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INTRO: The next two weeks will be big for not just the rest of the 2026 season in Tampa Bay, but also for what the Bucs roster and salary cap could look like in 2027 if general manager Jason Licht decides to trade away a talented player or two at the NFL trade deadline, which is Tuesday, November 10 during the Bucs’ bye week. I reveal what Licht’s big Bucs dilemma is and go over some of the possible situations that could occur in the coming weeks in this week’s SR’s FAB 5. Enjoy!

FAB 1. Jason Licht’s Big Bucs Dilemma

Bucs general manager Jason Licht is facing a big dilemma with his team at 2-5 two weeks away from the NFL trade deadline.

Does he do what he’s never done before and trade away talent for draft picks? Or does he stand pat and see if his Buccaneers can get back into the race to the top of crap hill, affectionately known as the NFC South division?

Licht has been here before. Tampa Bay started the 2015, 2017 and 2019 seasons with 2-5 records – all with different head coaches in Lovie Smith, Dirk Koetter and Bruce Arians. Licht was in a building mode in each of those years, trying to build a team that would eventually reach the Super Bowl.

He succeeded, of course. And in 2020, the roster that Licht built attracted Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback in NFL history, to Tampa Bay in free agency where he helped the team win Super Bowl LV.

Licht had just successfully lured Bruce Arians out of retirement to coach the team in 2019, and instead of trading away some of the team’s top talent, as Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano suggested, Licht stood pat with his existing roster at the trade deadline. He didn’t ship off aging veterans Shaq Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul or Ndamukong Suh for draft picks. Instead, those players would play instrumental roles in helping the Bucs beat the Chiefs and win Super Bowl LV.

Romano’s column was titled: “Bucs Can Stand Pat (And Be Delusional) Or Make Trades (And Be Smart)”

Bucs GM Jason Licht and Bruce Arians – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The biggest difference between the team’s 2-5 start in 2019 and this year’s 2-5 start is that it was Arians’ first season as head coach back then, and this is Todd Bowles’ fifth season as head coach. The Arians era was just beginning, while it seems like the Bowles era could be drawing to a close unless the Bucs miraculously right the ship to somehow go 7-3 down the stretch to finish 9-8 and make the playoffs by winning the NFC South. Bowles, who turns 63 later this month, has a mediocre 37-38 (.493) record in Tampa Bay.

Because the Bucs have won four division championships since winning the Super Bowl, they are neither building nor undergoing a drastic rebuild. Instead, they are reloading, and that’s a distinct difference from the 2019 season.

The reason that Licht stood pat and didn’t make any trades at the deadline in 2019 was because talent wasn’t the issue.

Tampa Bay lost its 2019 season opener to San Francisco, 31-17, because Jameis Winston threw three interceptions, including a pair of pick-sixes. The Bucs’ other four losses at the start of the season were by a combined 22 points with Winston committing a total of 10 more turnovers in those four other defeats, including five interceptions against the Panthers in an 11-point loss in London.

The Bucs’ five losses this year have been by a combined 23 points with the largest margin of defeat being a 7-point loss in overtime to the Steelers. The last blowout loss the team encountered was back in Week 12 last year in Los Angeles when the Rams shellacked the Bucs, 34-7, on Sunday Night Football.

Since then, the Bucs have played in 12 one-score games (eight points or less), going 2-4 in those games at the end of the 2025 season, and going 1-5 in those contests this season. The lone exception was Tampa Bay’s 30-point demolition of the Panthers in Carolina on Sunday, 43-13.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

If Licht’s team truly didn’t have talent, the Buccaneers would be getting blown out. That’s what happens when there is a talent discrepancy or a lot of injuries, as was the case last year when the banged-up Bucs faced the Rams.

Instead, Tampa Bay hasn’t been blown out in nearly a year, yet has gone 3-9 in close games, blowing three games with double-digit fourth-quarter leads (Falcons in Week 15, Browns in Week 2, Steelers in Week 6). While the Bucs players made some mistakes in those three blown games, poor coaching and poor game/clock management also contributed mightily.

Had Tampa Bay not blown a 14-point lead with 10 minutes left against Atlanta in the infamous “third-and-28!” Thursday Night Football game, the Bucs would have won the division last year with a 9-8 record. If the Bucs had held on to beat the Browns and Steelers this season, Tampa Bay would be leading the division right now with a 4-3 record.

These are the facts that Licht will be considering when deciding whether to trade away a player or two for some salary cap/cash relief and some draft picks or standing pat at the trade deadline this year.

