Tampa Bay

Buccaneers

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.

“There’s not a run concept that he can’t run,” Robinson said. It was certainly a disappointing 2025 season between injury and an inability to stick on the field in the red zone, but Irving appears to be entering 2026 as the lead back for an offensive coordinator who believes in him. And with Rachaad White a free agent, to boot, it seems likely that Irving is primed for a 2026 rebound.

Evans, 32, is coming off his 12th NFL season. It is the first time in which Evans finished with fewer than 1,000 receiving yards, though he missed time with a hamstring strain, a broken collarbone and a concussion. He is scheduled to enter free agency this offseason. It’s hard to imagine him playing anywhere other than Tampa in 2026, but with the full room of wideouts healthy entering this offseason, his fantasy football role may take a major hit.

Johnson and Tim Atkins both served as assistant secondary coaches last year. Johnson now takes over the cornerback group while Atkins takes over the safeties. Johnson played safety for the Cardinals (2009-2015) and Titans (2016) before entering the coaching ranks as a defensive assistant for the Buccaneers in 2022. He was promoted to his prior role in 2023. Atkins has worked under Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles since their time together with the Jets (2016-2018). He followed Bowles to the Buccaneers in 2019 and was promoted to his prior role in 2022.

Whitmer was co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers, helping shape an offense with prospective first-round pick Fernando Mendoza. The Bucs are adding to the offensive staff under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson after Josh Grizzard was let go. Whitmer will be the quarterbacks coach for Robinson, working with Baker Mayfield as he tries to recover from a shaky second half of the 2025 season.

The Eagles passed on Grizzard for their offensive-coordinator vacancy when they decided to hire Sean Mannion, but apparently liked enough of what they heard to pair him with Mannion this upcoming season. Grizzard served as the Buccaneers’ pass game coordinator during the 2024 season, when they finished sixth in yards per attempt and ranked in the top three in both passing yards (4,257) and passing touchdowns (41). He and Mannion take over an Eagles offense that finished 13th in yards per attempt last season, but ranked just 26th in total pass attempts. Hopefully, these moves lead to more pass attempts and a more aggressive down field attack for Jalen Hurts and company in 2026.

McDermott crossed paths with Bucs GM Jason Licht nearly two decades ago when both men were with the Eagles. It’s unclear what role the Bucs had in mind for McDermott, but it’s a moot point. He is expected to take the year off and evaluate potential openings in 2027. We fully expect him to find another job as a head coach at that time.

It’s not a done deal yet, but both coaches should make it to Tampa Bay sooner rather than later. The Bucs are finalizing a deal to bring on Falcons OC Zac Robinson in the same role. As most coaches do, he will bring along some of his lieutenants. Zampese has been coaching in the NFL for over 20 years. Yates joined the coaching ranks almost immediately after his playing career ended in 2017.