The 2026 NFL Draft has concluded, and with its end brings new beginnings for 100s of hopeful pros.
The Buccaneers added 7 total players in the draft proper, however they also signed many undrafted free agents and invited others mini-camp. Plenty of spots are already solidified up and down the depth chart, but others will be interesting to watch when training camp begins toward the end of July.
Let’s assess the current roster and how it’s shaping up.
Offense
Quarterback
- Baker Mayfield, 2. Jake Browning, 3. Connor Bazelak, 4. Jalon Daniels (R)
No surprises here.
Mayfield faces a critical prove-it
year as he guns for another long-term contract extension, but he remains the undisputed QB1. The Bucs signed a proven backup in Jake Browning, who should stand to upgrade over Teddy Bridgewater.
Bazelak returns after being an UDFA last year and impressing in preseason, so he’ll have the inside edge on new UDFA signing Jalon Daniels from Kansas. Daniels is a good athlete with explosive running ability and a good arm, but he is notably lagging in the mental and technical aspects of the game, so he’ll need to have a tremendous camp and preseason to stick as the practice squad option.
Running Back
- Bucky Irving, 2. Kenny Gainwell, 3. Sean Tucker, 4. Josh Williams, 5. Owen Wright
The game-day active top 3 is already set in stone (pending injury of course).
Irving will look for a major rebound after serious shoulder and knee injuries derailed his season. Gainwell replaces Rachaad White and offers more dynamic playmaking ability, perhaps at the cost of some overall consistency and pass protection. Tucker is back once again and has proven useful with the occasional production outburst.
Josh Williams was suspended last year, but the team liked him as a kick returner and running back depth. Owen Wright also impressed in preseason as a pure running back reserve.
Wide Receiver
- Chris Godwin, 2. Kameron Johnson, 3. Garrett Greene
- Emeka Egbuka, 2. Ted Hurst (R), 3. David Sills V
- Jalen McMillan, 2. Tez Johnson, 3. Dennis Houston
The Bucs maintain a talented receiving corps that’s gotten progressive younger, and that’s even more true now.
Chris Godwin might be in his last season with the team, depending on how he progresses from his past leg injuries. He looked more like himself toward the end of 2025 but is entering his age-30 season. Emeka Egbuka ripped off a torrid start last year but he cooled off when teams started keying on him and Tampa’s offensive efficiency fell off in general. The first-rounder will hope to build on the positives in his sophomore season.
Jalen McMillan suffered a broken neck in the preseason and didn’t return until December, but noticeable flashes in limited snaps seemed to indicate his late-season heater from 2024 had some serious legs. Ted Hurst is the new man to factor into the equation and immediately inserts as the room’s most dynamic athlete. His combination of size and speed is tantalizing, but he requires lots of work on the fundamentals so this classifies more of a pick for the future — he’ll get some packages here and there but shouldn’t be a serious threat to any of the aforementioned three.
Tez Johnson remains tiny but useful as someone who can separate from man coverage and make some splash plays here and there with his joystick-like movement skills. Kameron Johnson was one of the league’s better punt returners but will likely be very limited in his receiving role. Sills is a fine veteran with size who’s been there, done that, but he’s currently on the outside looking in.
Dennis Houston and Garrett Greene are camp bodies who might earn more practice squad time.
Tight End
- Cade Otton, 2. Payne Durham, 3. Bauer Sharp (R), 4. Ko Kieft, 5. Devin Culp
Cade Otton is back on a brand-new deal to continue his TE1 duties, which might miff some fans but the truth is he’s very solid at every aspect of the job. Payne Durham is in a contract year, and it feels like he really needs to show some more receiving utility than he has to this point (17 catches for 184 yards and 2 TDs in 46 career games).
Bauer Sharp is the new man on campus and should get the inside track to netting a roster spot. He’s very athletic and tough, showing dual versatility as a receiver and blocker. Ko Kieft offers absolutely zero receiving value but he’s a very good blocker who contributes on special teams. Devin Culp is the odd man out, as he’s purely a receiving threat who hasn’t done much receiving in two years (6 catches for 94 yards, 1 TD).
