It was earlier this week that I wrote a story about how the Bucs could make one more defensive free agent move. Less than 24 hours later, Tampa Bay went out and signed veteran inside linebacker Christian Rozeboom.
Barring something unforeseen, it appears that the team has now made all the moves it will before the 2026 NFL Draft. Tampa Bay could still use a veteran cornerback, so signing one prior to the draft might make sense. But with most of free agency now in the rear view mirror, it is time to survey and assess how the Bucs fared.
After first analyzing how the team’s signings were a mixed bag from a value perspective, how they compare to the rest of the NFL is telling, with two national outlets offering their opinions on the best and worst moves.
Bucs Free Agency Haul Ranks In Bottom Half Of The NFL
ESPN’s Ben Solak took the liberty of ranking each team’s free agency class. While the Steelers placed first and the 49ers placed second, the Bucs are in a much different spot. Solak ranked them 22nd, placing them in the bottom half of the league. He then went over one decision he loved and one that he didn’t.
Here is what he had to say as it relates to Tampa Bay:
I loved: Passing on the top of the edge market. I know Bucs fans were hoping for a Maxx Crosby trade or a Trey Hendrickson signing, but I think the edge rusher market got out of control this offseason, and I don’t fault GM Jason Licht for skipping out. Tampa Bay still needs more at the position, but Muhammad and Yaya Diaby are two good rotation guys, and David Walker (2025 fourth-round pick) still has his rookie season upcoming as he returns from a summer ACL tear. An early pick at the position should solidify the group.
It is worth acknowledging that not making a move to acquire a star pass rusher is disappointing from a fan perspective, but also to those who wanted to see the Bucs add more star power. With the defense only recording 37 sacks last season, it is clear the unit lacks a top-of-the-line option who can dominate games. At the same time, electing to sign Al-Quadin Muhammad could quickly end up paying off.
Bucs OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Junfu Han
It is different than when Tampa Bay brought in Haason Reddick on a one-year, $14 million deal last offseason. Landing Muhammad at just a $4 million base salary happened after the team was able to address other positions. Instead of putting all their eggs into the Crosby or Hendrickson basket, they elected to divvy up the funds to deepen each room.
When it comes to move Solak was not so much a fan of, it came to a surprising statement about one of the team’s deepest rooms with the acquisition of running back Kenneth Gainwell.
I didn’t love: The Gainwell addition. I know I’m alone on this island, but I don’t like an RB room with two smaller players. Bucky Irving was banged up for much of 2025, and the Buccaneers should be careful with his workload. But can Gainwell be an 18-plus-touch player if Irving misses a month? The Buccaneers did retain Sean Tucker, but three-headed backfields exist more in theory than in practice. I think Irving’s electric talent is maximized in more of a 50-50 split, and I’m not sure that’s achievable with the current group.
In making sense of the running back room, there is no getting around the fact offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will be entrusting the bulk of the touches to Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell. After seeing how that worked out last season for former offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard as he ran Irving into the ground, the thought process of bringing in Gainwell is having two running backs with similar skill sets who can play off each other.
Bucs RB Kenneth Gainwell – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Any power back/goal line touches are expected to be Sean Tucker’s for the taking, but there is a level of concern that he can handle such duties. As Solak points out, working in all three running backs is harder than it looks, and it was a challenge that Liam Coen nor Grizzard failed to consistently solve with Tucker. He flashed in spurts, but allocating playing time to a trio of backs is a challenge that Robinson will now be taking on. The talent is there to make it work, but will things be split up in a sensible way from a game-planning standpoint?
What Were The Best And Worst Of The Bucs’ Moves?
Then came the next level of constructive criticism, this coming from Pro Football Focus’ Zoltán Buday. Buday went over which moves were his favorite and least favorite and explained why. Starting with the best, he praised one addition to the defensive front seven.
The Lions got consistently above-average play from [Alex] Anzalone over the past couple of years. He ranked between 33rd and 35th among linebackers in each of the last three seasons in PFF overall grade. Getting that level of consistency at the position makes Anzalone worth being the 23rd-highest-paid linebacker over the next two seasons.
Anzalone helps shore up the inside linebacker position, now stepping into the role of being a veteran presence who will stabilize an area that was the cause for much frustration to anyone who has watched Tampa Bay’s defense in recent seasons. With an open defensive captain spot available, it very well could go to the 31-year-old linebacker, who held that role with the Lions. That remains to be seen.
Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Katie Stratman
Another defensive front seven addition was not viewed as highly in the eyes of Buday.
[A’Shawn] Robinson has been past his prime for a couple of seasons, and a Panthers front office that needed all the help it could get on defense released him. Although his 2025 was better than his previous two seasons, Robinson still ranked just 45th among interior defenders with a 63.7 PFF overall grade. At this stage of his career, he is probably a situational role player. Yet, his contract suggests the Buccaneers think otherwise.
Robinson’s exact role in Tampa Bay is unclear, as the team has Elijah Roberts in queue to replace the vacant role left by Logan Hall, who signed with the Texans in free agency. Perhaps the veteran defensive tackle is not the biggest name from a production standpoint, but Buday’s analysis of this move is something I do not necessarily agree with.
Bucs DT A’Shawn Robinson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Jim Dedmon
He was signed to be a one-year stopgap solution, but he was also brought in for his attitude, which is something that cannot be quantified with dollar signs yet is something that will be felt on Sundays. For that, his deal makes more sense, and what is the Panthers loss could very well be the Bucs gain in 2026.
When assessing how the Bucs free agency went, one can see it through various lenses. Having an outside perspective is valuable, but all the insight is just that – insight. How things play out is a different story, one that will be told when next season kicks off.