Given the current weakened state of the NFC South, Licht might choose to stand pat. The division does not have a team with a winning record entering Week 8. With Carolina’s loss at Green Bay on Thursday Night Football, a win on Sunday against Atlanta would give Tampa Bay a 2-0 record in the division with current head-to-head tiebreakers over both the Falcons and the Panthers, who would only have a half-game lead with a 3-4 record.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The combined record of Tampa Bay’s opponents is 29-17, and all five of the Bucs’ losses have been to teams with winning records. In the final 10 games, the combined record of Tampa Bay’s opponents is only 29-37, and the Bucs face only three teams – Chicago (5-2), Detroit (4-2) and Baltimore (4-2) – with winning records. Although it’s a safe bet that the Los Angeles Rams, who are 3-4, will have a winning record by the time they travel to Raymond James Stadium in Week 17.

If the Bucs don’t beat the Falcons on Sunday, the prospects for a bounce-back season in 2026 looks much weaker at 2-6. Tampa Bay would need to win four games in a row just to get back to .500 – and that wouldn’t happen until December at the earliest.

A loss on Sunday would give the team even less margin for error, having to go 7-2 over the remaining nine games to get to nine wins, which could win the NFC South this year – although that’s not guaranteed.

If Tampa Bay beats Atlanta, expect Licht to stand pat with the current roster with maybe one exception (see FAB 2). But if the Falcons beat the Bucs for a fourth straight year at Raymond James Stadium, Licht might be inclined to trade away multiple players. We’ll see.

The dilemma Licht faces is what would be more valuable to a new head coach in 2027? Inheriting a team with a lot of perceived talent and not much salary cap room or extra draft picks, or a team with maybe a star player or two traded away with a bit more salary cap room and a few extra draft picks as a result?

Bucs general manager Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs will be competing with other teams for the best head coaching candidates in the 2027 offseason if the losses continue with Bowles being on the hot seat. The Glazers have fired every head coach – Greg Schiano, Lovie Smith and Dirk Koetter – that has lost back-to-back seasons. It feels like this team is either stagnating or getting worse with Bowles, who is 4-12 in his last 16 games.

Licht has worked with four head coaches in Tampa Bay – Smith, Koetter, Arians and Bowles – yet has only hired two in Koetter and Arians. Licht was hired by Smith and inherited Bowles after Arians abruptly retired at the end of March 2022. So with a 1-1 track record, but also winning a Super Bowl, Licht should get the chance to hire one more head coach.

Again, talent doesn’t seem to be a problem in Tampa Bay thanks to the personnel department’s draft classes and forays into free agency. Just ask the Panthers after last Sunday’s drubbing. The Bucs are simply underachieving this year, and good coaches don’t let that happen.

The right head coaching candidate could look at the Buccaneers as a turn-key situation where a turnaround can happen by showing up with better schemes, gameplans and game management. That’s exactly what happened in Jacksonville when an offensive mastermind like Liam Coen and his able staff inherited a 4-13 Jaguars team in 2025 and flipped the record to 13-4, winning the AFC South division.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and assistant GMs Mike Greenberg and Rob McCartney – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Trading away a player like running back Kenny Gainwell or one established star like defensive tackle Vita Vea, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. or wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. might not rock the boat too much in Tampa Bay. But if Licht makes multiple trades and goes into fire sale mode at the deadline that could crush team morale.

With half the season left it would be clear that the focus would be on 2027 and no longer on the 2026 season. Bowles would be a dead man walking and the results on Sundays probably wouldn’t be good with the remaining players wondering about their own futures rather than focused on winning.

Games that might have been one-score wins or losses might snowball into double-digit losses. And while that could help the team’s draft order next year it might backfire in helping to lure the best head coaching candidate if the team descends into regular blowout loss territory because there is nothing to play for.

Whatever Licht decides to do must ultimately work out in the end. He needs to take the right course of action yet doesn’t have the benefit of a crystal ball.

The guess here is that Licht has been carefully weighing all of these options for the past month now leading up to the NFL trade deadline on November 10. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out over the next two weeks.

FAB 2. The Bucs’ Running Back Dilemma

There were high hopes for running back Kenny Gainwell when he signed a two-year, $14 million deal this offseason. Gainwell’s addition raised some eyebrows, especially over his price tag, but it was needed with Bucky Irving coming off shoulder surgery and a down year in 2025 following a 1,100-yard rookie season.

Gainwell drew rave reviews in the offseason and during training camp for his ability as a runner and a receiver, yet the practice hype hasn’t translated to much gameday success. Prior to Sundays’ 43-13 demolition of the Panthers, Gainwell had 19 carries for 61 yards (3.2 avg.) with 12 catches for 61 yards (5.1 avg.) with one touchdown.

