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Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

Trey Hendrickson Wants To Play For Bucs?

By | at March 4, 2026 3:37 pm

After saying goodbye to the Bengals on Tuesday, four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson is expected to encounter a robust market in free agency. If Hendrickson has his way, the Buccaneers will be his next team, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

During a recent appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Schefter said that the 31-year-old Hendrickson “would love to be in Tampa. He lives in Ponte Verde … Tampa would be a great fit. I think, in a perfect world, Trey would like to stay in Florida. No state income tax. But he’s also open to going to the best possible situation.”

Hendrickson, who attended Florida Atlantic, lives much closer to Jacksonville than Tampa Bay. Even if the Jaguars are interested in Hendrickson, Schefter expressed skepticism about them fitting him under their cap. Hendrickson is not a fit for Florida’s other franchise, the rebuilding Dolphins.

Also a former Saint, Hendrickson has totaled at least 13.5 sacks four times in his nine-year career. He reached 17.5 in back-to-back seasons from 2023-24. His apparent hope to sign with Tampa Bay may be especially fortuitous for a team that will prioritize beefing up its pass rush after tying for 15th in sacks last year.

YaYa Diaby led the Buccaneers with seven sacks, but the addition of Haason Reddick on a $12MM guarantee last March did not yield the desired results. While Reddick has amassed double-digit sacks on four occasions, he put up just 2.5 in 13 games in 2025. Pro Football Focus ranked Reddick’s performance a lackluster 95th among 119 qualifying edge rushers.

The Buccaneers need at least one better edge-rushing complement to Diaby, and Hendrickson would fit the bill. Although a hip injury limited Hendrickson to seven games and four sacks last season, he should not have much trouble reeling in a lucrative contract on the open market.

The Buccaneers only have $11.35MM in cap space at present, though Stroud notes they could open up more room with simple restructures of deals for the Tristan Wirfs–Luke Goedeke tackle tandem and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Doing so could better their chances in a potential Hendrickson pursuit.

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Bucs To Pursue Pass Rush Additions

By | at March 1, 2026 3:24 pm

The Buccaneers ranked mid-pack in the league with respect to pass rush production in 2025. Improving in that regard will be a logical goal this spring.

Tampa Bay brought in Haason Reddick via free agency last year in a move which ended his bizarre Jets tenure. The two-time Pro Bowler made 13 appearances with the Bucs, but in that time he managed only 2.5 sacks. ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes Reddick is unlikely to be retained for 2026.

Finding a replacement starter along the edge will be key as a result. After Tampa Bay finished in a tie for 18th in sacks last season, there will be plenty of room for improvement during free agency and the draft. The open market in particular will offer numerous options, and Graziano notes the Buccaneers can be expected to actively pursue one or more additions this spring.

YaYa Diaby operated as a full-time starter in 2025, doing so for the second campaign in a row. The 26-year-old can be expected to remain a staple on defense through the final season of his rookie contract. David Walker‘s debut season was wiped out due to an ACL tear suffered in training camp, but upon returning to full health he could take on a depth role for 2026. Veteran Anthony Nelson and former second-round pick Chris Braswell are also in the fold.

The list of pending free agent edge rushers contains older options like Khalil Mack, Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb. Others, such as Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Kwity Paye are on course to test the market for the first time in their careers. With nearly $21MM in cap space as things stand, Tampa Bay should be able to afford at least a modest free agent EDGE investment. The Bucs also have seven picks in April’s draft, so adding a rookie will be feasible as well.

Mutual interest exists for another Mike Evans pact to be worked out. Tampa Bay’s receiver outlook will depend on how contract talks go on that front, but the pursuit of pass rush help will be something to monitor as well.

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2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series

By | at February 28, 2026 11:00 pm

Pro Football Rumors is breaking down how all 32 teams’ offseason blueprints are shaping up. Going forward, the Offseason Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.

Here are PFR’s 2026 rundowns of the 32 teams’ offseason blueprints:

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

0 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Offseason Outlook PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Mutual Interest Between Bucs, Mike Evans; WR To Explore Free Agent Options

By | at February 27, 2026 10:20 pm

FEBRUARY 27: While the Bucs maintain that Evans has “earned the right” to hear what other teams have to offer, ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports that Evans’ representatives at the NFL Scouting Combine, Darren Jones and Deryk Gilmore, met with the team in Indianapolis. Per Laine, Tampa Bay “will aggressively pursue trying to re-sign” the veteran wide receiver for 2026.

FEBRUARY 23: Mike Evans will play in 2026, meaning his decorated NFL career is set to include a 13th season. It remains to be seen if a new Buccaneers pact will be worked out or if a first ever free agent departure is in store.

