As we reach the camp portion of the offseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look to fill some roster holes with young talent eager to make the right impression. That’s been a winning strategy for the team the last few years, but with stakes higher than they’ve ever been the Bucs might have to dig deep into the bag to try and find help.
This could lead to an unexpected reunion with a player fans probably aren’t thinking about.
There are actually two names that the Bucs might bring back, one less desperate than the other. Earlier this month Jason Pierre-Paul let it be known that he wanted to make a comeback and Tampa Bay is a natural landing spot.
Pierre-Paul won a Super Bowl with the Bucs back in 2020 and was a key piece of a punishing pass rush that tormented quarterbacks all season. It’s a tall order to ask him to come back and get on that level again, but the Bucs are desperate for some help on the edge.
Tampa Bay did go to some lengths to try and address the need this offseason. Haason Reddick was signed to a $14 million deal in free agency and the Bucs doubled up on pass rushers in the draft with David Walker and Elijah Roberts.
Bringing back Pierre-Paul would be a fit in that he wouldn’t be asked to be the guy he was five years ago, rather he’d be expected to be a key piece of rotational depth. That could be something that worked out for everyone.
The more desperate move would be to reunite with a former linebacker who left for greener pastures. No, Devin White isn’t walking through that door — although that would truly qualify as a desperate move. Instead, Keon Alexander remains out of work and could be the sort of flier the Bucs want to take if the team looks at free agency to address a pressing need at linebacker.
Linebacker remains the biggest offseason move the team didn’t properly address, and bringing back Alexander could be an unexpectedly great reunion. He’d fill a need the team has and would bring familiarly, albeit things look different than when he was last in Tampa Bay.
Bringing up Alexander as an option mostly highlights how desperate the situation is. The Bucs thankfullly have Lavonte David coming back for another season, but are relying on SirVocea Dennis to be healthy and Anthony Walker to step up more than K.J. Britt did last season.
That’s not a great position to be in, which is why Alexander being an option both makes sense and is also a little depressing. Tampa Bay needs to figure out something at linebacker, as the depth is incredibly thin and it could be a problem that flares up at the worst possible time.
If not Alexander — or even White — the Bucs need to figure something out before it’s too late.
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