Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't make any blockbuster moves in the NFL's free agency period, balking on elite pass rushing talents Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson, they did make a series of smart veteran maneuvers that set the stage for a huge 2026 NFL Draft, with Rueben Bain Jr. making Jason Licht and the Bucs regret swinging for the fences and overpaying for the aging pass rushers a lot less than they maybe would have.
But one of the signings that went underrated by the masses came on the offensive side of the ball, as the Buccaneers snapped up the explosive Kenny Gainwell to replace Rachaad White, who probably overrated himself, as the new No. 2 back for Bucky Irving and a potential main stay in the passing game for Baker Mayfield.
More than just a safety valve for the Buccaneers franchise quarterback, Gainwell can be a major weapon with the ball in his hands - and even down the field - in his own right. By the end of the 2025 NFL season, Gainwell became one of the most reliable pass catchers for Aaron Rodgers and one of the few players he could genuinely count on with so many of his teammates making insanely frustrating mental errors (looking at DK Metcalf and Jonnu Smith, in particular).
Kenny Gainwell could have been huge for Aaron Rodgers
Well, Aaron Rodgers is officially back with the Pittsburgh Steelers for at least one more season after the expected conclusion of a new contract was reached following a free agency saga that was, quite frankly, more prolonged than it should have been (but maybe par for the course for the late stage version of A-Rod).
Rodgers loved Kenny Gainwell in Pittsburgh, so the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing the versatile pass catching back has ended up being even more important. Beyond being an upgrade on one former Buc, Rachaad White, the Bucs have made it harder for another former Buc, cornerback Jamel Dean, and his Pittsburgh Steelers to outperform the Buccaneers again in 2026.
Gainwell had a lot of upside with another year of familiarity with Rodgers in Pittsburgh, but now he gets a chance to have even more success with a better quarterback in Baker Mayfield and an even better running back partner if Bucky Irving can stay healthy this season. The Bucs stole a favored weapon and a future breakout star from another quarterback and gave him to their guy Baker, and that's something Bucs fans should be very happy about in 2026.
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