With the NFL season just beginning, it’s a good time to take a look at each NFL team’s offseason recap as we get into the regular season with new players and new rosters. Let’s take a look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ new team and analyze the team’s incoming and outgoing players as the 2026 season gets going.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the 2025 season 8-9 after back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024 where they won the NFC South division title. The Buccaneers will be looking to get back to their best, but it’ll be interesting to see how they fare after losing two integral longtime Buccaneers in Lavonte David and Mike Evans.
After losing the backbone of their defense in Lavonte David after 14 seasons, the Buccaneers brought in linebacker Alex Anzalone on a two-year, $17 million deal. Anzalone had been one of the leaders of Detroit’s defense for the last five seasons and finished the 2025 season with 95 total tackles and 2.5 sacks in 16 games. It won’t be easy to replace a cornerstone of the Buccaneers’ defense in David, but Anzalone has nine years of experience in the league and will aim to help fill the void.
The Buccaneers also brought in A’Shawn Robinson on the defensive line on a one-year, $10 million deal. Robinson is a 10-year league veteran and adds another big body to the Buccaneers’ defensive line, which also boasts the recently extended Vita Vea. Lastly among their notable additions is Kenny Gainwell, who signed a two-year, $14 million contract after a breakout season in Pittsburgh in 2025. Gainwell had 1,023 all-purpose yards last season as well as eight total touchdowns, both career highs. The addition of Gainwell now gives Tampa Bay a dangerous and young running back tandem alongside lead back Bucky Irving.
As mentioned earlier, Mike Evans and Lavonte David are easily the two biggest losses the Buccaneers endured over the offseason. Evans signed a three-year contract with the 49ers after 12 seasons in Tampa Bay and is the franchise’s all-time leader in receiving yards. He finished his Tampa career with 800+ receptions, 13,000 receiving yards and 100+ touchdowns.
Unlike Evans, who signed elsewhere in free agency, David retired after 14 seasons with Tampa Bay. David finished his illustrious career with the Bucs with 1,714 tackles, 42.5 sacks, 14 interceptions, 33 forced fumbles and 21 fumble recoveries. While both players may not be in their prime anymore, the losses are more significant because they signal a true end of an era for Tampa Bay as they go into a new era.
Tampa Bay also lost two other defensive veterans in Jamel Dean and Logan Hall. Dean signed a three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers after seven seasons with Tampa Bay as one of their primary starting cornerbacks. Hall, a former 2022 second-round pick for Tampa Bay, totaled 101 tackles and 10 sacks in his four years with the team. Combined with David, the losses of Dean and Hall take away some valuable defensive pieces within the Buccaneers’ lineup.
Running back Rachaad White also signed with Washington in free agency after spending the last four seasons in Tampa Bay. Although White had some solid years in Tampa Bay, his departure allows for a larger role for Bucky Irving, as well as the newly signed Gainwell likely replacing White’s role.
The Buccaneers made seven total selections in the NFL Draft, with many selections going toward rebuilding and adding depth to their defense. Their first-round pick was used on edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami. Bain Jr. was one of the highest-touted pass rushers in the draft, and it was a surprise when he fell all the way to pick No. 15 for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay now has a highly talented young pass rusher who they can develop along their young defensive line.
Tampa Bay also used their second and fourth-round picks on linebacker Josiah Trotter and defensive back Keionte Scott. The additions of Trotter and Scott add depth to position groups that took hits over the offseason and will be trying to build back up.
The Buccaneers also selected wide receiver Ted Hurst in the third round, defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart and guard Billy Schrauth in the fifth round, and tight end Bauer Sharp in the sixth round.
Overall, the Buccaneers had a difficult offseason period defined by losing two franchise cornerstones without replacing those losses aggressively in free agency. The losses of Evans and David severely affect both sides of the football, and although Tampa Bay made efforts to replace them in free agency and the draft, replacing such experienced veterans won’t be fixed in a season.
Besides the loss of Evans, Tampa Bay’s offense is largely the same except for the new addition of Kenny Gainwell. Tampa Bay’s defense is where some questions may arise during the season, as they have reconfigured their linebacker corps and secondary unit over the offseason. Tampa Bay certainly has the potential to win the NFC South with unproven teams such as the Panthers, Saints and Falcons all in similar positions, but they’ll need to rebound strongly after an early 0-2 record to start the season.
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