A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough Bucs question. This week’s prompt: Which position do the Bucs need to prioritize the most in free agency?

Scott Reynolds: Defensive Tackle Is An Area That Needs Upgrading

When healthy, the defensive tackle duo of Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea is one of the best in the NFL. The two teamed up for 14.5 sacks during the 2024 season, but when Kancey was lost for 14 games after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in a Week 2 win at Houston, the Bucs didn’t have another impact defensive tackle and even Vea’s play suffered, too. Kancey’s quickness combined with Vea’s power is the one-two punch that makes Tampa Bay’s defensive front so dangerous. The only problem is that Kancey has played in 29 games, but has missed 22 due to injuries.

Bucs DTs Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With Vea turning 31 this offseason and entering a contract year, and with Kancey being injury-prone in his first three seasons in red and pewter, the Bucs absolutely need to bolster the defensive tackle position this offseason – starting with free agency. Logan Hall will likely not be re-signed as he has underwhelmed as a former second-round pick. Reserve nose tackle Greg Gaines turns 30 in May and the Bucs could use an upgrade over him. So that’s two defensive tackles that likely need to be replaced, as the team only has three very young options behind Vea and Kancey in Elijah Roberts, Elijah Simmons and Jayson Jones.

The draft is not particularly strong or deep at defensive tackle this year. There are maybe three first-round options and maybe seven defensive tackles that could be viewed as either Day 1 or Day 2 selections. The Bucs can’t afford to wait to address this position in the draft and must sign at least one defensive tackle that could provide an impact – a player like Detroit’s D.J. Reader, New England’s Khyiris Tonga or Houston’s Sheldon Rankins. Then the Bucs should invest in another defensive tackle in the draft to further bolster the position.

Matt Matera: Bucs Could Use An Upgrade At Tight End

With all the needs that the Bucs on each side of the ball, tight end is a position they can address in free agency so they can focus on improving other areas of the team through the draft. Its time they upgrade over Cade Otton, who is a solid player, but not the consistent producer this team could use on offense.

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Otton plays 97% of the snaps, so anyone Tampa Bay looks for has to be ready to go the whole way. Although that could change as they look for a new offensive coordinator. There was always some controversy with Otton because he didn’t wear gloves, and any time he dropped a pass everyone questioned why he isn’t wearing them. It’s not that Otton is bad, its just that he’s okay at receiving and blocking. The Bucs need someone that excels at one or the other, but particularly in receiving.

The top tight end in free agency is Isaiah Likely, who has made splash plays for the Ravens even though he is behind Mark Andrews on the depth chart. Likely has big-play ability and would help the explosively of the offense. The odds that David Njoku leaves the Browns aren’t high, but if he does, he’s the type of guy that has the size and is great at the top two assignments of a tight end. Tampa Bay needs a new look at that position going into next season.

Adam Slivon: The Bucs Can Address Edge Rusher In Free Agency, Too

The Bucs have multiple avenues to explore adding another edge rusher for 2026. Tampa Bay could always call up Raiders general manager John Spytek and barter for Maxx Crosby. The 2026 NFL Draft has several first-round caliber pass rushers that Pewter Report will be diving into further over the next couple of months. Another way the team can add help to the outside linebacker position is through free agency, where there are plenty of quality names who can provide a boost.

Chargers OLBs Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Eric Canha

It should be a priority this offseason to upgrade the rest of the outside linebacker position this offseason around Yaya Diaby. Diaby profiles as a solid No. 2 pass rusher, but he needs help. The biggest free agents in terms of name recognition are Trey Hendrickson and Khalil Mack. Should Tampa Bay elect to draft someone in the first round, either Hendrickson or Mack would not be the worst option on a short-term deal to shore up the room while the draft pick comes along this season. It would hedge against any slow development and provide someone who can get after and bring down opposing quarterbacks.

There are also plenty of younger options who could provide help and offer more upside. Odafe Oweh, Boye Mafe, Jaelan Phillips, Kwity Paye, and K’Lavon Chaisson are among other pass rushers in their mid-20s who would immediately solidify the floor of the position.

Oweh has 17.5 sacks over the past two years, while Mafe has been a key contributor to an elite Seahawks” defense. Phillips is a talented player coveted enough by the Eagles to part with a third-round pick to acquire him from the Dolphins at the trade deadline. Paye and Chaisson are not household names, but each has had sneaky production, including the latter getting two sacks during the Patriots’ 16-3 win over the Chargers during Wild Card weekend.

Tampa Bay needs more than just Diaby and should add two more outside linebackers this offseason. One of them could come by way of making a big swing via trade or the draft, but there are plenty of solid names to consider on the open market, too.

Bailey Adams: Go Get A Veteran Cornerback, Bucs

Only because I can’t pick inside linebacker (that Josh Queipo guy beat me to it!), I’m pivoting to the cornerback position, especially with how unlikely a Jamel Dean return seems right now. I’m not out on Zyon McCollum after a down 2025 season, but if I’m the Bucs, I’m also not comfortable going into 2026 with McCollum and Benjamin Morrison as the only ones leading the room.

Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison and Patriots WR Kyle Morrison – Photo by: USA Today

McCollum is absolutely a starter on one side, of course, but you can’t just hand Morrison the other spot in his second season, especially after he missed so much time in his rookie year. And while I do think it’s worth drafting another cornerback to keep stocking that position with talent, I think Tampa Bay needs to bring in a veteran cornerback who can challenge Morrison, for one, and at the very least, provide quality depth when/if one of the starters goes down. It always happens at some point.

This is a move I’m mostly pitching because of the questions surrounding Morrison, but I also wouldn’t hate it if the Bucs are able to go out and find a CB1 or CB1A type of corner to pair with/push McCollum. Because while I said I’m not out on McCollum after 2025, I’m finding myself worried about just naming him CB1 and calling it a day. It’s why I’d like to have Dean back. But if he doesn’t re-sign, I think the Bucs need someone to fill the role he had in 2025.

Josh Queipo: Linebacker Has Been The Bucs’ Achilles Heel

It’s no coincidence that the Bucs’ sack totals took a step back in 2025 just as they got the worst linebacker play of the last eight years or so. The lack of athleticism at the second level of Tampa Bay’s defense made it impossible for the pass rush to get home in time. The Bucs were sixth in get-off time, fifth in time to pressure and fourth in total pressures.

But they were 19th in sacks. A big reason for that disparity is because quarterbacks knew as long as they got the ball out quickly, they could beat Tampa Bay’s linebackers to the middle of the field for easy completions.

Bucs ILBs Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: USA Today

No linebacker duo allowed more passing yards than the 1,174 yards that SirVocea Dennis and Lavonte David gave up. David made it sound like 2025 was his last year in the NFL and it probably needs to be at age 36. Dennis is entering a contract year and should not have a guaranteed roster spot, let alone a starting spot. The draft should provide options, but starting two young linebackers can be problematic. The Bengals started dual rookies Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter this year and they were a worse all-around unit than the Bucs trotted out.

As of right now there looks to be a great crop of middle-defenders headed for free agency headlined by Nakobe Dean and Devin Lloyd and an under-the-radar Devin Bush. The Bucs should put that group at the top of their priority list to pair one of these veterans with a young talent to try and add athleticism back to the middle of their defense.