Gainwell finally had a breakout game with 88 yards on 14 carries (6.3 avg.) with a season-long 29-yard dash. That may have rekindled his value a bit and could have running back-needy teams interested in acquiring him. Green Bay, Detroit, Philadelphia and Minnesota have been mentioned as possible trading partners with the Bucs – likely for a late Day 3 pick.

Bucs RB Kenny Gainwell – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

The new Bucs running back does have $3 million in guaranteed money next year, but trading Gainwell or cutting him would save $4 million in cap space. Throw in the fact that Tampa Bay just re-signed Barika Kpeenu to the practice squad and now the team has five running backs under contract. Bucky Irving, Gainwell, Sean Tucker and Josh Williams are on the active roster with Kpeenu on the practice squad.

Does a team really need five running backs? No. Sean Tucker has a pair of 100-yard games in his career, averaging 7.4 yards per carry thanks to his 46-yard touchdown jaunt at Carolina. And the team still high on Williams. It certainly seems like Gainwell, who is coming off a big game, proving that he could still be productive, could be trade bait.

Trading away a newcomer like Gainwell wouldn’t send shockwaves through the locker room the way trading a more established star like wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr., defensive tackle Vita Vea or safety Antoine Winfield Jr. would, either. Plus, there is only one ball and the Bucs would feel good if it was in the hands of Tucker and Williams – not just Irving.

If Licht wanted to part ways with any other players for cap relief, cash savings and draft capital he could still do so in the 2027 offseason prior to the draft. Keep that in mind.

The only Buccaneer who might fetch something now as opposed to the offseason would be Godwin, and he would only bring in a late Day 3 pick as it is due to his age, injury history, meager production this year and his huge salary. I doubt Tampa Bay could get anything for him in March, and Godwin would certainly have more value to the Bucs this year if their playoff hopes were kept alive with some more wins, especially Sunday versus the Falcons.

FAB 3. The Upcoming Tykee Smith vs. Antoine Winfield Jr. Dilemma

If general manager Jason Licht were going to trade away a player before the trade deadline, the Buccaneers who could bring in the most trade value would be outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, defensive tackle Vita Vea and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Each might fetch a third-round pick.

The Bucs have a big decision to make regarding Diaby, who turns 28 next May. Is he worth somewhere between $20 million-$28 million per year for erratic pass rush and sack production? Re-signing Diaby would likely keep David Walker, the team’s best pass rusher and leading sacker with four, on the bench. If he’s not going to be re-signed after 2027, perhaps trading him before the deadline makes more sense rather than hope he brings a compensatory pick in the 2028 NFL Draft.

Vea turns 32 next year. With him being under contract for just one more season, and with his 2027 base salary fully guaranteed, along with him having a mediocre season, teams may be hesitant to deal for him.

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. and GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Scott Reynolds/Pewter Report

Winfield has missed the last two games with a rib injury, but the team really hasn’t missed him much on the field as Ifeatu Melifonwu has done a credible job as his replacement at free safety. Trading Winfield, whose play has not come close to the $21 million he makes an average since signing his mega contract extension after his All-Pro season in 2023, makes sense because of the stellar play from fellow starting safety Tykee Smith.

Until Smith suffers an injury. Then the Bucs secondary would be forced to start the steady, but unspectacular Melifonwu, and either unproven J.J. Roberts or the aging special teamer, Miles Killebrew. That’s when there would be a huge drop-off in play.

If the Bucs were out of contention in the NFC South race – and losses to both the Falcons and Bears in the coming weeks might make that happen if the team falls to 2-7 – that’s one thing. But if Tampa Bay beats Atlanta to move to 3-5 it’s doubtful Jason Licht would trade Winfield before the trade deadline after Week 9.

A win against Atlanta and a loss at Chicago would create a dilemma for Licht. Is a 3-6 Bucs team really going anywhere after the bye week and worth betting on? If so, Winfield wouldn’t get traded.

But whether it’s in the next two weeks or in the 2027 offseason, Winfield’s days in Tampa Bay could be numbered. The 25-year old Smith, who is three years younger, has outperformed Winfield, who turns 29 next August, and will be entering a contract year in 2027.

Bucs Ss Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs don’t have the salary cap room to pay big money to two safeties. Winfield is also entering a contract year next season, so it is feasible that Tampa Bay can pair Winfield and Smith together for one more season. But after 2027 Licht will have to decide who is worth paying. Based on recent results, that would appear to be Smith.

