The Bucs haven’t been shy when it comes to paying top dollar to lure their top targets in undrafted free agency.
Last year, Tampa Bay paid Georgia State offensive tackle Ben Chukwuma a $55,000 signing bonus and then additionally guaranteed $245,000 of his 2026 base salary on a three-year deal. The Buccaneers did the same thing with Marshall safety JJ Roberts, giving him a $30,000 signing bonus and guaranteeing $270,000 of his 2026 base salary on a similar three-year deal.
Both Chukwuma and Roberts made the team last year with Chukwuma starting two games at offensive tackle, while Roberts would have made the 53-man roster but wound up on injured reserve after suffering a season-ending knee injury in a joint practice with the Steelers in Pittsburgh during the preseason.
Now Tampa Bay is doing the same thing with several members of its 2026 undrafted free agent class.
OT Paul Rubelt, QB Jalon Daniels Among Bucs UDFAs With Most Guaranteed Money
Fox Sports’ Greg Auman compiled a list of the Buccaneers undrafted free agents with the most guaranteed money, according to Spotrac.
Bucs undrafted rookie free agents with the most guaranteed money, per Spotrac:
T Paul Rubelt $277,500
QB Jalon Daniels $272,500
G Henry Lutovsky $262,500
DL DeShawn McKnight $257,500
WR Eric Rivers $250k
S Ja'Qurious Conley $180k($247,500 is practice squad salary) https://t.co/PfE17GE6Li
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) May 28, 2026
Offensive tackle Paul Rubelt, who hails from nearby UCF, received the most guaranteed salary at $277,500. The Buccaneers have designated the 6-foot-10 Rubelt as their IPP (International Pathway Program) player because he was born in Germany. That means he will have a roster exemption and won’t count against the team’s 53-man roster this season.
Bucs QB Jalon Daniels – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The next-highest undrafted free agent salary guarantee was doled out to Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels, who has impressed the team so far this offseason in the rookie mini-camp and the first week of OTAs. Daniels received $272,500 in guaranteed salary this year and is battling Connor Bazelak for the QB3 job in Tampa Bay this year and likely a spot on the practice squad.
Nebraska guard Henry Lutovsky received $262,500 in guaranteed salary, while Arizona defensive tackle DeShawn McKnight received $257,700 and Georgia Tech wise receiver Eric Rivers got $250,000. Charlotte safety Ja’Qurious Conley received $180,000 in guaranteed salary in 2026. All four are liking vying for practice squad spots with Conley perhaps having an outside shot at a spot on the 53-man roster.
Tampa Bay ranked fourth in the league in guaranteed money for its undrafted free agent class in 2026, totaling $1.9 million. Kansas City dished out the most guaranteed money at $3 million, while Pittsburgh guaranteed the least at $112,000.
Scott Reynolds is in his 30th year of covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the vice president, publisher and senior Bucs beat writer for PewterReport.com. Author of the popular SR's Fab 5 column on Fridays, Reynolds oversees web development and forges marketing partnerships for PewterReport.com in addition to his editorial duties. A graduate of Kansas State University in 1995, Reynolds spent six years giving back to the community as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach for his sons' Pop Warner team, the South Pasco Predators. Reynolds can be reached at: [email protected]
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