2026 Bucs Free Agency Insider

INTRO: In lieu of a traditional SR’s FAB 5 column this Friday, I’ve decided to change the format and deliver my SR’s 2026 Bucs Free Agency Insider column instead. Here’s all of the Bucs free agency scoop and inside info I know as of right now. Stay tuned to PewterReport.com all weekend for the latest news and developments, and if there are any major re-signings or breaking news, we’ll have an emergency podcast on PewterReportTV, our YouTube channel.

Bucs Free Agency Primer

Legal negotiation window: Monday, March 9 at noon ET
Official start of free agency: Wednesday, March 11 at 4:00 pm ET

Bucs Salary Cap Room

The Bucs will enter free agency with somewhere between $11,305,885 (Spotrac) and $19,962,510 (Over The Cap) in salary cap room. Neither figure accounts for the $11 million rookie salary pool or any money allocated for practice squad/injured reserve protection.

Possible Contract Restructure Targets

The three likely candidates who assistant general manager Mike Greenberg will target for contract restructures to create more cap room are left tackle Tristan Wirfs ($36,328,582 cap value), safety Antoine Winfield Jr. ($27,466,000 cap value) and right tackle Luke Goedeke ($22,681,200 cap value).

Winfield: $13.65 million cap space w/no new void years, $14.56 million max restructure
Wirfs: $18.525 million cap space w/no new void years, $19.76 million max restructure
Goedeke: $15.206 million cap space w/no new void years, $16.22 million max restructure

Tampa Bay is not expected to restructure the contracts for quarterback Baker Mayfield ($39,975,000 cap value), wide receiver Chris Godwin ($33,683,000 cap value), defensive tackle Vita Vea ($22,194,462 cap value) and cornerback Zyon McCollum ($15,550,500) this offseason because doing so would add more years to those contracts.

Remember, Greenberg will only create space as needed, so look for these extensions to happen one at a time, likely starting with Wirfs next week.

Bucs Free Agents In 2026

WR Mike Evans
ILB Lavonte David
OLB Haason Reddick
CB Jamel Dean
DT Logan Hall
RB Rachaad White
TE Cade Otton
TE Ko Kieft
WR Sterling Shepard
DT Greg Gaines
OT Charlie Heck
CB Kindle Vildor
OL Dan Feeney
OL Mike Jordan
ILB Deion Jones
ILB Anthony Walker Jr.
QB Teddy Bridgewater
S J.T. Gray
RB Sean Tucker (RFA)
DB Christian Izien (RFA)
OLB Markees Watts (ERFA)
OT Tyler McLellan (ERFA)

The Latest Inside Scoop On Bucs WR Mike Evans

The NFL world was surprised that Buffalo acquired D.J. Moore in a trade with Chicago that sent a second-round pick to the Bears in exchange for the four-time 1,000-yard receiver and a fifth-round pick. My league sources tell me that the Bills had been targeting Mike Evans and that there would likely be mutual interest.

So does that mean that the Bills won’t be targeting Evans now in free agency? We’ll see exactly how “all-in” Buffalo wants to be in getting weapons for quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills will be restructuring Moore’s $23.485 million base salary to lower his $23.5 million cap value. And there are a few more restructures that the Bills can do to create more cap space.

League sources tell me the market value for Evans is between $15 million-$20 million, and Buffalo could probably squeeze him in for closer to $15 million – if Buffalo wanted to add two proven veteran receivers this offseason. Evans’ other known suitors are Tennessee and Las Vegas, and there could be some interest may materialize from San Francisco, Kansas City and/or the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday when the legal tampering period begins at noon.

If it comes down to Tampa Bay, Las Vegas and Tennessee, the Bucs have the obvious edge in being closer to making a championship run, as the Raiders and Titans are coming off 3-14 records in 2025. Neither Tennessee nor Las Vegas has any good receivers for Cam Ward and Fernando Mendoza to throw to, and it’s believed both teams would be in the market for Evans at $20 million per year.

If it just came down to Tampa Bay, Tennessee and Las Vegas, the Bucs could also clearly have an edge due to his legacy in red and pewter and the roots he’s established in the community – in addition to playing for a better team.

