The Bucs’ cap structure may force some uncomfortable business decisions this offseason.

General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles had plenty to say during their media sessions at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, but when it comes to the direction Tampa Bay takes this offseason, much of what happens will fall on Licht’s shoulders.

To that end, things have remained status quo with each passing season. Most of the top free agents re-sign, new draft picks enter the ranks, and a few external signings join the fold. Nothing too crazy has occurred since legendary quarterback Tom Brady retired after the 2022 season.

After an 8-9 2025 season, though, bigger moves are expected.

The veteran general manager chose an interesting route in answering a couple of questions centered around making tough decisions. Much of the focus is currently on the futures of wide receiver Mike Evans and inside linebacker Lavonte David, but other productive contributors could be sent out of town in balancing the present with the future.

Jason Licht: “You Want To Maintain Flexibility To Do Something That Might Surprise You”

While the Bucs have built a solid core of talent, the time is coming for the team to pick which players will be part of the franchise’s future. As Scott Reynolds pointed out in a recent SR’s FAB 5 column, the team cannot keep everyone.

Currently, six players have a cap value greater than $20 million. Re-signing Mike Evans at that figure would push it to seven, and bringing in anyone else could make it eight players. It is hard to build out a team with that much money allocated in a handful of players.

As Reynolds mentioned:

To put that number in perspective, the Super Bowl champion Seahawks currently have just two players with salary cap values higher than $20 million. San Francisco and Los Angeles only have three. Philadelphia has four. Detroit has five.

That makes defensive tackle Vita Vea, wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr., and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. all finishing their careers with the Bucs less certain. Vea will be a 32-year-old free agent at this time next offseason, while the team could part ways with Godwin now or in 2027, when he will not have any guaranteed money. In Winfield’s case, it could make sense to move on from him sooner rather than later, as he has failed to play anything resembling his 2023 form.

Looming extensions for quarterback Baker Mayfield, outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, and right guard Cody Mauch are something else to consider. This makes the situation trickier than it appears on the surface, and Licht said as much in one of his most attention-grabbing comments of the day.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Kirby Lee

“That’s the tricky situation,” Licht said in weighing the future. “You have to look at the whole picture… You want to maintain flexibility at all times to be able to do something that might surprise you. Surprises always come up. Moving on from players who have been very good is very tough, especially when they’re playing at a very high level.

“You have to look into the future — everyone is an individual case. You can’t just broad stroke and say, ‘When are you going to get rid of a player that’s maybe getting up there in age?’ I think everybody is different. Some players can play longer than others.”

Licht did go on to say in a follow-up that the team is not ready to say goodbye to Vea.

“With Vita, we’re not ready to say goodbye to Vita,” Licht added. “He’s a big, big part of our defense. He’s been a very good player and remains a very good player for us.”

While he started his comment mentioning No. 50, it extended into a discussion that makes one wonder whether Godwin or Winfield will be traded this offseason. “CG” is making $22 million per year, while “AWJ” is making $21 million per year.

Shipping them out appears to be under consideration, reading between the lines. Difficult choices will be made soon enough, one way or the other.

Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. and OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“It is tough at some point, especially when you get into our situation and situations like ours, where we have a lot of players that are, deservingly so, making a lot of money at the top of the salary range and deserve it,” Licht said. “At some point, it’s a part of the puzzle. You have to take a look at that, take a look at how it affects future years, and what you can do. You always want to maintain flexibility in future years.”

Will Jason Licht (Finally) Make A Blockbuster Trade?

Now, it is interesting to ponder what might prompt the Bucs to trade Chris Godwin Jr. or Antoine Winfield Jr.

Landing star pass rusher Maxx Crosby from the Raiders remains the most likely possibility, and moving on from one of them makes a trade more realistic from a cap perspective while costing Tampa Bay less premium draft capital.

Crosby remains the most logical splash acquisition, and for good reason. He might be available via trade and would far and away be the biggest and boldest trade Jason Licht has made since becoming the Bucs general manager in 2014. There is no question that is a premier player at a dire position of need.

Raiders DE Maxx Crosby – Photo by: USA Today

Godwin and Winfield make sense to be part of the return for Las Vegas, as the former would provide a steady, high-volume target for quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is all but certain to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. At the same time, Las Vegas’ defense desperately needs help in the secondary and would need a leader on the side of the ball parting with Crosby.

Winfield checks both of those boxes, and Raiders general manager John Spytek would value those players more highly than just about anyone given he played a key role in Tampa Bay drafting them.

Licht sounds more open than ever to make that kind of franchise-altering move.

“I’m not opposed,” Licht said about making a blockbuster trade. “I wouldn’t say that it’s in my DNA to refrain from doing those things. It’s got to be right, it’s got to be the right trade, it’s got to be the right player; it’s a lot of factors that go into it.

“It’s the age of the player, the injury history of the player, and what else besides draft capital you have to give up. Once again, talking about the flexibility that we can maintain. So, I’m not opposed to those things. You just have to see where things go.”

There are plenty of things the Bucs need to sort out over the next month after the NFL Combine. What happens to Mike Evans and Lavonte David will garner plenty of headlines, but perhaps Jason Licht has just as large of a trick up his sleeve to shake up the roster.

For the first time in years, Tampa Bay’s core feels negotiable.