For the second straight offseason, the Bucs will have an abnormal number of difficult decisions to make in free agency. Over 25 Bucs players are free agents, including 10 starters. Last year, the Bucs decided to retain all their starters for another Super Bowl run. This year, that is unlikely to be the case. Several free agents could retire, and several will take bigger offers on other teams.

However, next year’s free agency looks much simpler for the Bucs. There are far fewer important players potentially hitting the market, and the team will be giving out less one-year deals in 2022 than they did last offseason. The light at the end of the free agency tunnel in 2023 should alleviate the Bucs situation in 2022 as well.

2023 Bucs Free Agent Starters

Next offseason, the Bucs will have free agent decisions to make on four defensive starters and two key contributors. Lavonte David and Devin White will be easy calls. White will almost certainly get this fifth-year option picked up, which will delay his free agency until 2024. David will be 33 and could retire. If he chooses to continue playing, negotiations should be simply to keep him on a 1-year deal. It’s unlikely David would want to go anywhere else.

Bucs CB Sean Murphy-Bunting – Photo by: USA Today

The other two starters are cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean. To this point, Murphy-Bunting has done nothing deserving of consideration for an extension. He’s been massively inconsistent and struggled in man and zone coverage, from the slot or on the outside. Murphy-Bunting should be pushed for playing time this upcoming training camp.

As for Dean, he might be the lone difficult decision. The third-year cornerback really elevated his play last season, making a ton of plays on the ball. Dean is talented and has improved every year. This is a very important season for the Auburn product. If Dean balls out in 2022, the Bucs could choose to pay him next offseason. We’ll see.

Of course, if Carlton Davis is tagged this offseason, he could be a free agent in 2023 too. The Bucs will attempt to work out a long-term deal with Davis this offseason, which should be doable. Currently, Tampa Bay isn’t paying any defensive backs on their team anything close to big money. But they’ve made it clear they view Davis as a top-tier cornerback. And it won’t even require top-tier money to keep him around.

Role Players Hitting Free Agency

Mike Edwards, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Anthony Nelson are three key reserves who will be free agents in 2023. Edwards has been a great ballhawk for the Bucs, but hasn’t really served as a full-time player. If Jordan Whitehead isn’t re-signed this offseason, Edwards may get an opportunity to start for a full season. His market is completely yet-to-be-determined.

Nelson will likely be a cheap re-signing if he impresses next year. And Nunez-Roches will be in the same price range as his current contract, if not cheaper. Scotty Miller is also set to be a free agent in 2023, but his roster spot isn’t even guaranteed for 2022.

Flexibility For 2022 Free Agents

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

Overall, the Bucs shouldn’t have many difficult decisions to make next offseason. As a result, the team should have increased flexibility this offseason when structuring free agent contracts. The Bucs can design contracts to have bigger payouts in 2023 and even 2024, when the cap will go up exponentially.

That should help with being able to match offers for players like Godwin, Davis and others. The Bucs have also handed out basically zero bad contracts since 2017, so there aren’t a lot of regrettable long-term deals eating up cap space. That will help as they go to the negotiating table this spring. What the Bucs do this offseason should set up the structure of their roster for the foreseeable future. If they’re able to re-sign most key pieces, any changes in 2023 will likely come at quarterback and on the fringes of their roster.