickson comes in. Even in just seven games last season, he recorded four sacks. He had 17.5 sacks apiece in each of the last two seasons. Hendrickson is a production machine when healthy. His asking price of over $30 million is too much for Tampa Bay to handle at the moment. But as time goes on in free agency and he remains unsigned, Hendrickson’s asking price will come down.
The Bucs have gone the route of drafting edge rushers that have not worked out in the past. Tampa Bay needs more of a proven commodity off the edge. It didn’t work out with Haason Reddick last year, but that doesn’t mean general manager Jason Licht and the Bucs should stop from trying free agency again. Waiting until the draft to address outside linebacker would be a big mistake. A couple of options are available besides Hendrickson, including New England’s K’Lavon Chaisson, but none could make the impact that he could if healthy.
Is ILB Still In Play For Tampa Bay?
The Bucs filled a big void at inside linebacker signing Alex Anzalone to a two-year deal. This should not stop the Bucs from adding another, though. With just three inside linebackers on the roster, they’re still going to need to add at least two more, with one definitely coming from the draft. Ideally, their other starting inside linebacker will come from the draft in either the first or second round, but another needs to be added for depth.
Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Junfu Han
If Tampa Bay decides on another free agent linebacker, most of the marquee names are gone. Devin Lloyd went to the Panthers, Devin Bush is with the Bears, Quincy Williams signed with the Browns, and Nakobe Dean has moved to the Raiders. At this point, the Bucs are looking for a player that can compete for a starting job while also staving off SirVocea Dennis for third string. Players such as Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal and former Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke are available and could be a fit.
Bucs Also Need Better Defensive Tackle Depth
What’s also at a crossroads for Tampa Bay is that the defensive tackle position has crept up as a position that needs an upgrade. Vita Vea is in a contract year. Calijah Kancey is injury prone. Logan Hall could be poised to leave for greener pastures in free agency. The only other defensive tackle that should be getting playing time is Elijah Roberts. If Hall departs in free agency along with backup nose tackle Greg Gaines, that’s fine. It’s time to upgrade the talent.
The defensive tackle position hasn’t hit the market hard like some other positions have thus far. Some big names off the board include David Onyemata to the Jets and Jonathan Franklin-Myers to the Titans. There are affordable players still available such as DaQuan Jones, who played in Buffalo under new Bucs defensive line coach Marcus West. Veterans like Calais Campbell and Sebastian Joseph-Day could work, too.
Should Bucs Replace The Positions They Lost?
Understandably, a lot of Bucs fans have asked about drafting a player or signing a player at wide receiver and cornerback with the departures of Mike Evans and Jamel Dean. During other years it would be an easy “yes” that the team should look for a direct replacement. But not this year.
The Bucs have plenty of capable players at receiver with Chris Godwin Jr, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson. Its Egbuka, McMillan and Johnson that are the future of this team at the position. The cornerback position has a lot of young talent, too, with Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish going into their second seasons after being Day 2 picks a year ago. Zyon McCollum is still young, but needs a bounce-back year after disappointing following his contract extension.
Bucs CBs Jacob Parrish and Zyon McCollum – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R
Tampa Bay will have to rely on its core talent. At some point the team has to develop its draft picks. The receiver market doesn’t have any big names that the Bucs would spend money on. That’s why the biggest moves have been the Bills trading for DJ Moore and Tampa Bay losing Evans in free agency. Cornerback is similar, but maybe a veteran like Trevon Diggs or Rasul Douglas isn’t bad to take a chance on.
Each of these positions can be addressed on Day 3 of the draft, but are not at the top of the list with more pressing needs at outside linebacker, inside linebacker and defensive tackle.