Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC South

Mayfield suited up for all 17 regular-season games with Tampa Bay in 2025 despite playing through biceps, shoulder, knee and oblique injuries, factors which help explain the step back his in production (3,693 passing yards, 26:11 TD:INT) compared to 2024 (4,500 passing yards, 41:16 TD:INT). While Mayfield will need to adjust to the departure of Mike Evans (signed with 49ers) in 2026, new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson could provide a schematic upgrade, and the Buccaneers have added pass-catching playmakers in rookie third-rounder Ted Hurst and RB Kenneth Gainwell. It would be encouraging for Mayfield's long-term fantasy value if he were to ink a new multi-year deal with Tampa Bay -- where he has displayed a QB1 ceiling -- but the 31-year-old would be highly sought after if he were to hit the free-agent market in 2027. Mayfield is heading into the final season of the three-year, $100 million deal he signed in March 2024.

Bredeson is healthy again after having recovered from a knee injury that held him out of the final four games of the 2025 campaign. The 28-year-old is expected to serve as the Buccaneers' starting left guard once again during the upcoming season.

Mauch appeared in just two games in 2025 due to a knee injury, but it now appears he's moved past the issue. The 27-year-old is expected to operate the Buccaneers' top right guard during the 2026 season.

Hurst has the size at 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds and the long-range speed (4.42-second forty) to run the downfield routes vacated by Mike Evans, who is one of this generation's prototypical X receivers. The Bucs used the 84th overall pick on Hurst, who likely would've gone sooner if he'd faced stiffer college competition instead of playing at Georgia State. Hurst drew some Nico Collins comparisons in the pre-draft process. His main competition for playing time in three-wide sets figures to be Jalen McMillan.

A six-year player at Kansas, Daniels finished the 2025 season by completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,531 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 404 yards (3.5 YPC) and four touchdowns on the ground. He has decent mobility with a 4.65 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but he needs to tidy up his work as a passer to have a shot in the NFL. Daniels will battle against Connor Bazelak for the No. 3 QB job behind Baker Mayfield and Jake Browning.

Kancey was sidelined for most of the 2025 season due to a pectoral injury he suffered in Week 2, but the defensive tackle's output has been more than satisfactory for the Buccaneers to justify spending the $14.475 million required to retain him through 2027. The 2023 first-round pick has accumulated 54 tackles (41 solo), including 11.5 sacks, through 29 career regular-season games thus far. With the team selecting linebacker Rueben Bain in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bucs will be acquiring an influx of talent on the defensive line that should only increase Kancey's potential for production this season.

Sharp made three different stops during his college career, starting out at a lower level at Southeastern Louisiana before transferring to Oklahoma in 2024 and on to LSU in 2025. In his final college campaign with LSU, Bauer compiled 24 grabs for 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sharp lacks some of the athleticism to make plays downfield, but he works well underneath and is a solid blocker. Cade Otton remains entrenched atop the Bucs' depth chart at tight end and Payne Durham is likely aligned behind him, but Sharp could compete with Devin Culp for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart, and the former also figures to be a special-teams candidate.

Trotter will join Tampa Bay's first-round selection Rueben Bain to immediately revitalize head coach Todd Bowles' defense. After beginning his collegiate career at West Virginia, where he emerged as a starter in 2024, Trotter transferred to Missouri in 2025 and earned first-team All-SEC honors while leading the team with 84 tackles. The Buccaneers pursued a pair of established veterans in Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom during free agency to anchor the inside linebacker position, but Trotter's proclivity for production as a run stopper may make it difficult to keep him out of the rotation. Having the benefit of a rookie year to develop prior to competing for starting snaps could help Trotter improve his skills in coverage.

Bain (6-foot-2, 263 pounds) is likely an example of a player whose skill set grade is stronger than his athleticism grade. Bain was utterly dominant at Miami (FL), yet there is concern that his light frame and extremely short arms (30 and 7/8 inches) could make the jump in competition hard on his game. If Bain's arms don't hold him back, though, then he should be one of the better defensive ends in the league, and his addition addressees an area of need (edge rusher) for the Buccaneers. Bain was a dominant starter for each of his three years at Miami, including a 2025 junior season where he posted 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss.

Feeney signed with the Buccaneers in mid-September after failing to make the Bills' 53-man roster at the end of training camp. He ended up starting at right guard in 10 regular-season games for the Bucs last year. Feeney likely will serve in a depth role behind Cody Mauch (knee) and Ben Bredeson (knee) for the 2026 season.

The 32-year-old is a former All-Pro special teams player and will reunite with former Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith with the Bucs. Killebrew sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 last season but appears to be healthy.

Muhammad turns 31 years old later this month and is coming off a career year with the Lions. He appeared in all 17 regular-season games and finished with 25 tackles (15 solo), including a by-far career-best 11.0 sacks, on just 41 percent of the defensive snaps. Seeing all one-on-one matchups working opposite Aidan Hutchinson certainly worked in Muhammad's favor, and he'll try to build on the big output with Tampa Bay alongside Yaya Diaby.