Offensive Line
- Tristan Wirfs, 2. Ben Chukwuma, Marshall Foerner
- Ben Bredeson, 2. Billy Schrauth (R), 3. Luke Haggard
- Graham Barton, 2. Elijah Klein, 3. Ben Scott
- Cody Mauch, 2. Dan Feeney
- Luke Goedeke, 2. Justin Skule
The starting 5 for this unit is not changing unless injuries become a factor again. Wirfs is arguably the best left tackle in football, an indomitable force whose long-term services are secured. Luke Goedeke isn’t a world-beater but he’s very good and reliable when he’s healthy.
Ben Bredeson is imperfect but solid, especially in pass pro, but staying healthy will be critical for him. Cody Mauch has made serious strides but will need to rebound in a contract year while coming off a major knee injury. A lot was asked of former first-rounder Graham Barton, as he played multiple games at left tackle in 2025 and saw constantly revolving doors on either side of him at guard. With more stability, hopefully he can take the next step at the keystone.
In terms of depth, new rookie Billy Schrauth from Notre Dame offers a much higher ceiling than what the team had been dealing with. A good athlete with encouraging strength and intelligence, Schrauth likely could’ve been a third- or fourth-round pick if not for various lower body injuries. If he can stay healthy, he should immediately slot in as the primary left guard backup.
Elijah Klein and Luke Haggard didn’t really impress last year, and this might be their last year to prove they’re worth keeping. The Bucs liked what Dan Feeney provided as veteran depth in a pinch, so he’ll likely get to stick around.
Ben Scott and Marshall Foerner feel like camp bodies. They currently have two swing tackles, Ben Chukwuma and Justin Skule (who returns after a 1-year sojourn with Minnesota), but it feels like Chukwuma has the inside edge given his youth, upside, and prior performance in actual games last season.
Defense
Defensive Line
- Calijah Kancey, 2. Elijah Roberts, 3. Nash Hutmacher
- Vita Vea, 2. Elijah Simmons, 3. Jayson Jones
- A’Shawn Robinson, 2. Demonte Capehart (R), 3. Rakeem Nunez-Roches
The Buccaneers made a conscious effort to toughen up their trenches, and as such the defensive line is a solid spot.
Kancey, if he can ever stay healthy, is a demonic disruptor who can terrorize the passer (66 pressures, 22 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks in only 29 games). Vita Vea might be in his last season with the Bucs, but hopefully he can provide one more season full of highlight reel pocket explosions. A’Shawn Robinson is on a one-year deal as a veteran enforcer who will bring much-needed grit.
Elijah Roberts got forced into an unexpected number of starts as a 2025 fifth-rounded and showed some encouraging pass-rushing flashes. He’ll be a needed rotational piece to spell Kancey and Robinson as necessary, depending on the scenario. Rookie Demonte Capehart, another fifth rounder, was inconsistent at Clemson but possesses impactful size and strength to handle reps at nose or five-technique.
Elijah Simmons is a LOAD of a human, and he proved useful as a run stuffer in limited snaps last season. Nunez-Roches returns as a decent veteran depth option who brings familiarity and energy. Hutmacher and Jayson Jones have work to do to show they’re rosterable.
Edge Rusher
- Yaya Diaby, 2. David Walker, 3. Chris Braswell, 4. Mohamed Kamara
- Rueben Bain Jr. (R), 2. Al-Quadin Muhammad, 3. Anthony Nelson, 4. Benton Whitley
At long last, the Bucs have an edge rusher rotation that should finally impact games on a more consistent basis.
It all starts with their new first-round pick, the intimidating Rueben Bain Jr. A steal at 15th overall when most outlets viewed him as a top-10 overall player in the class, Bain will immediately start opposite Yaya Diaby and offers a different element with his alignment versatility, vicious hands, and pure bend. His size outlier creates some risk, but Bain seems well-equipped to defy the odds.