Smith is second on the team with 41 tackles and is tied for second on the team with three tackles for loss, in addition to a pair of pass breakups as well as a forced fumble. Last week in Carolina he took his game to another level this season. Smith blocked a PAT, which was returned for a defensive extra worth two points by cornerback Zyon McCollum and made an aggressive play in coverage, jumping a route to make a diving interception of his own – his first of the year.

It’s not a stretch to say that since his arrival in 2024 as a third-round pick that Smith has been just as productive as Winfield has over the past three seasons. Smith has amassed 195 tackles, including 120 solo stops, with 22 pass breakups, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two sacks and a blocked kick in 36 games, missing just five games in three years.

Over that same span, Winfield has 177 tackles, including 102 solo stops, with 11 pass breakups, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three sacks in 30 games, missing 11 games in three years.

Bucs S Tykee Smith and the Tampa Bay defense – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Unless the Bucs lose the next two games it might make sense to hold off until next offseason to trade Winfield, who could likely still command a Day 3 pick next March or April. Parting ways with him would leave the Bucs with a $19.898 million cap hit, yet clear $7.668 million in cap room in 2027.

The real dilemma with Winfield is that when the Bucs drafted Smith, another safety who thrives in the box, it created a duplication. Winfield is most effective in the box as a blitzer, but with Smith not having Winfield’s range and effectiveness as a deep safety, it forces Todd Bowles to use Winfield as the single high safety in Cover 1 and Cover 3 and takes him away from the action. That’s not the best use of a $21 million safety, so the Bucs brought this situation upon themselves when they drafted Smith, who originally played nickelback as a rookie.

Yet Smith has proven to be the better box safety in recent years, and he’s three years younger. So Winfield will likely move on either before the trade deadline with two more losses, next offseason in a trade for cap relief and draft capital, or as a free agent with no compensation in 2028 in his age-30 season.

FAB 4. The Bucs’ 2027 Salary Cap Dilemma

Part of the reason why the Bucs would entertain trading away a few players at the trade deadline at 2-7, or perhaps even at 3-6, is because of the top-heavy nature of their salary cap in 2027. Tampa Bay currently has just over $15 million in available cap space which can be rolled over to next year if it goes unused.

That will be helpful because the team only has 34 players under contract next year and is already $4,874,022 over the salary cap in 2027, according to OverTheCap.com.

The Bucs currently have four players with salary cap hits over $20 million this season.

LT Tristan Wirfs – $36,328,582
QB Baker Mayfield – $34.015 million
WR Chris Godwin Jr. – $33.683 million
S Antoine Winfield Jr. – $27.466 million

In 2027 that number swells to six players with cap hits over $20 million – and seven if you count Zyon McCollum, who is just over $19 million next year.

QB Baker Mayfield – $65.715 million
LT Tristan Wirfs – $36,328,586
DT Vita Vea – $30.624 million
WR Chris Godwin Jr. – $29.933 million
RT Luke Goedeke – $27,929,950
S Antoine Winfield Jr. – $27.566 million
CB Zyon McCollum – $19,056,300

San Francisco is the only NFC team that will have more players with salary cap hits in excess of $20 million than Tampa Bay with nine in 2027. The Bucs will surely be able to restructure the contracts of some of these high-priced players in order to create more cap room, but the team needs to make sure that each one of their high-priced players is performing up to their pay next year.

Bucs assistant GM Mike Greenberg – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Defensive tackle Vita Vea, quarterback Baker Mayfield and right tackle Luke Goedeke have fully guaranteed contracts in 2027, so those players are off the table in this evaluation. And, of course, the Bucs love Tristan Wirfs, their All-Pro left tackle, and would never consider trading him.

Zyon McCollum is finally playing up to his worth this season, and good cornerbacks are hard to find. So this really puts the spotlight on wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. and safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

I’ve already discussed the chances that the Winfield could be on the move this fall or next spring, but there is a chance that the Bucs could go to Godwin and ask him to take a big pay cut in order to stay. Tampa Bay did that last year with cornerback Jamel Dean, who was scheduled to make $12.5 million. Dean agreed to play for $4.25 million and took an $8.25 million pay cut in exchange for the opportunity to hit free agency a year earlier.

The Bucs also went to former tight end Cameron Brate after he signed a big contract extension and asked him to take pay cuts in successive years in order to stay in Tampa Bay.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin Jr. – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Godwin hasn’t been worth anywhere near the $21 million salary he has been paid since signing his three-year contract extension in the 2025 offseason. In order for him to remain in red and pewter for the final year of his contract he would have to take a massive pay cut – perhaps half. With him turning 31 next year and loving the Tampa Bay area, perhaps Godwin would be willing to do just that in order to stay on.

