TE Kenyon Sadiq An Option For Buccaneers?
The Mike Evans-less Buccaneers are going to look different offensively in 2026. As part of their subtle offensive makeover, the team could look to add an intriguing spark to the unit.
According to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, the Buccaneers have “keyed in” on the tight end position ahead of the draft. That’s made Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq a “real possibility” for the organization at pick No. 15.
Sadiq is widely considered the top tight end prospect in the draft, and he’ll likely be the only player at his position selected on Day 1. The tight end saw a larger role with the Ducks in 2024, including a Big Ten Football Championship Game when he hauled in a pair of touchdowns. He had a true breakout in 2025, finishing with 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns.
Scouts have touted the Oregon star’s offensive tenacity, and his size and speed will make him an intriguing piece in an NFL offense. While scouts are similarly wary of his pass-blocking ability, teams generally value pass-catching prowess when it comes to first-round investments at the position.
The Buccaneers are among the squads that would consider the star TE. Cade Otton has led the depth chart for several years but has never emerged as a top-tier player at the position. The veteran been relatively steady, especially over the past two years, when he’s averaged 59 catches, 586 yards, and more than two touchdowns per season. Still, it’s hard to blame the Buccaneers for considering an upgrade, especially with Evans no longer around.
The organization somewhat prepared for Evans departure during the 2025 draft, when they added Emeka Egbuka with the 19th-overall pick. The Ohio State product finished his rookie season with 938 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and he’ll lead the pass-catching corps in 2026. With Chris Godwin hitting his twilight, Sadiq could join Egbuka and recent draft picks Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson as young pieces on Tampa Bay’s offense.
Texas Tech DT Lee Hunter Visits Buccaneers, Bengals, Bills
Teams looking to improve their run defense will likely be interested in Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter, who is a projected Day 2 pick in this month’s draft. The 330-pounder logged 31 tackles for loss across the last three seasons and profiles as an instant-impact run-stuffer in the NFL.
One of Hunter’s recent Instagram stories showed him visiting the Buccaneers (via FOX Sports’ Greg Auman). Tampa Bay does not have an immediate need along the defensive line after signing A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches to replace Logan Hall and Greg Gaines. However, those additions are both on one-year contracts, and both Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey are set to hit free agency in 2027. With long-term extensions on tap for Baker Mayfield and YaYa Diaby, the team will not be able to re-sign all four of their veteran defensive tackles. Hunter would be ready to join the Buccaneers’ defensive line rotation right away as a run-stopper with the goal of developing his pass rushing chops for a bigger role in 2027.
Hunter also completed a visit to the Bengals, per Ryan Fowler of Commanding the Huddle. Cincinnati had the league’s worst run defense in 2025, allowing 5.2 yards per carry and almost 150 yards per game. The team strengthened their defensive line by signing Jonathan Allen, but Hunter would be a long-term anchor for a unit that has lacked a reliable run-stopping nose tackle since D.J. Reader‘s departure in 2024. He may not have much pass-rushing upside, but his size and power will command double-teams and open up opportunities for his teammates.
Hunter’s most recent visit was to the Bills, according to an Instagram story posted on Monday. Buffalo finished with a bottom-five run defense last year and will need to add depth at nose tackle under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Sean McDermott‘s 4-3 scheme prioritized lighter, more athletic defensive tackles, but Leonard’s 3-4 will require another massive space-eater to go along with 2025 fourth-rounder Deone Walker.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/9/26
One minor move to pass along:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DT Haggai Ndubuisi
The Buccaneers have been busy, as they added a pair of cornerbacks earlier today. Now, they’ve added some defensive line depth in Haggai Ndubuisi. The lineman entered the NFL in 2022 as a participant in the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, and he’s had brief stints with a long list of teams. He most recently spent the 2025 campaign on the Texans practice squad, although he did manage to make his NFL debut in Week 14. As Greg Auman of FOX Sports notes, Ndubuisi could be a candidate to be Tampa Bay’s International Pathway Program player.
Bucs To Add CBs Chase Lucas, Kemon Hall
The Buccaneers lost several members of their secondary in free agency, including starting cornerback Jamel Dean. They are now set to sign former Lions and 49ers defensive back Chase Lucas, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Lucas has primarily operated as a backup during his career. The Bucs are also adding veteran reserve/special-teamer Kemon Hall to their cornerback room, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. This duo joins holdovers Zyon McCollum, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish in Tampa Bay’s CB group.
A 2022 Lions seventh-rounder, Lucas impressed in the preseason with the 49ers last year and earned a career-high 98 defensive snaps. For the most part, though, San Francisco used Lucas on special teams. The Arizona State product saw action on 53% of the 49ers’ ST plays last season. That came after the Lions gave him a 72% ST snap share. Lucas served as a backup in the slot with the 49ers, giving the Bucs some depth behind Parrish.
