The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing some big questions as the pinnacle into the 2026 NFL season, however they’ve additionally made some key additions in hopes of returning to the highest of the NFC South after a disappointing end to their 2025 marketing campaign.
Offseason minicamps have given followers some hopeful glimpses at this 12 months’s model of the workforce, but additionally some areas of concern that might impression the Bucs’ probabilities of getting again to the playoffs in 2026.
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Here’s the great and dangerous information from the Bucs’ offseason workforce actions thus far:
The WR Room is In Good Hands
There will likely be a large void within the Bucs’ receiver room this season, as Mike Evans left in free company after spending the primary 12 seasons of his Hall of Fame profession in Tampa. But the workforce nonetheless has robust depth on the place, from an experienced veteran like Chris Godwin Jr. (going into his tenth season), a second-year phenom in Emeka Egbuka, and an underrated bounce-back candidate in Jalen McMillan.
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The Bucs landed one other high-upside playmaker with measurement and athleticism in third-round rookie Ted Hurst, and Tez Johnson is one other second-year receiver with tons of potential and big-play means. There’s no changing a uncommon expertise and franchise legend like Evans, however offseason exercises are already displaying that Tampa Bay will nonetheless don’t have any scarcity of expertise on the place.
Bucky Irving struggled with accidents final 12 months, and he is nonetheless not again to full power. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Bucky Irving‘s injury-riddled 2025 marketing campaign was one in every of many disappointments for the Bucs final 12 months, however followers are hopeful he can return to the elite stage of play we noticed from him as a rookie. If that is going to occur, although, Irving will truly should be cleared to return to play, one thing that also hasn’t occurred but.
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Irving remains to be working his method again from shoulder surgical procedure, and the workforce hopes to see him again out on the sector at some point this summer. Rachaad White left in free company, however the Bucs signed a flexible veteran in Kenny Gainwell, and nonetheless have a invaluable energy again with home-run potential in Sean Tucker. Irving has confirmed he generally is a particular participant when wholesome, however he is simply not there but, and it will be a priority till we see him between the traces once more.
Benjamin Morrison has Pro Bowl potential if he can keep wholesome. (Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)
Last 12 months, the Bucs invested a second-round choose in Morrison, who missed a lot of the predraft course of whereas recovering from a hip harm. He confirmed flashes of high-end potential when wholesome final season, however he nonetheless handled accidents that held again his growth as a rookie.
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Morrison has flashed a number of occasions in minicamp, making the kinds of splash plays we noticed from him at Notre Dame when he was absolutely wholesome. He would have been a first-round choose with out the hip harm, and the Bucs may find yourself with a steal if he can keep away from additional harm. After shedding Jamel Dean to free company, Tampa Bay is relying on Morrison to make a giant leap in his sophomore marketing campaign, and he simply may be able to rise to the event.
Baker Mayfield is heading into the ultimate 12 months of his present contract. (Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images)
Tampa Bay’s beginning quarterback is heading right into a contract 12 months with out a long-term extension in place, which is risky business for both parties. The Bucs do not wish to make investments a ton of cash in Mayfield if he isn’t in a position to return to his 2024 type, and Mayfield is not keen to take a hometown low cost on the workforce that gave him an opportunity again in 2023.
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Mayfield has given the team a deadline for getting a brand new deal executed, however acknowledged the 2 sides are nonetheless far aside in negotiations. If a deal is not executed earlier than the beginning of coaching camp, it seems to be like Mayfield is headed for an additional prove-it 12 months. He may earn huge cash if he places collectively one other unbelievable season, and the Bucs may find yourself paying greater than they’d have by getting an early extension executed now. But if Mayfield falters, he may price himself tens of millions by not taking whether or not the Bucs are providing now. Either method, Mayfield may find yourself taking part in properly through the use of the motivation to gasoline his play, but it surely may loom over the workforce as a distraction if a deal would not get executed.
This story was initially printed by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2026, the place it first appeared within the NFL part. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.