But Evans would have to decide is that more important than wanting to be featured with more targets in the passing game. Remember, Evans is looking to add to his NFL legacy in the twilight of his career. He currently ranks in the Top 10 all-time in receiving touchdowns (No. 10 with 108) and he’s No. 21 all-time in receiving yards (13,052). With two more 1,000-yard seasons, he’ll move into the Top 10 and would surge past Tim Brown (14,934) and into sixth place.

With the Titans the Raiders not expected to be good teams in 2026, they’ll likely be trailing in the fourth quarter of most games and that would lead to more targets for Evans – and subsequently more yards, which is what he’s after.

General manager Jason Licht has done a great job of stocking the wide receiver room over the last two years with Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson with the eventual departures of Evans, who turns 33 in August, and Chris Godwin Jr., who just turned 30. But the Bucs have a lot of mouths to feed at wide receiver and Evans may not want to get lost in the shuffle, which is what happened down the stretch last year in Weeks 16-18.

Unless the Bills are still interested, or sudden interest emerges from the Chiefs, 49ers or Chargers, the Bucs could see their chances of re-signing Evans greatly increase if it’s just down to the Titans and Raiders.

But expect Las Vegas to really put on a sales pitch with new offensive-minded head coach Klint Kubiak, general manager John Spytek and Raiders minority Tom Brady all trying to woo Evans to the desert.

Other Mike Evans-Related News

• Mike Evans has a $13,074,000 dead cap charge that will hit the Bucs’ 2026 salary cap unless he is signed prior to the start of free agency where that money could be restructured and rolled into future voidable years. If Evans signs elsewhere that money will still hit the Bucs cap. If Evans re-signs after the start of free agency he will account for two separate cap charges – the $13,074,000 and whatever his cap value will be upon signing his new contract.

• If Evans departs via free agency, that would increase the chances of Tampa Bay re-signing starting tight end Cade Otton, depending on what his market value is to give Baker Mayfield another familiar target to throw to. If Evans returns to the Bucs, it is very unlikely that Otton would return as well due to the salary cap, as Otton is expected to fetch between $8 million-$10 million per year in free agency.

• If Evans returns to Tampa Bay, it will likely be for around his current contract value of at least $20.5 million or more. It’s hard for teams to ask the players they are looking to re-sign to take less. Evans has given the Bucs a hometown discount in the past, but with this possibly being his last contract – if it’s a two-year deal – that may not happen this time around, especially if teams like Tennessee and/or Las Vegas are interested in offering north of $20 million.

• And there is a chance that Evans might want to be the highest-paid receiver on the Bucs roster this year. Chris Godwin Jr. averages $22 million per year, so Evans might use the pressure the Bucs are under to re-sign its legend or anger the team’s fan base to his advantage. He might end up seeking a contract that matches Godwin’s or slightly surpasses it at $22.25 million. We’ll see.

Understanding Where The Bucs Are Economically Heading Into Free Agency

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the 2025 season wasn’t just the fact that the Bucs lost the NFC South crown to Carolina and finished 8-9. It was that the team had a losing record and one of the more expensive rosters in the NFL.

Heading into 2026, the Bucs have six players with cap values of $20 million or more, including three with cap values north of $33 million.

QB Baker Mayfield – $39,975,000

LT Tristan Wirfs – $36,328,582
WR Chris Godwin – $33,683,000

S Antoine Winfield Jr. – $27,466,000

RT Luke Goedeke – $22,681,200
DT Vita Vea – $22,194,462

To put that in perspective, both Super Bowl teams – Seattle and New England – have just two and four players with salary cap values over $20 million in 2026, respectively. And Tampa Bay’s top competitors in the NFC – Detroit (five), Philadelphia (four), San Francisco (three) and the Los Angeles Rams (three) – each have fewer $20 million players than the Bucs do.

If the Bucs re-sign Mike Evans, that will make seven players with cap values of $20 million or more. You want general manager Jason Licht to trade for Las Vegas edge rusher Maxx Crosby and his $30 million guaranteed salary in 2026? Now it’s up to eight players over $20 million in cap value.