Entering the NFL in 2019, Hall joins Lucas in never starting a game. The North Texas alum — a regular in our Minor NFL Transactions posts this decade — is now on team No. 7. Hall has previously played for the Chargers, Vikings, Saints, Cowboys, 49ers and Titans. Hall, 28, has only played more than six games in a season once — with the Chargers in 2021 — so it will be far from a given he earns a 53-man roster spot come August.
Tampa Bay parted with Dean (now with the Steelers) after seven seasons and lost Christian Izien as well. The team should be expected to deploy Morrison alongside McCollum and Parrish next season. Fourth-year player Josh Hayes — a 2023 Bucs sixth-rounder — remains on the roster, as does ex-Raven Damarion Williams. Lucas, 29, and Hall will make their cases for roster spots over the coming months. It should probably be expected the Bucs add here in the draft, but the team does have some additional options thanks to these signings.
R Mason Thomas Sets Up Several Visits
After earning first-team All-SEC honors in 2025, Oklahoma edge defender R Mason Thomas may have a chance to come off the board late in the first round of this year’s draft. Several teams are showing interest in the 6-foot-2, 241-pounder. In addition to the previously reported Browns, Thomas has lined up visits with the Dolphins, Seahawks, Buccaneers and Patriots, per Arye Pulli of SI.com.
Thomas had a quiet first two seasons at Oklahoma, where he combined for 1.5 sacks in 19 games from 2022-23. His production increased dramatically during his junior season, in which he totaled 12.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 contests. Thomas added another two FFs last year, though his TFLs (9.5) and sacks (6.5) understandably dipped during a 10-game season.
Thomas missed three games after suffering a quad injury on a 71-yard fumble return touchdown in a win over Tennessee on Nov. 1. He returned to make three tackles in a 34-24 loss to Alabama in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
With his Sooners tenure in the rearview mirror, there are questions on how high Thomas will go in the draft. Anywhere after the second round would come as a surprise. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks Thomas as this year’s 49th-best prospect, calling him “an instinctive and physical edge defender” while dinging him for a lack of “ideal height/length/bulk.” Jeremiah expects Thomas to turn into a solid starter, which is something most of the teams eyeing him could use.
The Browns have the best edge defender in the NFL, Myles Garrett, but could make an addition there after backing out of an agreement with A.J. Epenesa. Having released their 2025 leader in sacks, Bradley Chubb, the Dolphins are lacking high-upside complements to Chop Robinson. The reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks lost Boye Mafe to the Bengals in free agency. The Buccaneers are thin on the edge beyond YaYa Diaby and Al-Quadin Muhammad. Meanwhile, after winning the AFC, the Patriots essentially swapped K’Lavon Chaisson for Dre’Mont Jones in free agency. With both Jones and Harold Landry nearing the age of 30, making a notable investment in a younger pass rusher via the draft could be in store. Thomas, who will turn 22 in August, may end up as the Patriots’ answer.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/7/26
Several teams made minor moves Tuesday. Here’s a look:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed ERFA tender: K Joshua Karty, DL PJ Mustipher
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed ERFA tender: DL Elijah Garcia
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: C Matt Lee
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed ERFA tender: DE Charles Snowden
- Signed RFA tender: C/G Jordan Meredith
New York Giants
- Signed ERFA tender: WR Ryan Miller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR David Sills
A four-year veteran, Meredith logged a career-high 11 starts in 13 appearances in 2025. Meredith played center and right guard (mostly the former) before landing on IR with an ankle injury in late December. The Raiders have since added blockbuster free agent pickup Tyler Linderbaum, meaning Meredith will not factor in at center in 2026. He could, however, compete for one of the Raiders’ guard jobs.
After a year in Atlanta, Sills is staying in the NFC South on a deal with the Buccaneers. With 36 targets, 18 catches, 191 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games last season, Sills set across-the-board career highs. The 29-year-old finished third among Falcons receivers in offensive snap share (51.55%). He will now attempt to carve out a role on a Bucs team that lost franchise icon Mike Evans to the 49ers in free agency and has not re-signed Sterling Shepard. Tampa Bay still has Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson as its top four receivers.
Buccaneers Sign OT Justin Skule
Following a one-year stop in Minnesota, Justin Skule is heading back to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers announced today that they’ve signed the veteran offensive tackle. Greg Auman of FOX Sports passes along that it’s a one-year deal for Skule.
The 2019 sixth-round pick out of Vanderbilt spent the first chunk of his career in San Francisco. He got occasional looks in the starting lineup, starting 12 of his 31 appearances through his first two NFL seasons. His 2021 campaign was wiped out due to a torn ACL, and he was cut by the 49ers at the end of the 2022 preseason.
He caught on with the Buccaneers and proceeded to spend the next three seasons with the organization. He only got into one game during his first year in Tampa Bay, and he mostly played special teams in 2023. However, he saw a more significant role in 2024, starting five of his 17 appearances while getting into about one third of his team’s offensive snaps.
The Vikings brought him on last offseason, and the veteran proceeded to start a career-high nine games in Minnesota. Pro Football Focus graded him 45th among 84 qualifying offensive tackles, with the site preferring his pass-blocking ability to his run-blocking prowess.
