As fans, we want to believe we have a strong enough core to make another division title run and a playoff push. However, the reality is that we have more roster holes to fill now than we have since before 2020.
With so many positions needing attention and limited quality draft picks and salary cap space, it’s hard to see how we can bring in quality players. We might have to fill some spots with inexperienced veterans or undrafted players, which is certainly something Mike Evans considered with his move to San Francisco. And with the losses of Jamel Dean and Rachaad White, it’s looking like a small exodus. Here’s a look at where the holes are as it stands now:
Offensive Holes
Let’s start with the offense, where there are fewer gaps to address. With potential losses of Rashaad White and Cade Otten (just resigned), our key needs include a backup running back (RB2), a second tight end (TE2), and depth on the interior offensive line. *lBucky Irving is a solid #1 back, but he needs a complementary back to share the load—someone who can take around 40% of the carries.
Even with retaining Otten, we still need to bolster this position, likely through free agency and one or two rookies.
The interior offensive line isn’t terrible, but it’s not stellar either. Mauch, Bredeson, and Barton are all serviceable, with Mauch showing pro-bowl potential. Bredeson may be better suited for center than guard, and Barton could potentially move outside. The Bucs need to solidify this line as they scout for talent.
With Evans now officially moving on, our outlook for the receiver looks much less secure, and we may need to actively seek a true X receiver for the future.
Defensive Holes
This is where things get concerning. Starting with the defensive line, Vita Vea has been our anchor, but last season, he was good, not great. He relied too much on leaning into blockers rather than driving them back. While he should remain a Buc for life, he hasn’t been the dominant force we expect.
Calijah Kancey still has potential when healthy. He was starting to show his skills before getting injured against the Eagles, demonstrating his ability to split blocks and make plays, with 2 tackles for loss in the Eagles game. Keeping him healthy is crucial.
Beyond those two, our depth is lacking. We’ve passed on several early defensive tackles in recent drafts, which raises concern, especially if we continue with a 3-4 scheme.
The edge position is another area of concern. After the failed experiment with Haason Reddick, will the Bucs continue to pursue lower-cost, high-potential players, or finally invest in this critical position? Yaya Diaby is a solid player, but as others have started echoing after I started 2 years ago, he resembles more of a Greg Spires than a Simeon Rice. Pairing him with a strong OLB1 could elevate his production.
After Diaby, we’re left with little hope. Last year’s 4th-round pick, David Walker, is seen by some as a potential savior, but there’s a reason he fell to the fourth round in a position every team covets.
Anthony Nelson provides decent depth and occasional playmaking ability, while Chris Braswell hasn’t shown the development the Bucs hoped for when they selected him in the second round in 2024. That was a forced pick; they needed an edge after not selecting one in the first round, which often leads to more poor decisions.
Inside linebacker is another troubling position. Even with future Hall of Famer Lavonte David still in the mix, Sir Vocea Dennis has struggled in space, and there’s a lack of depth behind him. This position absolutely requires at least one veteran addition and a draft pick.
The defensive backs are the least problematic area, but that’s not saying much. Antoine Winfield is a decent player who is being overpaid, while Tykee Smith outperformed him for much of the year until frustrations with the scheme led to undisciplined play as he tried to make plays. Christian Izien is a solid depth piece but not someone you want starting for the majority of the season.
At cornerback, Zion McCullom has great intangibles but often falls short in production. It sometimes feels like players are elevated based on tenure or attitude rather than performance—hence why Zion is our CB1. We also have young corners Caleb and Benjamin Morrison, both of whom have potential, but their growth may not happen under Todd Bowles’ scheme and guidance.
Final Thoughts
I see too many holes to fill, and I worry that Mike Evans shared this concern. Draft picks won’t address all these gaps, especially since many first-rounders require development, particularly at edge.
So how do we fill these holes? With limited funds, Licht and Bowles may have to rely on player development for some positions.
As a fan, I always hope for a Super Bowl run, but realistically, this looks like a daunting challenge. We need health and peak performance from players to make a significant impact in 2026, along with some exceptional coaching. I have faith in the offensive staff, but the defensive staff has a long way to go.
What are your thoughts? Can Licht assemble a strong enough team, or is this the rebuild year we’ve been anticipating? I believe rebuilding isn’t the only path in the NFL anymore. If executed properly, it’s possible to field a competitive team year after year. I hope our leadership can deliver that.
