PFF: Free Agency A Mixed Bag For Bucs
March 21st, 2026
Defense still needs addressing.
Maybe Joe is looking at the Bucs through a weird prism, but he doesn’t see what some others see.
Joe actually heard someone on sports radio yesterday say the Bucs had a good free agency. Someone is going to have to explain to Joe how losing a Hall of Fame wide receiver and your best corner is in any way good.
And yes, Joe is well aware who the Bucs signed.
It seems Mason Cameron of the PFF tribe doesn’t necessarily believe the Bucs had a good free agent period or a bad one. Still, in his post-free agency power ranking, Cameron has the Bucs at No. 20, which means he doesn’t expect the Bucs to be a playoff team this fall.
Without Mike Evans and [perhaps] Lavonte David, two of the longest-tenured Buccaneers in franchise history, a changing of the guard is underway in Tampa. The losses extended to Jamel Dean and Logan Hall, among other players with significant experience in the Buccaneers system. As the departures mounted, the Buccaneers moved to fill in the gaps with capable contributors, such as Alex Anzalone, Kenneth Gainwell and A’Shawn Robinson. Those moves allow Tampa Bay to get younger and potentially more productive in key spots, but it comes at the cost of familiarity.
Well, Lavonte David isn’t gone yet. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht seemed to suggest in a sitdown this week with select Bucs media that the door is open for David to return to the Bucs right up until the start of training camp.
Despite David’s agent saying recently that David was close to a decision, as of yet, no word has come from David’s camp which way he will choose.
Until he sees the Bucs beef up the defense, Joe is pessimistic about the Bucs’ postseason chances.