Skule would have come in handy last year in Tampa Bay, as starting OTs Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke both missed time with injuries, forcing Charlie Heck to start six games. Skule will once again serve as a key backup to those two starters, although he’ll face some competition from 2025 UDFA Ben Chukwuma, who started two games as a rookie.
G Kenyon Green To Work Out For Bucs
Former first-round pick Kenyon Green‘s four-year NFL career has not gone according to plan, but a fourth organization could soon give the free guard another chance. Green will work out for the Buccaneers next Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports.
Although Green was a two-time consensus All-American at Texas A&M, his dominance with the Aggies has not transferred to the pros since the Texans chose him 15th overall in 2022. The 6-foot-4, 323-pounder started 14 of 15 games as a rookie, but Pro Football Focus rated him the worst full-time guard in the league during a penalty-happy debut in which he struggled to protect quarterback Davis Mills.
The rest of Green’s Texans tenure didn’t go any better. After missing his entire second season with a torn labrum, a dislocated shoulder limited Green to 12 games (nine starts) in 2024. At the time the Texans placed him on IR, Green had allowed the most pressures (27) and sacks (five) among guards.
Houston pulled the plug on Green when it traded him to Philadelphia for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson as part of a late-round pick swap a year ago. The move was a swing and a miss for both sides. The Eagles cut Green before the season, while the Texans released the mercurial Gardner-Johnson last September after he groused about his role and feuded with teammates. Green caught on with the Ravens’ practice squad at the end of September, but they did not elevate him for any games.
Hoping to play his age-25 season in 2026, Green could compete for a backup spot in Tampa Bay if the team signs him. Green has played all his snaps at left guard, where the Buccaneers have a full-time starter in Ben Bredeson. Meanwhile, Cody Mauch is entrenched at right guard, though he and Bredeson missed a combined 21 games with injuries last season. With that in mind, it is no surprise the Buccaneers are eyeing guard depth. The Bucs brought back reserve interior lineman Dan Feeney last month, but backup guard Michael Jordan remains unsigned on the heels of an 11-game, nine-start season.
DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches Reunites With Buccaneers
After a three-year stay in New York, veteran defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches has agreed to a deal that will bring him back to Tampa Bay. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers are bringing Nunez-Roches back on a one-year contract.
Originally a sixth-round pick for the Chiefs out of Southern Miss, Nunez-Roches maintains the honor of being the first ever player born in Belize to get drafted into the NFL. After seeing minimal field time in seven games as a rookie, Nunez-Roches lost his rookie deal when the Chiefs waived him shortly into his second campaign and he went unclaimed. He signed with Kansas City’s practice squad but was signed back to the active roster a month after getting cut. Upon returning to the 53-man roster, Nunez-Roches started five of 11 game appearances to close the year. After a 2017 season in which he started 11 of 16 game appearances, the Chiefs re-signed him after placing an original-round restricted free agent tender on him, but they waived him a second time about nine days later.
Nunez-Roches spent the offseason in Indianapolis after getting claimed by the Colts, but he was waived again a week before the regular season. It wasn’t until October, a month later, that Nunez-Roches landed in Tampa Bay, where he appeared in just three games over the closing stretch of the season. He returned on a new one-year deal in 2019, coming off the bench as a rotational lineman behind Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, and William Gholston. When injury limited Vea to just five games the next season, Nunez-Roches stepped up, starting 11 regular season games and all four postseason games en route to the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV victory.
Nunez-Roches’ efforts that season earned him a two-year stay with the team on a $5MM deal. He returned to his rotational role off the bench in 2021, only starting one game, but he returned to a bigger role in the second year of his contract. In 2022, the last season he played in Tampa Bay, he started 10 of 17 games, notching then-career highs in sacks (2.0), tackles for loss (5), and total tackles (33).
Upon becoming a free agent, Nunez-Roches landed a three-year, $12MM contract with the Giants. After serving much of his first year in New York back in that rotational role, he earned his first full season as a full-time starter, logging 52 total tackles, six quarterback hits, and two sacks. Coming off the bench in Year 3 with Big Blue, Nunez-Roches got off to a hot start in 2025, recording a new career-high with three sacks and adding three tackles for loss and four quarterback hits in just nine games (with only five starts). Unfortunately, ankle and toe injuries landed him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
Coming into his age-33 season and coming off a season-ending injury, Nunez-Roches’ deal with the Buccaneers will probably be a relatively safe one for Tampa Bay, though they may offer him decent incentive opportunities to reward a return to health. Per ESPN’s Jenna Laine, head coach Todd Bowles had made it a goal this offseason to “get bigger and more physical along the defensive line.” Nunez-Roches joins fellow free agent signees A’Shawn Robinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad in adding size, strength, and experience to the Tampa Bay defensive line, reuniting with Vea to set a good example for recent draft picks like Elijah Roberts and Calijah Kancey to learn from.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/2/26
Thursday’s lone minor transaction…
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: WR Jaden Smith
Smith signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent from Nevada last July, but he wound up spending the season on IR with an undisclosed injury.