The NFL season may have just ended, but it won’t be too long until the next major event on the football calendar: the 2025 NFL Draft, which will be held between April 24 and 26. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will hold the 19th pick in the draft after being eliminated in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
State of the Union
All has been pretty good for Tampa Bay in the past two seasons, thanks to its diamond in the rough — quarterback Baker Mayfield. The former first overall pick looked to be on his last legs when he was cut by the Carolina Panthers in 2022, just seven games into his stint with the team. But he was picked up and immediately elevated to become the Los Angeles Rams’ starter after quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered season-ending spinal cord and head injuries, and in five appearances (four starts) he completed 63.6% of his passes for 850 yards, four touchdowns, and two picks, rushing a further 15 times for 37 yards, and winning two of the five games.
The Buccaneers gave him a prove-it deal the following offseason after Tom Brady’s retirement, figuring he’d be a bridge quarterback while they developed Kyle Trask. Mayfield made the most of his opportunity, completing 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. For his exploits, he was named the offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl Games and finished third in AP Comeback Player of the Year voting. Tampa Bay then signed him to a three-year, $100 million contract extension, and he rewarded its faith by completing a career-high 71.4% of his passes for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, posting a 106.8 passer rating and receiving MVP votes for the first time in his career. He did lead the league with 16 interceptions and 13 fumbles, but despite his turnover issues, the Buccaneers are clearly happy with their franchise guy.
Although Tampa Bay has only won one postseason game since Brady’s retirement, its five-season postseason run is the longest active streak in the NFC, a remarkable performance for a franchise that had missed the playoffs in 12 straight seasons prior to his arrival. The Wild Card Round loss to the Washington Commanders stung, but Mayfield and wide receiver Mike Evans, the two most important players on the roster, both played well. The Buccaneers should feel confident about their ability to win the NFC South for the fourth consecutive season.
Potential Departures
Chris Godwin – Godwin has been Tampa Bay’s second-leading receiver behind future Hall of Famer Mike Evans and had posted four 1,000-yard receiving seasons in a five-year span between 2019 and 2023. However, the 28-year-old suffered a dislocated ankle during the Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, ending his season after just 50 catches and 576 yards. The Buccaneers have repeatedly expressed their commitment to bringing Godwin back, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, but Godwin will be one of the most coveted wide receivers on the market and have just $2.2 million of cap space to work with.
Shaquil Barrett – Barrett, an outside linebacker, has been in Central Florida since the 2019 season, when he signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay after four relatively unproductive seasons with the Denver Broncos. He immediately broke out, leading the NFL with 19.5 sacks and finishing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Since then, the Buccaneers have used their franchise tag on him twice and signed him to a four-year, $72 million contract extension in 2021. He retired prior to the 2024 season after signing with the Miami Dolphins, but re-signed with Tampa Bay in late December, appearing in the team’s final game of the season. Barrett has indicated his desire to continue his career.
Ben Bredeson – The fifth-year left guard started all 17 games for the Buccaneers in his first season with the team after signing a one-year, $3.5-million contract to move over from the New York Giants, and he committed only two penalties while allowing three sacks. He also helped rookie sensation running back Bucky Irving rush for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns and gain 5.4 yards per carry, the fifth-best efficiency among running backs. Although Bredeson only graded as Pro Football Focus’ 60th-best offensive guard, he was the highest-graded interior lineman on Tampa Bay’s roster, and his backup, Sua Opeta, is also an unrestricted free agent.
K.J. Britt and Lavonte David – It’s pretty clear that if David wants to be back on the Buccaneers’ roster, he’ll be back. The 35-year-old has played all 13 seasons of his career with Tampa Bay, making three All-Pro appearances, and he has been named a team captain in each of the past 11 seasons. David showed some signs of his age this season, though, allowing a career-high 84.6% completion percentage and missing 10.3% of his tackle attempts, and retirement seems to be an option. Meanwhile, Britt contributed 72 total tackles and one pass defended, even if he graded as the second-worst among 84 qualified linebackers at Pro Football Focus.
Team Needs
Inside Linebacker – The Buccaneers desperately need to shore up their linebacker corps, especially if David retires. In particular, Tampa Bay’s linebacker corps struggled in coverage, allowing the second-most receiving yards to tight ends in the league. Backups J.J. Russell and SirVocea Dennis are both relatively untested, so the Buccaneers would benefit from targeting a linebacker near the top of the draft.