Diaby has firmly established himself as a good edge rusher in the league, though being a true difference-maker continues to evade him. His 19 total sacks and 78 pressures in 41 starts are good figures, but having threats opposite of him should help make that production more meaningful. Muhammad is a late-career breakout player who set a career-high with 11 sacks in Detroit, so hopefully he can carry over some of that success as Tampa’s third rusher.
David Walker has been insanely hyped up since the Bucs picked him in the fourth round last year, though we haven’t actually seen him play since he tore his ACL in training camp. With any luck, Walker will get to make the most of his snaps as a rotational disruptor. Anthony Nelson will stick around as someone who does the dirty work with his overbearing length and in-depth knowledge of the scheme.
Chris Braswell is a bust whose time feels up unless there’s massive improvement. Kamara and Whitley are camp bodies.
Inside Linebacker
- Alex Anzalone, 2. Christian Rozeboom
- Josiah Trotter (R), 2. SirVocea Dennis, 3. Nick Jackson
The Bucs required a total makeover at inside linebacker, and they at least started that process this off-season and should see marginally better play there at minimum.
Anzalone is a long-proven veteran with coverage chops and leadership skills, so he’s a fine short-term solution as “moneybacker” in Todd Bowles’s scheme but he will still be 32 years old. The Bucs made their highest draft investment at linebacker since Devin White in 2019, as they made Trotter a top-50 pick. His NFL pedigree has helped develop his instincts and demeanor, and a higher athletic ceiling than his predecessors should help Trotter achieve his potential as a true MIKE linebacker. He should give Bowles more options given his run defense chops and pass-rushing skill.
Dennis might find a more comfortable role as a third linebacker who doesn’t need to be out on the field for all three downs, while Rozeboom is primarily special teams depth. Nick Jackson was a preseason darling in 2025 but will need to keep asserting himself to stay as a practice squad option.
Cornerback
- Zyon McCollum, 2. Kemon Hall
- Jacob Parrish, 2. Benjamin Morrison, Josh Hayes
- Keionte Scott (R), Chase Lucas, Damarion Hall
Perhaps the most interesting position group to monitor in camp, there’s a range of outcomes that could occur here.
Most notably, it feels like the Bucs really like Jacob Parrish as an outside corner and are going to give him every opportunity to win the starting job opposite Zyon McCollum, who stunk last year but is getting paid big money so he’s starting to begin the season no matter what. Ben Morrison struggled with injuries and confidence issues last year but has plenty of talent, so Tampa surely wouldn’t mind seeing him earn the job if he can get right.
New fourth-rounder Keionte Scott is Bowles slot incarnate — one of the best scheme fits of the entire draft. He’s a supremely talented blitzer and run defender with good enough cover skills, and I can promise you Bowles wants to see him and Parrish on the field at the same time as much as possible.
Outside of those top 4, the Bucs seem likely to add a higher-profile veteran to the mix. Josh Hayes is a special teamer and nothing more, as is Damarion Williams. Hall and Lucas are drifters with no real defensive value.
Safety
- Antoine Winfield Jr., 2. JJ Roberts, 3. Marcus Banks
- Tykee Smith, 2. Rashad Wisdom, 3. Miles Killebrew
The Bucs will field one of the league’s best safety tandems once again.
Winfield Jr. remains a difference-maker who can affect the game all over the field, while Tykee Smith handled his transition from nickel to primary strong safety very well. They’ll be on the field together a vast majority of the time.
The team really liked UDFA JJ Roberts last off-season but he tore his ACL in the preseason. Given how well he impressed in practices and preseason games, he’ll get another stab at being the the team’s third safety. Rashad Wisdom has also stuck around as practice-squader and occasional game-day active, so he’ll keep getting opportunities to do that.
Killebrew was signed because of his All-Pro special teams background, not at all for his defense. We’ll see what Marcus Banks can show to stick around on the practice squad.
