NFL Offseason Previews: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The NFL offseason is upon us, and teams will begin working to craft their 2023 rosters in the coming months. In this series of offseason previews, we will look at what each team has to work with and their biggest needs. Today we continue with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offseason preview.

As a reminder, here are dates to keep in mind for the 2023 NFL offseason:

  • March 7: deadline for teams to use the franchise tag
  • March 13: legal tampering period opens
  • March 15: NFL free agency begins and the new league year starts
  • April 21: deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
  • April 27-29: NFL draft
  • May 1: deadline for teams to exercise 5th-year options on 2020 first-round draft picks
  • July 15: deadline for franchise tag players to sign an extension
  • You can find previous team’s offseason previews here: Bears | Bengals | Browns | Lions | Packers | Steelers | Vikings | Ravens | 49ers | Broncos | Rams | Chargers | Seahawks | Raiders | Cardinals | Chiefs | Eagles | Dolphins | Giants | Jets | Patriots | Commanders | Falcons | Texans | Saints | Colts |

    2022 Summary

    The 2022 Buccaneers squeaked into the playoffs with an 8-9 record and then got blasted by the Dallas Cowboys. Since then, Tom Brady has retired, Playoff Lenny is gone, and the Buccaneers are staring down an offseason that they begin nearly $41 million over the cap.

    Yikes.

    Key Positional Needs

    Here’s where the Buccaneers need to find help this offseason:

  • QB
  • EDGE
  • CB
  • G
  • RB
  • Key Free Agents

    Here’s a look at the Buccaneers upcoming key free agents:

  • Lavonte David (ILB)
  • Jamel Dean (CB)
  • William Gholston (DE)
  • Julio Jones (WR)
  • Akiem Hicks (DE)
  • Keanu Neal (SS)
  • Aaron Stinnie (G)
  • Josh Wells (RT)
  • Salary Cap & Draft Capital

    Here’s a look at the salary cap room and draft capital that the Buccaneers have to work with this offseason:

  • Current draft picks: 19 (1), 50 (2), 82 (3), 155 (5), 175 (5), 181 (6), 196 (6), 232 (7), 253 (7)
  • Cap space: –$40.4M
  • Offseason Outlook

    The Buccaneers are $40-plus million over the salary cap, have Kyle Trask as their QB1 on the depth chart, a slew of impending free agents, and a ton of work to do.

    Tampa Bay can clear some space, which should be priority No. 1 for them. Here are a few ways:

  • Donovan Smith (OT): $9.9 million in cap space.
  • Shaq Mason (G): $9.6 million
  • Ryan Succop (K): $3.8 million
  • Those moves, combined with the Fournette, Brate, and David moves, should bring the Buccaneers to about $26 million over the cap. Yeah, they’ve still got plenty of work to do.

    Related Reading

    If you’re looking for more offseason reading, Sam Hoppen at 4for4 (our sister company) is previewing each division:

    https://www.4for4.com/2022/w22/nfc-south-key-free-agents-draft-picks-needs-and-available-cap-space

    written by

    Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

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