The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the class of the NFC South again. The team is just better than its struggling division brethren, and this could be the way it will be for the foreseeable future.
The organization is well-built and makes smart free-agent decisions. Who else would take a chance on Baker Mayfield in 2023, after all? That has paid off handsomely.
But while the Bucs are going to make the playoffs again next season (you can mark it down), some of the players will not be around for success after the 2025 season. The three players below could easily spend their final year with the team. For one player in particular, saying goodbye would be pretty difficult.
2025 could be the last with the Buccaneers for these three players
Defensive lineman Greg Gaines
Gaines is still young enough to potentially be a solid contributor along the defensive line for several years. The issue is that he has never been an outstanding player, except for maybe 2021. That season, he had 46 total quarterback pressures, but in every other season of his six-year career, Gaines has had 16 or fewer.
He also had 35 run stuffs, but in neither of his two seasons with the Bucs has he had more than 11. The magic of his 2021 season is extremely unlikely to be replicated.
He is not overly expensive as his cap hit in 2025 is just $3.5 million, but his production could easily be replaced. The team should take an interior defensive lineman at some point on Day 2 of the 2025 draft, and that player will make Gaines expendable after next season.
Linebacker Lavonte David
This one is written so as not to jinx David. How he stays healthy and productive after 13 years in the league is a magical mystery. Still, he will be 35 years old during the 2025 season, and eventually Father Time will win. Maybe not this coming season (one hopes), but after that? Maybe. He is also entering the final year of his current deal, and the Buccaneers might eventually want to get younger at linebacker.
His cap hit isn't that much for a player of Reddick's quality and past success—it is only $9 million. Assuming David remains as productive as he has over the course of his career, then Tampa Bay might welcome him back in 2026. One might wish, though, that we knew if he is going to play beyond 2025 before the season is over, because he deserves a tremendous send-off.
Edge rusher Haason Reddick
Reddick had issues with the New York Jets last year after leaving the Philadelphia Eagles. The edge rusher has had some highly productive years regarding quarterback pressures, but one might wonder if he is a problem in the locker room, as Tampa Bay will be the fifth team of his career. One might assume a player who has had at least 44 total pressures in a season four times should stick with one team for a while.
Last season was Reddick's worst since 2019, and he will turn 31 years old early in the 2025 season. Could he be past his prime? He only signed with the Buccaneers for one season and $14 million in a kind of prove-it deal. If he does well, Tampa Bay should want him back. That is, as long as he is not disruptive of team chemistry and is productive.
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