Free agency is basically upon us and the Buccaneers have a lot of holes to fill between now and the start of the season. Obviously not all of those needs will be addressed in free agency as the NFL draft will be here soon enough as well but free agency is a time to supplement your team with the right veterans and Tampa Bay needs to hit on a few signings in this year’s class in order to improve in 2026.
The defensive side of the ball will most likely be the main focus of the Bucs entire offseason so let’s take a look at some names that may make sense for them to target.
EDGE Arnold Ebiketie
Its no secret that Tampa Bay needs to improve their pass rush. It has been a consistent issue with this team for years as they have had some moments but have lacked that true alpha in their pass rush room. Yaya Diaby is a nice player who can certainly be a starter on a playoff team, but he is more of a number two pass rusher than a number one. Unfortunately for the Bucs, pass rushers tend to do pretty well on the open market and a lot of the top options available to them like Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson or Los Angeles’ Odafe Oweh will likely be a bit out of their price range, so enter Arnold Ebiketie.
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 11: Arnold Ebiketie #17 of the Atlanta Falcons rushes the passer during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 11, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 11: Arnold Ebiketie #17 of the Atlanta Falcons rushes the passer during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 11, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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Ebiketie is 27 years old and has been in Atlanta for the past four seasons where he has found solid success, but nothing groundbreaking. After having six sacks in both 2023 and 2024, his role was reduced in Atlanta in 2025 due to the Falcons drafting Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. That is part of the reason why he only got two sacks in 2025, so he’ll be looking for a bounce back. Does signing Ebiketie fix the pass rush problem by himself? Probably not but Tampa Bay should and most likely will use both free agency and the draft to address the pass rush. Ebiketie may not be the alpha elite pass rusher the team lacks, but he’s a solid player who can help them out for now and in the future.
He also likely won’t cost a ton of money compared to the other edge defenders out there as Spotrac projects him to get a three year, 27 million dollar deal (nine million AAV). That is more than reasonable and something the Bucs will have to consider if they aren’t willing to shell out bigger dollars to other options.
Defensive Lineman Sheldon Rankins
On the surface, the interior of the Bucs defensive line looks strong. Anytime you have a player like Vita Vea in there it is bound to be a pretty good unit. Pair that with a healthy Calijah Kancey and you have a pretty good 1-2 punch right there. However interior defensive lineman may be a bit of an under the radar need for this team. Logan Hall and Greg Gaines are both free agents and there’s a decent chance neither one of them are back.
Adding a solidified veteran into that room would do wonders for Vea and Kancey and a guy like Sheldon Rankins makes a lot of sense. He was a solid piece on the Texans’ defense last year, a unit that was one of the best in the NFL. Rankins will be 32 at the start of the season but he has had a productive career up to this point and likely wouldn’t break the bank. Spotrac’s projection for him is a one-year deal around 7.5 million. While that number could end up being a bit higher than the projection, it still shouldn’t be too crazy and on a one-year deal, there isn’t much risk involved. Rankins could be a mice stop gap option for Tampa Bay while the team continues to develop Elijah Roberts and maybe even drafts an interior player this April.
Inside Linebacker Quincy Williams
Depending on who you ask, some would say that inside linebacker is the Bucs biggest need heading into the offseason. Lavonte David may end up retiring and even if he doesn’t should have a reduced role in 2026 and SirVocea Dennis just hasn’t shown that he can be an every down linebacker in this league. Look for the Bucs to almost certainly address inside linebacker in free agency and the draft. Quincy Williams of the New York Jets could be an interesting option.
Williams, the older brother of Cowboys star defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, battled through a shoulder injury last year which coincidentally occurred in a week three game against Tampa Bay. The injury kind of derailed his season from the jump and it wasn’t the best year from him. The previous two years however he was one of the best players on the Jets’ defense and was credited with six forced fumbles over that two-year span by PFF. He’s also shown the ability to get to the quarterback which we know Todd Bowles likes. Williams has 12.5 sacks in his career including 3.5 last season. With the injury in 2025 and an overall down year, some team could end up getting a steal if the 29-year-old returns to form. If Williams were open to a one-year deal in the 7-8 million range that is something a team like Tampa Bay should absolutely be looking into doing and it could end up being a bargain.
There are many more names that could be put on this list, and the Bucs should be casting a wide net this offseason to find the best fits possible for this defense. Too many times, during last season did the defense just look lost and simply not having the horses to compete with some of the top offenses in the NFL. Heck, even some of the not-so-great offenses had their way with Tampa Bay’s defense in 2025. That cannot happen again and I think the Bucs will be aggressive but smart in finding those right pieces at positions of needs.