NFL Free Agency doesn't officially open until Wednesday when the new league year begins, but everyone is getting a head start on the fun a few days earlier. Since everyone did it already, the leaggue installed a legal tampering period in the days leading up to free agency beginning, which means fans get a jam-packed week of action all across the board.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that means getting a start on trying to address key areas of the roster. Chris Godwin is by far the biggest loose end the team needs to tie up -- hopefully with a new contract that keeps him here for many years -- but he's not the only name on the list.
Pass rush and secondary help is high on the priority list as well, but the first move the Bucs made was fortifying the offensive line in front of Baker Mayfield and a resurgent run game.
Buccaneers re-sign Ben Bredeson to three-year deal
It wasn't the big offensive signing everyone has been waiting for, but it's a big move nonetheless. Tampa Bay is bringing back offensive guard Ben Bredeson as the team's first move of the free agency period, and it's a three-year deal that will keep him in the mix for a while.
Sara Walsh was the first to report the move.
The #Bucs keep a good one home. https://t.co/wtwMMNAv9n
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2025
This is a cool way for Bredeson's story to develop, as it's proof that hard work pays off and that the Bucs are experts at identifying below-the-line talent. Nothing about Bredeson leapt off the page last offseason when Tampa Bay signed him, but he filled a key need on the offensive line and lived up to the opportunity.
In just one season Bredeson went from a guy who was going to compete for a starting job in training camp to a locked-in starter who just signed a three-year contract.
Just like when he joined the team last year, it's not an obvious move but one that could end up paying off tremendously. Tampa Bay now has all five starting offensive linemen under contract which means Mayfield has his crew back and a run game that saw a huge boost last year has the same line blocking for it this year.
That's big for Josh Grizzard too, who is taking over as offensive coordinator for Liam Coen and now has one major thing he doesn't have to worry about.
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