That’s simply unsustainable going forward as the team can’t have seven players with $20 million in cap space taking up close to 60% of Tampa Bay’s entire salary cap. And keep in mind that Baker Mayfield, who will be making $40 million in 2026, will get a contract extension between $50 million-$60 million per year in 2027.

Outside linebacker Yaya Diaby and right guard Cody Mauch are also in contract years and could be in line for big extensions in 2027. Right now Diaby could fetch $20 million-$22 million on the market if he were a free agent. If Diaby hits 10 sacks in 2026, he could be looking at a deal worth $25 million or more. As a guard, Mauch won’t get as much, but could be in line for a deal around $15 million-$18 million, depending on how his 2027 season goes coming off knee surgery.

It’s easy to suggest that maybe 31-year old defensive tackle Vita Vea and 30-year old Chris Godwin are playing their final seasons in Tampa Bay. The Bucs may not be able to afford to re-sign Vea next year at age 32, and if Godwin doesn’t justify his massive $22 million guaranteed base salary this year with a 1,000-yard season, he could be released next year at age 31 to avoid paying his $20.5 million salary in 2027, which isn’t guaranteed.

So that might lower the Bucs’ amount of $20 million cap players from six to four, but re-signing Diaby to a big extension in 2027 would bring it back up to five.

Bucs Will Be Patient In Free Agency

Tampa Bay typically doesn’t participate in the initial wave of free agency where big-name players get paid big-time money – and at times are overpaid due to bidding wars between teams. Big-name players do not always equal big-time production, either.

A case in point is outside linebacker Haason Reddick, whom the Bucs aggressively pursued and signed on the first day of free agency to a one-year, $14 million deal. That move backfired as the 31-year old Reddick underwhelmed and finished his lone season in Tampa Bay with 2.5 sacks – half a sack less than his backup, Anthony Nelson, had.

Team sources tell me that this is not a great free agent class and that the Bucs aren’t going to overpay for players as a result. This approach will surely frustrate some fans who want general manager Jason Licht to be more aggressive, but as previously mentioned, Tampa Bay’s salary cap situation in 2026 and moving forward has become top heavy with six players already having $20-plus million cap hits.

Tampa Bay will take a methodical approach to free agency and look for some value free agents like the team has found starters with in the past on lesser one-year, prove-it deals with Shaq Barrett (2019), Baker Mayfield (2023) and Ben Bredeson (2024). By staying out of the initial free agent frenzy that occurs in the first 48-72 hours, Licht and Co. hope to find some good free agents who are left standing when the big money musical chairs game ends by the middle of next week.

Bucs Are Likely Out Of The Maxx Crosby Trade Conversation

The Raiders’ asking price for Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby is two first-round picks and a good, starting-caliber player, which was the same level of compensation the Cowboys received from the Packers in the Micah Parsons trade – even though Parsons is three years younger. That would seemingly eliminate the Bucs, as it’s doubtful that Jason Licht would want to part ways with two first-round picks.

The highest draft pick compensation he has ever surrendered in any trade was a third-round pick for outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul in 2018.

It was believed that Las Vegas’ asking price was coming down to a first-round pick in 2026, a Day 2 pick in 2027 and a good, starting-caliber player. But new reports suggest that there might be teams offering exactly what the Raiders want.

Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, New England and possibly Seattle could be among the top suitors and all it takes is one team to capitulate and offer up two first-round picks and a player to acquire Crosby, who is coming off meniscus surgery and turns 29 in August.

If the Bucs were to surprise by making a trade for Crosby the player the team would most likely give up would be outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who is in a contract year. Tampa Bay wouldn’t be able to afford Crosby’s $30 million price tag moving forward and do a multi-year extension for Diaby at $20 million or more in 2027. The Bucs just don’t have the budget for $50 million for its two starting edge rushers.

There has been speculation that the Bucs could ship right tackle Luke Goedeke, wide receiver Chris Godwin or safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to the Raiders, but there’s no way Licht would have the stomach to trade away a starting offensive tackle coming off a season in which the offensive line was ravaged with injuries.