Offensive Line – Although left tackle Tristan Wirfs is one of the best in the league and agreed to a massive contract extension prior to the 2024 season, Tampa Bay will look to improve its depth at both the tackle and guard positions, especially with Bredeson and Opeta hitting free agency. Mayfield was blitzed more than any other quarterback in the league and had the fifth-shortest time in the pocket, so trying to protect his franchise quarterback will be among general manager Jason Licht’s priorities.
Wide Receiver – If Godwin leaves in free agency, the Buccaneers are perilously thin in targets for Mayfield outside of Mike Evans, who extended his record stretch of 11 1,000-yard receiving seasons to open his career on Tampa Bay’s final offensive play of the season. In Godwin’s absence, rookie Jalen McMillan made a huge impact, catching 37 passes for 461 yards and eight scores, seven of which came in the final five weeks. Receiver depth is never a bad thing to have, especially with Sterling Shepard an unrestricted free agent.
Edge Rusher – This season, the Buccaneers were solid at getting to opposing quarterbacks, posting 46 sacks (the sixth-most in football), 61 hurries (fifth-most), and 173 pressures (fifth) while operating the third-most blitz-heavy defensive scheme in the league. Still, in addition to Barrett, edge rusher William Gholston and outside linebacker Anthony Nelson are pending free agents. Nelson would be a particularly big loss, as he recorded four sacks and 13 quarterback hits this season.
Secondary – In addition to its struggles against tight ends, Tampa Bay also gave up the seventh-most receiving yards (2,659) and 10th-most receiving touchdowns (18) to wide receivers. It didn’t help matters that 2023 First-Team All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. struggled through an injury-prone season, but behind Winfield, the Buccaneers are going to need depth at the safety position, especially with Mike Edwards a pending free agent. Starting strong safety Jordan Whitehead allowed a 125.5 passer rating on his 34 targets, and outside of Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay’s cornerback room isn’t great either.
Potential Picks
James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee – Pearce, although thin and relatively young, would add athleticism and elite speed to a Buccaneers defensive line that might be phasing out some of its older veterans, like Gholston and Nelson. Pearce could line up across from 2023 first-round pick Calijah Kancey, and together, Kancey, Pearce, and two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea would form a fierce pass-rushing trio. Although it’s likely that Pearce will be off the board when Tampa Bay picks, acquiring a player who accumulated 19.5 sacks in three seasons at Tennessee would make the Buccaneers’ defensive line one of the league’s most feared.
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri – Burden is arguably the second-most talented wide receiver in this class, after Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, and as much as I wanted to pair Tetairoa McMillan with Jalen McMillan, he’ll be surely off the board by the 19th overall pick. But Burden caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards, and 21 touchdowns throughout his college career with the Tigers, and he even demonstrated some flashes as a runner in his senior year. Although he’s just five-foot-11, he is known for his strength and agility and could have great upside if Godwin departs in free agency.
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri – If the Buccaneers don’t want Burden, or if he’s off the board, another potential option is his teammate: the six-foot-three, 314-pound offensive tackle Membou. Membou is just 20 years old and started for the Tigers at right tackle throughout his career. He has elite raw strength, explosiveness, and length, and he has improved every season of his college career. He’s one of the quickest risers on the draft board, so it’s possible that he’ll be off the board by the time Tampa Bay makes its selection, but if he’s available, he could compete with Luke Goedeke for the long-term spot across from Wirfs.
Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama – Booker started at left guard for two seasons at Alabama, so he has big-game experience while playing for arguably the country’s most prominent collegiate football program. A six-foot-five, 352-pound guard, Booker has elite size and strength and had strong run-blocking technique with the Crimson Tide. He also won’t turn 21 until just two weeks prior to the draft, so he should still have lots of room to grow, and he fulfills a position of need for the Buccaneers, especially if Bredeson leaves in free agency. Unlike Pearce, he’s widely projected to be available with the 19th overall pick.
Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina – Revel is a high-risk prospect, given that he played his football for East Carolina in the American Athletic Conference. His skills are somewhat raw and he’s had the occasional lapses in focus, causing him to drop potential interceptions. Still, he has elite length and body control, and with his ball-hawking play style and run-tackling ability, he fits the mold that Tampa Bay is looking for. He’s a high-upside play who has shot up draft boards in recent weeks and could compete with either Zyon McCollum on the outside or Tykee Smith in the slot or provide special teams depth.