To no surprise, SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora reports a mutual interest exists between Evans and Tampa Bay. The sides worked out a two-year, $41MM pact in 2024 just in time to prevent the franchise icon from testing the market. It appears that will not be the case this spring.

Evans’ agents have already conveyed his desire to seek out other options in free agency. La Canfora confirms the six-time Pro Bowler is assessing other teams based on the strength of their offenses and his potential fit. Playing on a Super Bowl contender is obviously a priority for Evans, who earned a ring in 2020 with Tampa Bay.

The Bucs have Chris Godwin under contract for two more years, and the team has made a pair of recent draft investments at the receiver spot (third-rounder Jalen McMillan in 2024, first-rounder Emeka Egbuka in 2025). Moving on without Evans would leave those three in place as the core of Tampa Bay’s passing attack, and there should be no shortage of other suitors lining up outside Evans offers. The Texas A&M product contemplated joining the Chiefs and Texans prior to signing his latest Buccaneers deal.

Injuries limited Evans to just eight games in 2025 and prevented him from registering a 12th consecutive 1,000-yard showing. He will be 33 by the start of next season, so a short-term offer from the Bucs or any other teams should be expected. As La Canfora notes, though, Evans is aiming to remain a full-time starting presence with Tampa Bay or a different suitor; he is still seen as an impact wideout by evaluators around the league. This situation will be worth watching closely as a result.

The likes of George Pickens and Alec Pierce are strong candidates to be retained via the franchise tag shortly. That could leave Evans as one of the top wideouts available on the market once free agency begins in mid-March. Another Tampa Bay re-up remains a possibility at this point, but it may very well take longer than last time for Evans’ future to be settled.

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Bucs Announce Changes To 2026 Coaching Staff

By | at February 17, 2026 10:08 pm

The Buccaneers announced several changes to their coaching staff last week (via team writer Scott Smith), which features the addition of three new assistant coaches.

The first is defensive assistant Todd Bowles Jr., son of Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles. Bowles Jr. just finish his college playing career, during which he played defensive back at Rutgers and Long Island. He will likely work with Tampa Bay’s secondary in 2026.

Also joining the Bowles’ staff is assistant special teams coach Luke Smith, the nephew of the Bucs’ new special teams coordinator, Danny Smith. The two worked together in Pittsburgh last season, where the younger Smith was a quality control coach. Before that, he spent nine years at Duquesne, primarily as the Dukes’ wide receivers coach.

Bowles Jr. and Smith getting a job via their family seems like another case of football nepotism, and it probably is. But that may not always be a bad thing. Just look at some of today’s head coaches, like Kyle Shanahan, Jesse Minter, Klint Kubiak, who all spent time working under their fathers before growing into the foremost offensive minds in the league. The league is littered with assistant coaches with familiar names, though not all of them are successes.

Assistant offensive line coach Andrew Mitchell is the Bucs’ last new hire. Previously the offensive line coach at New Mexico State (2022-2024) and Oklahoma State (2025), Mitchell is now set for his first job in the NFL. He will reunite with the Bucs’ new offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, almost two decades after they played on the same team at Oklahoma State. Mitchell, a former offensive tackle, blocked for Robinson, who was then the Cowboys’ starting quarterback.

These may not be the last coaching moves the Buccaneers make this offseason, but their 2026 staff is largely set. Tampa Bay will be hoping that better injury luck and a new offensive play-caller can get them back on top of the NFC South.

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Mike Evans To Return In 2026

By | at February 17, 2026 3:32 pm

Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has put any retirement talk to bed. Evans will return for a 13th season in 2026, agents Deryk Gilmore and Darren Jones told Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN. Although Evans is a career-long Buccaneer, the pending free agent will explore his options on the open market.

While Evans left the door open for retirement in September, he would have exited on a sour note had he gone through with it. The 32-year-old entered 2025 aiming for a 12th straight 1,000-yard campaign, which would have broken a tie with Jerry Rice for the all-time record. However, multiple injuries – including a broken clavicle – prevented Evans from surpassing the legendary Rice.

Playing in just eight of the Buccaneers’ 17 games, Evans wound up with 30 catches, 368 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-5, 231-pounder’s injuries contributed to a disappointing finish for Tampa Bay, which went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

On Feb. 8, Gilmore expressed optimism Evans would continue playing, stating: “[Evans] finished feeling better than he has in several seasons. I think his competitive nature leads to more football. That is my hope.”

Evans proved Gilmore right nine days later, but now their focus will turn to which uniform he will wear in 2026. As veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes, “Evans’ heart has always been in Tampa.” Nevertheless, if Evans sees a better opportunity after the Buccaneers fell flat in 2025, he may take it.

The last time Evans was on track to reach the open market, 2024, the Buccaneers prevented it from happening with a two-year, $52MM offer. A host of teams were prepared to line up for Evans before he re-signed. He later pointed to the Texans and Chiefs as clubs he would have considered joining had he rejected the Bucs’ proposal. As a Galveston native and a former Texas A&M standout, signing with the Texans would have given him a chance to play in his home state.

Since going to Tampa Bay as the seventh pick in the 2014 draft, Evans has amassed 866 receptions, 13,052 yards and 108 touchdowns. Now a six-time Pro Bowler and a one-time Super Bowl champion, the potential Hall of Famer is on his way to free agency as the most accomplished receiver available. Combining his injury-ruined 2025 and his age, Evans won’t test the market at an ideal time. Nevertheless, it’s likely he will garner plenty of interest from around the league.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 15, 2026 10:15 pm

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-23-26 (10:40pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

  • Travis Switzer, run-game coordinator (Ravens): Hired

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)

  • Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Title enhanced
  • Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Promoted

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Bucs LB Lavonte David Mulling Retirement

By | at February 15, 2026 9:34 am

With linebacker Lavonte David and wide receiver Mike Evans scheduled to hit the open market in March, the Buccaneers are facing the departures of two franchise icons. While there is hope the 32-year-old Evans will continue his career in 2026, David is weighing retirement at the age of 36 (h/t: Mike Florio of PFT).

“I feel good. You know, I’m healthy. I’m happy,” David told the Caps Off podcast (via JoeBucsFan.com). “I’m undecided [on retiring]. I’m genuinely undecided, like I don’t know. I don’t know. I still got a lot of football left in me. I know that for sure. I still love the game. I know that for sure. The other side is I want to spend more time with my daughter. She’s in school, so [I’ve been] taking her to school and it’s a good feeling.”

Fourteen years ago, David joined the Buccaneers as a 2012 second-round pick (No. 58) out of Nebraska. It quickly became clear the Buccaneers stole David, who made an instant impact during a 139-tackle rookie campaign.

Dating back to his first year, David has started in all 215 career appearances and recorded a dozen 100-tackle seasons. Despite consistently superb production, David has only made a single Pro Bowl and picked up one first-team All-Pro nod.

In 2025, David’s second straight 17-game season, he notched 114 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. With a 97.99% snap share, the Buccaneers continued to rely heavily on David, who finished second among their defenders in playing time (safety Antoine Winfield was first). Although Pro Football Focus ranked David a less-than-stellar 66th among 88 qualifiers at his position, losing him would create an obvious void on the Bucs’ defense and in their locker room.

If David continues his career in 2026, it’s likely he’ll secure a fourth consecutive one-year deal. This is the third winter in a row David has considered retiring, but he stuck around for $8.5MM in 2024 and $10MM last season. Another pact in that price range could be in order, whether David re-signs with the Buccaneers or goes someplace else.

It’s hard to imagine David donning a different uniform, but other teams showed interest in him before he re-upped with the Buccaneers a year ago. Those clubs could circle back if David reaches the market in March. In the meantime, he’ll have to decide whether to keep playing.

8 comments Tampa Bay Buccaneers Uncategorized

Final 2026 NFL Draft Order

By | at February 9, 2026 8:59 am

With Super Bowl LX in the books, the full 2026 NFL draft order has been set. Free agency is not far away, but attention will increasingly turn to April’s event as the offseason progresses.

The top of the first-round order is not subject to much in the way of speculation. The Raiders own the No. 1 selection and are widely seen as the landing spot for Fernando Mendoza, the lone quarterback regarded as a first-round lock at this point. How other QB-needy teams positioned throughout the order operate over the coming weeks – knowing there is a lack of high-end prospects this year – will make for an interesting storyline around the league.

This year’s NFL Combine will begin on February 23. Events such as the Senior Bowl have already taken place, leaving the Combine as the next major checkpoint in the evaluation of top prospects. Teams will begin arranging ‘Top 30’ visits with several players of interest relatively soon during the build-up to the draft. This year’s event will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.

Pending the inevitable trades which will shake up the order, here is a final look at how things stand leading up to Day 1:

  1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
  2. New York Jets (3-14)
  3. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
  5. New York Giants (4-13)
  6. Cleveland Browns (5-12)
  7. Washington Commanders (5-12)
  8. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
  9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
  11. Miami Dolphins (7-10)
  12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
  13. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
  14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
  15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
  16. New York Jets (via Colts)
  17. Detroit Lions (9-8)
  18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
  19. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
  20. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
  21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
  22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
  23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
  24. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
  25. Chicago Bears (11-6)
  26. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
  27. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
  28. Houston Texans (12-5)
  29. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
  30. Denver Broncos (14-3)
  31. New England Patriots (14-3)
  32. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
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