Notes from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026 Offseason

After securing the steal of the 2026 NFL Draft at pick 15 and being given a friendly schedule, things are starting to heat up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their staff during the offseason.

Rueben Bain Jr.

Tampa Bain is OFFICIALLY a Buccaneer 📝#WeAreTheKrewe pic.twitter.com/s68g9ttXys

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 7, 2026

After some had him in the top 5 in their mock drafts, the all-American edge rusher fell into the Bucs’ lap after falling down the draft board. With concerns of physical abilities, named the primary reason that teams passed on him. If Bain can push past his physical challenges, the Bucs could become the biggest winners of the 2026 draft. Many analysts have predicted he could be in the running for DPOY. ESPN’s Matt Miller has compared Bain to the LA Rams young stud, Jered Verse. Despite the Bucs already having two very solid edge rushers in YaYa Diaby and recently signed veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad, Bain can settle into a comfortable rotational role instead of being thrust into a high-pressure situation like he might have faced with another organization.

Josiah Trotter

Officially official for @TrotterJosiah 📝#WeAreTheKrewe pic.twitter.com/JFide9oMB6

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 21, 2026

Additionally, in the second round, the Bucs drafted linebacker Josiah Trotter from the University of Missouri. Trotter will no doubt be asked to fill the massive hole at Linebacker after the retirement of future Hall of Famer, Lavonte David. I expect Coach Bowles to send Trotter on frequent blitzes, as he was a walking highlight reel at Missouri last season. In a division that has Bijan Robinson and Alvin Kamara, drafting a physical run stopper is definitely a smart move for the Bucs.

Ted Hurst

Introducing our newest route runner, Ted Hurst ✍️ pic.twitter.com/4IM9AofAhI

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 8, 2026

The Bucs also picked up a receiver in the 3rd round in Georgia State’s Ted Hurst. Hurst joins a receiver room that has lost a star player after longtime Buccaneer Mike Evans signed with the 49ers in a move that left NFL fans shocked. It will be an uphill battle to see targets as the current WR room is crowded, with many assuming Emeka Egbuka will slide into the WR1 role, and 30-year-old Chris Godwin Jr. being the WR2 for the foreseeable future. Tez Johnson, Jalen McMillan, and Ted Hurst will be fighting for the coveted WR3 role. Plus, there are a lot of mouths to feed, as Cade Otton returned on a 3-year $30 million (20 guaranteed) deal.

The 2026 Schedule

The moment you've all been waiting for… OUR 2026 SCHEDULE IS HERE 🏴‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/7YSBmVjETn

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 14, 2026

Looking at the schedule, the Bucs, according to CBS Sports, have the 21st-easiest schedule. Despite starting on the road against the Bengals, the next three games are at Raymond James Stadium. Furthermore, the game against the Green Bay Packers is in week 4, which means the Packers will likely still be without star linebacker Micah Parsons.

With that being said, the Bucs still do face some strong competition, notably during week 5 when they are set to travel to the Lone Star State to face off against America’s team in Jerry World. Last season, the Cowboys saw a breakout from newly acquired wide receiver George Pickens. Both Lamb and Pickens could spell bad news if the secondary is as lackluster as last season.

What To Expect

Overall, the Buccaneers have positioned themselves as one of the more intriguing teams heading into the 2026 season. By landing Bain at 15, bolstering the middle of the defense with Trotter, and creating depth at the wide receiver position with Hurst, they’ve blended immediate contributors with long-term potential. A favorable early schedule should give this revamped roster time to gel, but looming matchups against electric offenses will pose a challenge and show how close the Bucs are to the coveted Lombardi this season. If the new additions live up to the hype and the secondary holds its own, Tampa Bay could emerge as one of the surprise threats in a competitive NFC.

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)

About Post Author

Manyoo Brown

I’m a big sports fan with a passion for covering games from every angle. For over five years, I worked in a YouTube network, where I wore a lot of hats including: YouTube consultant, PR manager, social media manager, chief writer, editor, and content advisor. Each role gave me hands-on experience with creating content, building audiences, and keeping people engaged. Now, I’m excited to bring that experience to LCL and be part of a team that shares the same love for the game and commitment to great coverage.

See author's posts