Tampa Bay

Buccaneers

By not tendering Watts, the Buccaneers will allow the 26-year-old to enter unrestricted free agency. He initially signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2023, appearing in 27 games over three seasons. Primarily playing special teams, Watts tallied 235 special teams snaps and finished with nine combined tackles in 2025. Watts could still return to the Buccaneers as he looks for a new contract as a special teamer this upcoming season.

David reportedly underwent arthroscopic surgery on a knee that he had drained weekly during the 2025 season. The veteran linebacker who turned 36 last month is set to be a free agent next week, but has been undecided on whether or not he wants to retire or return for a 15th season with the Bucs. David totaled 114 tackles, eight TFLs, and 3.5 sacks for the Bucs last season and is only expected to play for the Buccaneers if he does opt to play another year.

Bucs officials met with Evans’ representation at the NFL Combine and appear ready to make an all-out push to bring back the veteran for 2026. Evans, entering his age-33 season, said this month he would return for a 13th NFL season, but declined to say where he might play. Evans in 2025 struggled through injuries, including a collar bones injury, catching 30 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns while missing nine games. He posted the second lowest receiving success rate of his storied NFL career. Evans would be a good fit for multiple contenders, including the wideout-needy Patriots and Bills.

Hall managed a career-best 66.8 PFF defensive grade in 2025 — not saying much, but he was much improved from his rookie form — and managed 26 hurries. Biggs notes that he’s scheme-versatile and said something “approaching $10 million per season wouldn’t be a surprise” based on his conversations with several agents. We did not blurb Hall at all in the final year of his rookie deal, but it appears he may be a surprise contract in free agency ahead of his age-26 season.

Evans only recently told the Buccaneers he’d play in 2026 and that he intends to test free agency. We’d be surprised to see Evans leave in free agency without some kind of desperate, monster offer from a receiver-needy team. We’d also be surprised to see Evans get that kind of offer after missing most of last year with a broken collarbone. But we can’t exactly rule it out given how weak the wideout market looks in free agency.

It was sort of assumed that Evans would just run it back in Tampa as a career Buccaneer, but perhaps he’s actually interested in seeing what is out there for him. That’s about how it played out the last time Evans hit free agency, when he wound up with a two-year, $41 million contract with $29 million in guarantees. The Buccaneers have a much better wideout room now than they did in 2024, at least on paper, with Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan under contract. Evans is also entering his age-33 season and coming off a year where he missed time with a broken collarbone, so his market may also be reduced. Still, he played well while healthy. This will be one to watch over the next few weeks.

According to the site, Irving’s “recovery and rehab are not expected to significantly impact his offseason preparation.” Irving missed multiple games due to a foot and shoulder injury last season, but it was the shoulder injury that kept him sidelined until his return in Week 13. With Rachaad White likely leaving via free agency, Irving could be in line for a bell cow role for the Bucs in 2026. The third-year back rushed for 173-588-1 last season but averaged 20.3 touches per game when active. Hopefully a full offseason to recover will have him back to his rookie form after his efficiency numbers dwindled late last season.

David, 36, is set to become a free agent this offseason, but is reportedly only interested in playing for the Bucs if he were to continue playing. The veteran linebacker said he feels good and believes he has plenty of football left in him, but also noted that he’d like to spend more time with his daughter. David tallied 61 tackles and one interception in 17 games for the Buccaneers last season while started all 17 games he appeared in. The team will presumably give him plenty of time to make his decision, but the Bucs could be looking at a major hole to fill on the defensive side of the ball in 2026 should David opt to call it quits.

Retirement will soon be in Evans’ future, but the veteran receiver isn’t expected to hang it up after the 2025 season. Evans, who will be 33 at the start of next season, had the worst season of his career this year. He caught 30 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns while missing nine games due to injuries. Laine reports that the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent has yet to discuss his future, suggesting a departure from the Buccaneers could be possible this offseason. It’s hard to know how much Evans has left in the tank at this stage of his career, and his days as a true WR1 could be behind him. That said, if healthy, there would be plenty of teams he could still help if he were to opt to leave Tampa in free agency.

The Buccaneers also hired T.J. Yates as pass game coordinator, Andrew Mitchell as assistant offensive line coach and Todd Bowles Jr. as a defensive assistant. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport previously reported both Zampese and Yates’s expected hirings. Bowles joins his father’s coaching staff after playing most recently at Long Island University in 2024.