Ben Chukwuma may develop into a quality starter at some point, but with just two games worth of playing experience he’s nowhere ready to replace Goedeke, especially in a contract year for quarterback Baker Mayfield. Chukwuma’s value to Tampa Bay this year is that of a swing tackle, especially given the fact that Goedeke and Tristan Wirfs missed a combined 11 games last year.

If anything, Licht wants to fortify Tampa Bay’s offensive line in 2026, not weaken it.

It’s Unlikely The Bucs Will Be In The Trey Hendrickson Sweepstakes

Don’t let the Trey Hendrickson’s Pro Football Focus valuation of a one-year deal at $21 million fool you. Hendrickson signed a four-year, $60 million deal with Cincinnati in free agency in 2021, but was given a pay raise up to $29 million along with an extension for the 2025 season.

Despite being 31 and coming off hip-pelvic surgery, Hendrickson’s asking price is $35 million, according to a source. That’s a whopping $14 million more than PFF’s projected deal for the four-time Pro Bowler.

Hendrickson might not fetch that much, but the Cowboys appear to be interested if they don’t factor into the Maxx Crosby trade equation. How much would the Bucs be willing to pay? It likely depends on if Mike Evans re-signs or not.

Tampa Bay has about $50 million in cash to spend in free agency this year, and if Evans re-signs for $20 million, that would leave $30 million in cash to spend for the rest of free agency. And if the team was to drop $30 million on Hendrickson – that’s it. No free agent linebackers, defensive tackles, offensive linemen or cornerbacks.

Hendrickson, a Florida native who played at Florida Atlantic and has a house in Ponte Vedra, suggested he would love to stay in state and play for the Buccaneers. But how much would he be willing to come down in price to do so? It’s doubtful that Tampa Bay would be interested for anything more than $20 million, and the team’s own valuation of him given his age and recent injury, which required surgery and caused him to miss the final 10 games of the 2025 season, might be even less.

The one upside to signing Hendrickson though would be that Tampa Bay could get a premier pass rusher without surrendering any draft pick compensation.

SR’s Free Agency Buc Shots

• Names to keep in mind for the Bucs at inside linebacker in free agency include Detroit’s Alex Anzalone and New York’s Quincy Williams. If Tampa Bay is going to make a free agent splash this offseason, it could be for Cleveland’s Devin Bush, depending on his price tag.

The team is interested in re-signing starting inside linebacker Lavonte David – at the right price – if he wants to play one more year at the age of 36 coming off knee surgery. But the Bucs may want to see what they can get in free agency first at the linebacker position before pursuing David, who will either play for Tampa Bay or retire this offseason.

• The Bucs are hoping to strike a deal with running back Sean Tucker that would be cheaper than the $3.52 million restricted free agent tender. But Tucker is now a free agent and will have the ability to sign elsewhere. In case Tucker departs Tampa Bay could turn to Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier, whom new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson knows very well.

The Bucs probably wouldn’t want to pay him what he’s seeking, which is believed to be between $6 million-$8 million per season. But if he came to Tampa Bay to split carries with Bucky Irving for $5 million on a one-year deal, that could make up for Tucker’s potential departure, and Allgeier would be worth it as he’s a more proven commodity at the running back position. It is doubtful that the Bucs could land both in free agency unless each back was a bargain.

• Believe it or not, there could be a market for defensive tackle Logan Hall in the $8 million-$10 million per year range. If that’s the case he’s certainly gone from Tampa Bay. But if he gets to free agency and the market just isn’t there, don’t rule out him returning to the Bucs on a one-year deal in the $5-$7 million range.

• Tampa Bay is expected to be interested in re-signing backup receiver Sterling Shepard, reserve tight end Ko Kieft and backup guard Dan Feeney to cheap, one-year deals, in addition to having interest in bringing back defensive back Christian Izien for the right price after not tendering him as a restricted free agent. Running back Rachaad White and cornerback Jamel Dean plan on leaving Tampa Bay in free agency.