With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, it’s time for NFL fans to turn their attention to the offseason. When the new league year rolls around, anything is possible. Your team could be one trade, one signing or one draft pick away from changing the future of their franchise.

This year, we at EssentiallySports are building the perfect offseason for all 32 NFL teams using StickToTheModel’s new Be the GM tool. Today, we’re going to be focusing on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and trying to figure out how they can get back to the playoffs in 2026.

Roster Management

The Buccaneers have a lot of players to tie up this offseason. But first, I had to clear some cap space. The Bucs enter the offseason with about $24 million to work with, but after restructuring OT Tristan Wirfs and S Antoine Winfield’s contracts, I managed to open up about $57 million.

After those restructures, I was able to hand out a few key extensions to keep some of the Buccaneers’ franchise cornerstones around long-term.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

DT Vita Vea and DE Yaya Diaby were two pieces on the defensive line I had to lock down this offseason. They both have one year left on their deal, and are key to what Todd Bowles likes to do defensively.

RB Bucky Irving and WR Jalen McMillan both had two years left on their deals, but I decided to extend them anyway. The running back market is about to skyrocket after Kenneth Walker get his new deal, so locking him down before that could happen made a lot of sense.

As for McMillan, with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin leaving in the coming years, I needed to make sure I had him locked down alongside Emeka Egbuka. And the best part about his deal is, by the time the Bucs have to pay Egbuka, McMillan will only have one year left, so they can get him off their books pretty easily.

Free Agency

With nearly $60 million to play with in free agency, I started things off by re-signing two key players: WR Mike Evans and CB Jamel Dean, both of whom cost me $13 million. The Buccaneers’ offense was at its best when Evans was on the field, so bringing him back made a lot of sense. As for Dean, he just had one of the best seasons of his career, so bringing him back on a three-year extension locks down the CB1 spot for the foreseeable future.

I also brought back three more players – DE Hasson Reddick, LB Deion Jones and IOL Michael Jordan – for depth purposes. In total, those three cost just $9.2 million.

After bringing those five players back, I had around $20 million to spend on new players. The biggest signing I made was TE David Njoku to replace Cade Otton. I got him for $8.5 million, which is about $5 million cheaper than Otton would’ve cost me.

I also made a splash at linebacker, signing Devin Bush, who just had the best season of his career, from Cleveland. With Lavonte David likely retiring, Bush can step into his role, and if he plays like he did last year, he could be a future star in Tampa Bay. He also cost me $8.5 million.

Finally, with just a few million left in my piggy bank, I added DT Sebastian Joseph-Day to provide some depth on the interior of the defensive line.

NFL Draft

Coming into this exercise, I fully expected to select LB Sonny Styles in the first round. I love his game, and he could be the heir to David at linebacker. However, after I was able to get Bush, I decided to go a different route and add an explosive playmaker in the form of TE Kenyon Sadiq in the first round. The Oregon product is easily the best TE in this class. He’s a big-time playmaker at the tight end position, which is something Tampa has lacked for a long time. He gives Baker Mayfield another weapon on the outside.

After trading back in round two, and acquiring the 56th and 81st pick, I added one of my favorite day two players in DE Derrick Moore. The Michigan standout logged 10 sacks in 12 games this season. He’s 6-foot-3 and can get after the passer at a high level. And funny enough, NFL.com’s comp for Moore is Yaya Diaby.

I love what I was able to do in the third round with two picks. First, I added LB Jacob Rodriguez. He was one of the most efficient defensive players in college last season, and only slips this far because it’s a loaded off-ball linebacker class. Then, I added C Jake Slaughter. I don’t think Graham Barton is the answer at center, so Tampa could slide him over to guard and let Slaughter have center duties. If Barton can hold up at guard, they kill two birds with one stone.

In round four, I drafted DT Chris McClellan from Missouri to add some more depth at defensive tackle before selecting WR CJ Daniels in the fifth. I know the Bucs have a ton of wideouts, but once Evans and Godwin leave, they’re going to need all these young bucks.

Finally, in round six, I added CB Jermaine Matthews Jr. from Ohio State, and in round seven, I selected QB Cole Payton from North Dakota State.

Starting Lineup

Here’s what the Buccaneers’ starting lineup would look like entering 2026.

Offense

QB: Baker Mayfield

WR: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka

RB: Bucky Irving

TE: Kenyon Sadiq, David Njoku

OL: Tristan Wirfs, Graham Barton, Jake Slaughter, Cody Mauch, Luke Goedeke

I didn’t need to change a whole lot offensively. If Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans were able to stay healthy last year, they probably would’ve been one of the best offenses in the NFC. Just look at how they performed early in the year when they had no injuries. I kept their core intact, while adding one of the best playmakers in the draft in Sadiq and beefing up the OL. I feel like that’s a pretty successful offseason.

Defense

DL: Vita Vea, Derrick Moore, Calijah Kancey

LB: Yaya Diaby, Haason Reddick, Devin Bush, SirVocea Dennis/Jacob Rodriguez

CB: Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish

S: Antoine Winfield, Tykee Smith

Defensively, it was mainly about extending and re-signing key players, but I still filled in some of their holes. I love the additions of Devin Bush and Jacob Rodriguez at the linebacker position, and I also think Derrick Moore will make their pass rush more effective than it was a season ago. I would’ve loved to add some help at cornerbacks, but you can’t address every need in one offseason.

The NFC South is there for the taking, and if the Buccaneers have an offseason like this, they very well could end up back in the playoffs in 2026.