Can Licht assemble a strong enough team, or is this the rebuild year we’ve been anticipating?
I think this is the last year for Licht.
Full rebuild after we miss the playoffs this season.
Can Licht assemble a strong enough team, or is this the rebuild year we’ve been anticipating?
I think this is the last year for Licht.
Full rebuild after we miss the playoffs this season.
Licht cemented his doom keeping Bowles which led to losing Evans.
The Bucs don't have that many holes. Every team has holes due how the salary cap works every season.
The problem is Licht is satisfied with just relying on a coaching staff that is just not cutting it when the Bucs win with superior talent under Licht's tenure. Licht needs to be stacking talent and the holes will be addressed.
Right now the Bucs seem just satisfied treading water and that is just not cutting it. We all know this team can only win with more talent as this coaching staff has a hard time out coaching other better coached teams.
Thanks for the nice breakdown, ehinote.
I don't disagree with much of what you say here but do I think they have too many holes to fill to make a run in 2026? No, I don't but that's not why they won't make it run. They won't make a run for two reasons in my opinion, (1) I think the division is going to be far better than it has been and 8-9 isn't going to be close to a playoff berth and .500 or less is my expectation for this team, and (2) because they had a chance to really change things up with coaching changes and they didn't.
Personnel pieces:
O-Line: I am not as optimistic about the interior line pieces as you are. Mauch, while I like him and think he's solid, has not put me in the mindset of being Pro Bowl talent. I think they are weak in the 3 positions in the middle of the O-Line. I would move Barton out to Guard, pair him with Mauch, and draft a Center. There are a couple in the draft that should be solid pros at the Center position.
RB: An RB2 is a must for this team to have any chance of success in the running game and there are a couple of guys that could be interesting pieces in the draft (Adam Randall out of Clemson is a gigantic RB and would be a nice changeup from Bucky plus, he was solid in the passing and blocking game; outside of him Jamarion Miller out of Alabama might go undrafted but was a great blocking back in college and could catch the ball out of the backfield).
WR: With the departure of Evans, they should look at what they have available to them. In the draft, there are some guys projected around the 4th/5th rounds that could be impact guys to mix with the already great talent in the room. Some prospects are Ted Hurst out of Georgia State, Ja'kobi Lane out of USC, Bryce Lance out of North Dakota State, and De'Zhaun Stribling out of Ole Piss.
TE: If they want to add to the TE corps, they could look at guys like Eli Raridon out of Notre Dame, Dallen Bentley out of Utah, and even later or perhaps even undrafted, Dan Villari out of Syracuse.
D-Line: The brain trust should be looking at Edge guys like Hendrickson in FA (not sure what they would need to do salary cap wise to make that happen) and in the draft, guys listed as Edge guys like Gabe Jacas out of Illinois, Malachi Lawrence out of UCF, and Dani Dennis-Sutton out of Penn State. In the middle, I would look at guys in the later rounds of the draft like Gracen Halton out of Oklahoma, Zane Durant out of Penn State, and DeMonte Capehart out of Clemson. I see Edge as "1A" in the draft (Linebackers as 1B) meaning that depending on if any of the top tier Edge guys fall get the best available one without overreaching.
Linebackers: I see LB as "1B" need since the signing of Anzalone. In the draft, there are really good LBs available outside of Reese and Styles from Ohio State. The next tier available would be guys like CJ Allen from Georgia, Anthony Hill from Texas, Jake Golday from Cincinnati, Josiah Trotter from Missouri, and Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech. In my opinion, we have to draft one and perhaps even two of those guys which will also likely require a trade down from 15 in the 1st round.
Corner: There isn't enough talk about the lack of good corners on this team. I was never a Jamel Dean fan and was glad they didn't overpay to keep him here. Outside of him, there were a gaggle of young guys that looked ok at best. McCullom isn't going to cut it in my opinion. There are guys that I really like in this draft that are larger backs that have performed well at the collegiate level. Now transitioning to the NFL is a whole other beast, but I would particularly look at Chris Johnson from San Diego State, Devin Moore from Florida, Treydan Stukes from Arizona, and Daylen Everette from Georgia.
So if you managed to draft 1 position of need from the draft, you could grab one of each of the list above if you planned accordingly and if little changes between now and Draft Day. Do I think there are too many holes to fill to make a 2026 run? Not really but I really think the team has a very low statistical chance of even making the playoffs in 2026 regardless of what they do between now and Day 1.