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By all accounts, the Buccaneers "won" free agency this year. They retained key personnel at team-friendly prices and made shrewd, low-risk additions. There was nothing particularly flashy about Tampa Bay's foray in free agency. It rarely has been since general manager Jason Licht's first few years with the franchise.
Licht and the Bucs' front office have long valued cultivating drafted talent over big-money additions. This strategy has been a major driver of their four straight division titles and five straight playoff berths.
Here are the grades for the Bucs' free agent signings (all contract information from Over the Cap):
Somehow, the Bucs kept free agency's top offensive weapon from hitting the market despite massive financial temptation from other teams. Godwin re-signed with the Bucs for three years and $66 million with $44 million guaranteed. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the 28-year-old receiver passed on an additional $20 million by staying in Tampa Bay.
Keeping Godwin is a major win for the Bucs. Before his season-ending ankle injury last year, Godwin was playing like the best wide receiver in the NFL. His return radically improves the Bucs' chances of remaining a top-10 offense next season.
Financially, the Bucs front office is doing victory laps. Godwin just makes the top-20 best-paid wide receivers, coming in just one spot ahead of Mike Evans. The signing even saved the Bucs cap space this season, as Godwin's void years were converted into a bonus spread over the life of his new contract. This deal could not have gone much better for Tampa Bay.
It is no secret the Bucs badly need help with their edge rush. Signing a mercenary pass rusher like Haason Reddick for one year and $14 million was a relatively small price to pay to try and fix a major hole on defense.
Reddick is coming off a bizarre year with the New York Jets in which he refused to report to the team to try and force the Jets to give him a contract extension. When he did report nearly halfway into the season, Reddick was not half as effective as he had been in Philadelphia or Carolina.
That Reddick already showed up to sign his contract with Tampa Bay puts him light years ahead of where he started off with the Jets. The only question is whether Reddick can recapture his pass-rush acumen and give the Bucs the one-on-one edge rush threat they have been missing for the last few years.
The Bucs and their longest-tenured player have done this will-he-won't-he-retire dance for what feels like a decade at this point. David returns to the Bucs on his third-straight one-year deal worth $9 million. It represents a modest pay bump, probably in part because the Bucs are desperate for competent, reliable linebacker play, something David has provided and more for over a decade. While he is ancient by NFL standards, David continues to be a high-end starting linebacker. As long as that remains constant and David has the will to play, he will be suiting up in red and pewter.
The Bucs brought back starting left guard Ben Bredeson on a three-year, $22 million deal with $12.5 million guaranteed. Bredeson was arguably the Bucs' worst starting offensive lineman last year, but the bar was pretty high, given how well the line performed as a unit. Bredeson has little upside, but $7 million per year appears to be the going rate for starting veteran offensive linemen these days.
A punter signing is hardly blockbuster material, but Tampa Bay needed it this offseason. The Bucs' punting situation in 2024 was a complete disaster. 2022 fourth-round pick Jake Camarda all but disintegrated before he was cut after Week 4, and neither Trenton Gill or Jake Browning provided much of an improvement.
Dixon signed with Tampa Bay for two years and $6 million per Ian Rapoport. The Bucs are paying a bit of a premium for just solid punting, but if their 2025 offense is anything like last year's, all they need is reliability from the position.
Outside of Lavonte David, the linebacker position was a complete disaster in Tampa Bay last season. Former Dolphins and Browns LB Anthony Walker is not an automatic starter, but he at least gives the Bucs a higher floor for their linebacker play, particularly in pass coverage. While the Bucs are still scouting linebacker prospects for this year's draft, Walker is at minimum a high-end backup.
The Bucs re-signed Anthony Nelson to almost the exact same two-year, $10 million deal they gave him two years ago. It makes sense because Nelson's role on the defense has not really changed, nor should it. The sixth-year veteran is a solid rotational edge defender who can start in a pinch if not much more. He will continue to be a significant contributor to the outside linebacker rotation.
Kyle Trask was the most unlikely candidate to be the first quarterback the Bucs ever drafted the signed to a second contract. The former 2021 second-round pick attempted exactly 11 passes in the NFL, but the Bucs are confident enough in his ability to back up Baker Mayfield to bring him back on a one-year, $2.8 million contract.
It is a mild pay bump from his rookie deal, which still saves the Bucs considerable cap space as top-shelf backup quarterbacks can average eight-digit salaries. Trask simply does not have the resume to justify a big contract, but his familiarity with the offense makes his return an easy lever to push.
The veteran defensive tackle returns to Tampa Bay on a one-year, $3.5 million deal, which is identical to his last two contracts with the Bucs. Gaines is an inoffensive element of the Bucs' defensive line. He is fine in run defense but adds very little as a pass rusher. His return does not eliminate the possibility that the Bucs draft another interior defensive lineman this year.
Though the Bucs' starting offensive line is set, Justin Skule's departure left the team without a backup swing tackle. Heck is a massive 6'8", 311-pound tackle who did not pan out as a starter in Houston, but he still comes with some upside. The Bucs have enjoyed success developing offensive linemen, and there will be little pressure for Heck to enter 2025 in competition for a starting role. It may be the environment he needs to realize his potential.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs free agency: Grading Tampa Bay's free agency signings in 2025
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Licht and the Bucs' front office have long valued cultivating drafted talent over big-money additions. This strategy has been a major driver of their four straight division titles and five straight playoff berths.
Here are the grades for the Bucs' free agent signings (all contract information from Over the Cap):
Re-signing WR Chris Godwin: A
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Somehow, the Bucs kept free agency's top offensive weapon from hitting the market despite massive financial temptation from other teams. Godwin re-signed with the Bucs for three years and $66 million with $44 million guaranteed. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the 28-year-old receiver passed on an additional $20 million by staying in Tampa Bay.
Keeping Godwin is a major win for the Bucs. Before his season-ending ankle injury last year, Godwin was playing like the best wide receiver in the NFL. His return radically improves the Bucs' chances of remaining a top-10 offense next season.
Financially, the Bucs front office is doing victory laps. Godwin just makes the top-20 best-paid wide receivers, coming in just one spot ahead of Mike Evans. The signing even saved the Bucs cap space this season, as Godwin's void years were converted into a bonus spread over the life of his new contract. This deal could not have gone much better for Tampa Bay.
Signing EDGE Haason Reddick: B+
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It is no secret the Bucs badly need help with their edge rush. Signing a mercenary pass rusher like Haason Reddick for one year and $14 million was a relatively small price to pay to try and fix a major hole on defense.
Reddick is coming off a bizarre year with the New York Jets in which he refused to report to the team to try and force the Jets to give him a contract extension. When he did report nearly halfway into the season, Reddick was not half as effective as he had been in Philadelphia or Carolina.
That Reddick already showed up to sign his contract with Tampa Bay puts him light years ahead of where he started off with the Jets. The only question is whether Reddick can recapture his pass-rush acumen and give the Bucs the one-on-one edge rush threat they have been missing for the last few years.
Re-signing LB Lavonte David: B
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The Bucs and their longest-tenured player have done this will-he-won't-he-retire dance for what feels like a decade at this point. David returns to the Bucs on his third-straight one-year deal worth $9 million. It represents a modest pay bump, probably in part because the Bucs are desperate for competent, reliable linebacker play, something David has provided and more for over a decade. While he is ancient by NFL standards, David continues to be a high-end starting linebacker. As long as that remains constant and David has the will to play, he will be suiting up in red and pewter.
Re-signing G Ben Bredeson: B-
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The Bucs brought back starting left guard Ben Bredeson on a three-year, $22 million deal with $12.5 million guaranteed. Bredeson was arguably the Bucs' worst starting offensive lineman last year, but the bar was pretty high, given how well the line performed as a unit. Bredeson has little upside, but $7 million per year appears to be the going rate for starting veteran offensive linemen these days.
Signing P Riley Dixon: C+
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A punter signing is hardly blockbuster material, but Tampa Bay needed it this offseason. The Bucs' punting situation in 2024 was a complete disaster. 2022 fourth-round pick Jake Camarda all but disintegrated before he was cut after Week 4, and neither Trenton Gill or Jake Browning provided much of an improvement.
Dixon signed with Tampa Bay for two years and $6 million per Ian Rapoport. The Bucs are paying a bit of a premium for just solid punting, but if their 2025 offense is anything like last year's, all they need is reliability from the position.
Signing LB Anthony Walker: B-
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Outside of Lavonte David, the linebacker position was a complete disaster in Tampa Bay last season. Former Dolphins and Browns LB Anthony Walker is not an automatic starter, but he at least gives the Bucs a higher floor for their linebacker play, particularly in pass coverage. While the Bucs are still scouting linebacker prospects for this year's draft, Walker is at minimum a high-end backup.
Re-signing EDGE Anthony Nelson: B-
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The Bucs re-signed Anthony Nelson to almost the exact same two-year, $10 million deal they gave him two years ago. It makes sense because Nelson's role on the defense has not really changed, nor should it. The sixth-year veteran is a solid rotational edge defender who can start in a pinch if not much more. He will continue to be a significant contributor to the outside linebacker rotation.
Re-signing QB Kyle Trask: B-
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Kyle Trask was the most unlikely candidate to be the first quarterback the Bucs ever drafted the signed to a second contract. The former 2021 second-round pick attempted exactly 11 passes in the NFL, but the Bucs are confident enough in his ability to back up Baker Mayfield to bring him back on a one-year, $2.8 million contract.
It is a mild pay bump from his rookie deal, which still saves the Bucs considerable cap space as top-shelf backup quarterbacks can average eight-digit salaries. Trask simply does not have the resume to justify a big contract, but his familiarity with the offense makes his return an easy lever to push.
Re-signing Greg Gaines: C
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The veteran defensive tackle returns to Tampa Bay on a one-year, $3.5 million deal, which is identical to his last two contracts with the Bucs. Gaines is an inoffensive element of the Bucs' defensive line. He is fine in run defense but adds very little as a pass rusher. His return does not eliminate the possibility that the Bucs draft another interior defensive lineman this year.
Signing OT Charlie Heck: B
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Though the Bucs' starting offensive line is set, Justin Skule's departure left the team without a backup swing tackle. Heck is a massive 6'8", 311-pound tackle who did not pan out as a starter in Houston, but he still comes with some upside. The Bucs have enjoyed success developing offensive linemen, and there will be little pressure for Heck to enter 2025 in competition for a starting role. It may be the environment he needs to realize his potential.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs free agency: Grading Tampa Bay's free agency signings in 2025
Continue reading...