Godwin is scheduled to make $20.5 million in base salary and have a $27.566 million cap charge. If he is released or traded he would hit the cap for $19.898 million in 2027 but would free up $7.668 million.

Godwin and Winfield are the most likely Buccaneers to move on sooner rather than later.

FAB 5. The Ben Chukwuma vs. Luke Goedeke Future Dilemma

Luke Goedeke is one of the most underrated right tackles in the NFL. At $22.5 million per year, Goedeke, a former second-round pick, has been worth every penny. His play is just a notch below that of All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs.

Good offensive tackles are hard to find. A single team having two great ones is even more rare.

But the Bucs might actually have three great offensive tackles on their roster – if second-year player Ben Chukwuma continues to develop at a rapid rate. His Bucs teammates say Chukwuma has the tools to develop into a Pro Bowler. This week Bucs head coach Todd Bowles went as far as saying that Chukwuma could develop into a starter in time.

“He has a huge future in this league as a full-time starter,” said Bowles after Chukwuma started in place of Goedeke at right tackle in Week 7 as Tampa Bay racked up 258 yards rushing at Carolina. “I thought ‘Chuk’ did a great job. I mean, you know, 258 yards rushing – all those guys up front did an outstanding job. ‘Chuk,’ with his first start this year coming in, did an outstanding job. He’s got great size. He’s an athlete, and he’s very strong, so the run game kind of benefits him.”

Bucs OT Ben Chukwuma and Saints DT Bryan Bresee – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Chukwuma, who started two games at left tackle last year, will turn 26 in May, while Goedeke turns 29 later this month on November 21. Goedeke is under contract through 2029, while Chukwuma has one more year left on his three-year deal that expires after the 2027 season. It’s clear that Chukwuma could be viewed as Goedeke’s successor at right tackle if he continues to grow and develop at his current pace.

The earliest the Bucs could part ways with Goedeke without taking a massive cap hit would be in the 2028 offseason. Goedeke is scheduled to make $21.49 million with a $27,929,950 salary cap number that year. Cutting or trading Goedeke would result in $11,859,900 cap hit but also free up $16,070,050 in cap room.

Chukwuma will be a restricted free agent in 2028, so at least a one-year restricted free tender seems likely. Or the Bucs could opt to trade Goedeke in the 2028 offseason and sign Chukwuma to a more lucractive, multi-year extension at that time.

One thing is for sure – there is only room for two rich offensive tackle contracts in Tampa Bay, and Tristan Wirfs is going to have one of them. The dilemma will be when to give Chukwuma a big contract and essentially replace Goedeke – after 2027 or after 2028.

But man, having too many really good offensive tackles is that a great problem to have.

The Pewter Pregame Show Kicks Off At 9:00am On Sunday

The Pewter Pregame podcast kicks off at 9:00 a.m. this Sunday just hours before the Bucs Week 8 game against the Falcons. The Pewter Pregame LIVE stream can be found on the PewterReportTV YouTube channel as well as Pewter Report’s social media channels on X and Facebook at 9:00 a.m. ET on game day.

Pewter Pregame is presented by Duke’s Garage Doors – Affordable repairs. Fast service. Quality installation. Call Duke’s Garage Doors – the official garage door company of Pewter Report – at 833-633-4057 or visit DGDoors.com

Scott Reynolds and Bailey Adams preview the game, reveal their Bucs players to watch, provide the latest injury updates and answer questions from Bucs fans live during this one-hour show. Can’t make the LIVE Pewter Pregame show? You can always watch the archived show any time before kickoff on PewterReportTV.

Watch Pewter GameDay: Bucs vs. Falcons LIVE In-Game Analysis

Pewter Report’s popular in-game LIVE Pewter GameDay show kicks off on the PewterReportTV YouTube channel on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET as the Bucs face the Falcons in a must-win Week 8 game at Raymond James Stadium. Pewter Report’s Matt Matera and Josh Queipo to analyze all of the action in real time during Tampa Bay’s three-hour game.

The Pewter GameDay show will not show the Bucs game, so Tampa Bay fans are encouraged to watch the game live on the broadcast network and also tune in to the Pewter Report staff on Pewter GameDay via PewterReportTV on YouTube for added context and insight to enhance your viewing pleasure.

The PR staff will also answer your questions throughout the game. The Pewter GameDay LIVE stream can also be found on Pewter Report’s X and Facebook channels. Click the link below at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday to watch Pewter GameDay on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel.