Bucs Clips
University of Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was one of the most productive players in the country last season. His 30 7/8-inch arm length scared off some teams.
It did not scare off the Buccaneers, who ended up with a player who could prove a steal.
Tampa Bay used the 15th overall pick on Bain, who made 9.5 sacks for the Hurricanes last season and 20.5 for his three-year career.
The Buccaneers badly needed help at the position.
Yaya Diaby led them in sacks in 2025 with only seven, and Shaquil Barrett’s 10 sacks in 2021 was the last time the Bucs had a double-digit sacks leader.
Running back Sean Tucker is back on the roster in Tampa Bay.
The NFL’s daily transaction report shows that Tucker re-signed with the team on Monday. Tucker was tendered as a restricted free agent earlier in the offseason, but did not sign an offer sheet with another team.
Tucker will make $3.52 million under the terms of the tender offer.
Tucker signed with the Bucs after going undrafted out of Syracuse in 2023 and he has appeared in 45 games over the last three seasons. He had career highs with 86 carries, 320 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns during the 2025 season.
Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell will also be part of the backfield mix in Tampa this season.
The NFL has announced the names of the current and former players that will take part in next week’s draft by announcing second-round picks.
The list includes players associated with all 32 teams, including Cardinals running back James Conner. Conner has strong ties to the Pittsburgh area after playing for the Steelers and attending Pitt, which likely made him an easy choice as the Cardinals’ representative.
Former Bears tackle Jimbo Covert, former Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett, former Chiefs defensive lineman Bill Maas, current Vikings tackle Brian O’Neill, former Jets running back Curtis Martin, and former 49ers punter Andy Lee are other Pitt alums who are set to take part.
The hometown team will be represented by four players. Former Steelers Jerome Bettis and John Stallworth will be joined by Joey Porter Sr. and Jr. next Friday.
The other players taking part and their team affiliations appear below:
Falcons: Michael Turner
Ravens: Mark Ingram
Bills: Shane Conlan
Panthers: Jake Delhomme
Bengals: Ken Anderson
Browns: Phil Dawson
Cowboys: Drew Pearson
Broncos: T.J. Ward
Lions: Calvin Johnson
Packers: John Kuhn
Texans: Billy Miller
Colts: Pat McAfee
Jaguars: Paul Posluszny
Raiders: Matt Millen
Chargers: Shawne Merriman
Rams: Tavon Austin
Dolphins: Dwight Stephenson
Patriots: Deion Branch
Saints: Marques Colston
Giants: Osi Umenyiora
Eagles: Brian Westbrook
Seahawks: Cliff Avril
Buccaneers: Ronde Barber
Titans: Jeffery Simmons
Commanders: Mark Rypien
Raymond James Stadium opened in 1998. At a time when at least one younger NFL stadium is being replaced (Cleveland), the Buccaneers are trying to get their 28-year-old building renovated.
Via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, team officials have met with the Tampa Sports Authority to discuss the project.
“I can confirm that we met recently with the Tampa Sports Authority, Hillsborough County, and the City of Tampa to discuss developing a long-term plan that supports the stadium’s ability to continue hosting major events which contribute to the success of our region,” Bucs chief operating officer Brian Ford said in a statement issued to the Times. “As Raymond James Stadium enters its 29th year, our goal is to ensure it remains a competitive premier sports and entertainment venue for the Tampa Bay community well into the future.”
The venue has hosted three Super Bowls. Absent a major renovation, it could be hard to get a fourth.
The Buccaneers face a deadline of January 31, 2027, to exercise an option to extend the lease at the facility for five more years.
The conversations have commenced at a time when the local baseball team hopes to build a $2.3 billion new stadium across the street from the football stadium.
The parties reportedly did not discuss the cost of a significant overhaul. It’s believed to approach if not exceed $1 billion. It also could require the Buccaneers to play a season in Orlando or elsewhere while the upgrades are made.
The Buccaneers had six captains in 2025. It was the 12th season for wide receiver Mike Evans to wear the “C” on his jersey and the ninth for linebacker Lavonte David.
Evans left for the 49ers in free agency, and David retired.
It has raised the question of who will step up into leadership roles to replace them.
General Manager Jason Licht is not concerned, with Baker Mayfield, Tristan Wirfs, Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield all returning.
“I feel strongly about this group of guys and the leadership that we have, starting with the quarterback,” Licht said Wednesday, via the team website. “We have got Tykee [Smith], Calijah [Kancey], the entire offensive line, Bucky [Irving]. God forbid I leave out Vita. He’s been around for a long time, but in his own way, he has a lot of leadership. I think some of the players that we added with Alex [Anzalone] and Kenneth [Gainwell] and Miles [Killebrew] and I think all of those guys have been really good leaders so that will help supplement what we have.”
The Buccaneers will announce their captains before the start of the season.
One of the draft’s top tight ends is continuing a busy stretch this week.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Georgia’s Oscar Delp is visiting with the Buccaneers and Chargers this week.
Delp previously had top-30 visits with the Patriots, Ravens, and Vikings last week.
Delp did not work out at the scouting combine after a hairline fracture was revealed in his foot during a routine X-ray. But Delp was able to work out at Georgia’s Pro Day last month.
An experienced player at Georgia, Delp was on the field for 55 games with 34 starts. He totaled 70 receptions for 854 yards with nine touchdowns. That includes 21 receptions for 248 yards and four TDs in 2025.
Buccaneers owner Joel Glazer recently said it doesn’t hurt to write a big check to a quarterback. He wouldn’t know, because the Bucs have never done it.
Yes, they paid Tom Brady. But not top-of-market money. When he arrived in 2020, the Bucs gave him $25 million per year. The market, at the time, was led by Patrick Mahomes, at $45 million annually. (Before Mahomes signed his second deal, the market leader was Russell Wilson, at $35 million.)
On PFT Live, Chris Simms and I went through the list of Tampa Bay quarterbacks since the franchise was founded in 1976. (Simms was one of them.) None has ever gotten a top-dollar, market-level contract.
With Baker Mayfield entering the final season of a three-year, $100 million deal, those days could be ending.
It’s not like Mayfield will get $60 million per year. But he could be in line for more than $50 million. Consider some of the players who are making north of $50 million. Consider that the cap keeps going up, and up. And up.
That said, too many teams have broken the bank when they didn’t have to (e.g., the Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa). The Buccaneers currently aren’t negotiating against anyone. What if they let Mayfield play out his deal and see what happens?
When he was closing in on free agency in 2024, the Bucs didn’t apply the franchise tag to Mayfield. Other teams that should have been interested in Mayfield weren’t. Next year, that could change.
The fallback for the Buccaneers is the franchise tag. With a cap number of $39.975 million in 2026, it would cost $47.97 million to keep Mayfield off the open market.
Where will it go from here? It all comes down to whether Mayfield wants a deal that starts with a 5. If he gets one, it’ll be the first time the Buccaneers approach the top of the market with a quarterback in 50 years of existence.
Buccaneers owner Joel Glazer will gladly pay what it takes to keep quarterback Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay beyond the 2026 season.
Mayfield is heading into the final year of his contract, and Glazer said he’ll be happy to write the big check that Mayfield will get when he signs his next deal.
“Obviously the quarterback is the highest paid position on the team, rightfully so,” Glazer said, via PewterReport.com. “That means that it’s going good, so if the quarterback’s making top money, then your team is probably doing well and the quarterback’s performing well. That’s obviously a key component to success. That doesn’t hurt at all to write that check, it’s something that all the teams do when you have good quarterbacks.”
Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht said on PFT Live during the offseason that the Bucs’ plans revolve around Mayfield, and Glazer says Mayfield is the kind of quarterback the franchise wants to build around.
“He’s gone above and beyond anything we could’ve asked or hoped for Baker,” Glazer said. “Everybody loves him, performs, gives 250 percent when he’s on that field and that’s all you can ask for.”
Now the question is when Glazer will pay Mayfield all the money he’s asking for.
Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling has had a busy itinerary.
He has top-30 visits scheduled with the Vikings, Buccaneers, Bears and Eagles, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Stribling played for three college programs in five seasons.
He played two seasons at Washington State and two seasons at Oklahoma State before moving to Oxford for his final college season. Stribling made 55 catches for 811 yards and six touchdowns last season after 50-catch seasons at each of his first two stops as well.
He ran a 4.36-second 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The Buccaneers announced three signings on Friday.
In addition to the previously reported moves to sign defensive backs Kemon Hall and Chase Lucas, the NFC South team also announced that they have signed defensive lineman Haggai Ndubuisi.
Ndubuisi is from Nigeria and joined the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program in 2022. He was originally an offensive lineman with the Cardinals, but switched sides after joining the Broncos in 2023 and spent time on the practice squad with Washington in 2024 before landing with the Texans last year.
Ndubuisi appeared in one game for Houston and made one tackle while seeing action on both defense and special teams.
