1. EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson
• 2025 team: New England Patriots
• Age at start of 2026 season: 27
• Spotrac estimated AAV: $8.9 million
• Key 2025 Stat: 7.5 sacks
The Buccaneers, of course, need help at the outside linebacker position, particularly with Haason Reddick a pending UFA. Yaya Diaby led the team in 2025 with 7.0 sacks and still appears to be a player on the rise, but no other edge rusher on the team had more than 3.0 sacks. The Bucs may very well address that position in the draft, perhaps even with the 15th overall pick if the board falls right, but wouldn't preclude them from making another addition in free agency. While Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson is expected to be the top name on the market, his estimated AAV is around $25.5 million.
Chaisson didn't necessarily produce what the Jaguars were hoping in four seasons after they made him the 20th overall pick in the 2020 draft, as he accumulated just 5.0 sacks in that span. However, he has returned good value on a pair of low-end one-year deals the past two seasons in Las Vegas and New England. While playing just 52% of the snaps for the Raiders in 2024, he produced 5.0 sacks, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. He was even better in a somewhat larger role for the AFC Champion Patriots last year, playing 67% of the snaps and finishing with 7.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 16 outings.According to NFL Next Gen Stats he also had 52 quarterback pressures and a fine pressure rateof 14.2%
Notably, Chaisson will still be only 27 years old throughout the 2026 season. Some teams may believe he is a late-bloomer who still has the skills of a first-round pick.
2. LB Devin Bush
• 2025 team: Cleveland Browns
• Age at start of 2026 season: 28
• Spotrac estimated AAV: $8.9 million
• Key 2025 Stat: 3 interceptions
As Bowles noted at the Combine, the Buccaneers currently have just two linebackers under contract for the 2026 season, SirVocea Dennis and Nick Jackson, and neither are guaranteed a starting spot come September. Dennis did start 16 games in 2025 but had some issues in coverage over the middle of the field. Bowles said that Dennis could remain a starter going forward but that he would definitely face competition for the job. Meanwhile, franchise legend Lavonte David is still mulling over whether or not to continue his career after 14 seasons.
Bush is another former first-round pick who later found his footing with another team. The Steelers snagged the former Michigan star with the 10th overall pick in 2019 and he started out strong, finishing third in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting that year. Injuries limited him to five games in 2020, however, and his production slipped over the next several campaigns. After one year and three starts in Seattle in 2023, Bush went to Cleveland in 2024 and last year exploded with by far the most productive season of his career. IN addition to 125 tackles and seven tackles for loss, he racked up three interceptions, which he returned for a league-leading 164 yards and two touchdowns. He also recorded 2.0 sacks, broke up eight passes and forced two fumbles.
If the Buccaneers are to make an addition at off-ball linebacker in free agency, they likely willlook for a player who has demonstrated strong coverage skills. According to NGS, Bush allowed an average of 4.9 yards when targeted as the nearest defender in 2025; the league average for linebackers was 7.0 yards. He also allowed a completion rate over expected (CPOE) of -2.16, a figure well above league average as well.
3. TE Isaiah Likely
• 2025 team: Baltimore Ravens
• Age at start of 2026 season: 26
• Spotrac estimated AAV: $8.8 million
• Key 2025 Stat: 8.5 yards per target
The Buccaneers could have a big need at tight end if they do not re-sign their own incumbent starter, Cade Otton. Ko Kieft is also a pending UFA, though he is not a part of the passing attack anyway. Some draft analysts have paired the Bucs with Oregon's dynamic tight end, Kenyon Sadiq, at the 15th pick, but more pressing needs on defense could block that from happening.
While Likely hasn't ruled out re-signing with the Ravens he has made it clear that he is looking for an opportunity to be a primary target in a good offense after four seasons playing behind number-one tight end Mark Andrews. In those four seasons, Likely averaged 48.5 targets, 33.8 receptions and 392 yards while scoring a total of 15 touchdowns.
The 6-4, 245-pound Likely is an athletic tight end best known for his pass catching and ability to stretch the field. He has also been a very productive weapon for the Ravens near the goal line. While he actually put up career lows in catches (27), yards (307) and touchdowns (one) in 2025, the underlying numbers suggest he was still a dynamic weapon. His yards-per-target (YPT) rate was actually the second-best of his career, at 8.5. As points of comparison, Andrews' YPT in 2025 was 6.0 and Otton's was 7.1. Likely have a better YPT figure than two other prominent pending free agents, Philadelphia's Dallas Goedert (7.2) and Cleveland's David Njoku (6.1).