How bad were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' special teams in 2025? Enough so that Todd Bowles once said they gave up the yardage on kick-offs because of the coverage. With a chance to keep some small continuity on the unit this offseason, they opted instead to let one standout walk.
J.T. Gray played only four games for the Buccaneers last season; he also played one with the Broncos. His playing time wasn't what fans had expected, given his three All-Pro credentials.
When free agency began, the Buccaneers didn't do much, but they managed to lose one player who could have helped a unit in desperate need of leadership.
J.T. Gray's loss to the Eagles may be more significant than Tampa Bay Buccaneer fans realize
Gray took 62% of the Buccaneers' special teams snaps in 2025, leaving the Bucs with an offseason decision whether or not to re-sign him. The Eagles saw the potential and knew that he would provide depth at safety while also giving them a boost on the ST unit.
Since 2018, Gray has been named a First Team All-Pro by the Pro Football Writers three times. 2019, 2021, and 2024. The Associated Press named him a 2nd team All Pro in 2019 and 2024, and a 1st team All Pro in 2021.
The #Eagles have agreed to terms with safeties Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray, both of whom get one-year deals, after trading S Sydney Brown to the #Falcons.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 20, 2026
Epps spent 2019-2022 in Philly, while Gray has been All-Pro three times. pic.twitter.com/EQO8w8jbRi
Philadelphia traded Sydney Brown to the Falcons last week, making the position depth-needy. Gray will take a one-year deal to impress NFL teams as he turns the corner on his age-30 season.
On the surface, it may not seem like a big deal, but with the Tampa STs struggling mightily last year, having a veteran in the unit that can help change the mentality of the team would have helped.
Gray began his career with the Saints in 2018, making his presence on special teams known from the start, but his biggest problem was getting on the field with the defense. In his entire career with New Orleans, he never took more than 4% of the snaps defensively in a single year. He had 41 total snaps in 2021.
It's an odd move for the Buccaneers, who would likely have been able to keep him on a low-end contract that would have helped both special teams and defensive depth.