With the offseason officially here, decision-makers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to turn their attention toward some tough calls that need to be made. For as great as the season ended up being, there are very obvious holes that need to be more than simply plugged in free agency and the draft.
Todd Bowles did what he could with a defense that got ravaged by injuries, but that excuse masks a much larger issue that needs to be addressed. Even if everyone would have been fully healthy, the Bucs lacked any sort of consistent pass rush last year and it ended up exposing a defense that struggled to close out games against good teams.
Given how successful Philadelphia was in beating the doors off Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl with its pass rush, the Bucs have even more incentive to make some changes. It's more than just patching over the issue with some low wattage moves, Tampa Bay is predicted to take some big swings -- potentially in the form of a Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby trade -- that would truly fix a major area of need.
Pass rush isn't the only thing the Bucs need to take care of this offseason, which means the first moves made could be setting up some additions with roster subtractions.
Buccaneers could release Jordan Whitehead to save $4.5 million toward other moves
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler looked at the Bucs roster heading into the offseason and added to the pile of players the team might move on from as a neccesary means to an end.
He noted that the Buccaneers used a dominant pass rush and multiple corners with man-to-man ability to win a Super Bowl back in 2020 and thinks those are clear areas of need heading into this offseason. It's something that could lead to Jordan Whitehead finding himself on the wrong side of a roster decision to make room and save create cap space.
"Adding to both positions either in free agency or high in the draft will give coach Todd Bowles more flexibility in key matchups. Among key free agents to re-sign include wide receiver Chris Godwin, who seems like a Buc for life, and surprisingly good guard Ben Bredeson. Tampa Bay can save $4.5 million against the cap by releasing safety Jordan Whitehead," Fowler wrote.
That all feels about right, even if it's a bummer that Whitehead's return to Tampa Bay didn't go as well as we all were hoping. He was signed in free agency after a few years with the New York Jets, a move that kept the theme of reunions going strong.
Unfortunately, that's where things might have peaked. Whitehead failed to live up to expectations and his season officially ended before Week 18 when he was involved in a serious car accident. Before that, he missed time with a pectoral injury that kept him out for most of the team's home stretch, and it soon became obvious that another parting of the ways could be in store.
To be fair, Whitehead didn't get a full season of what we all thought would be a dynamic safety duo. Partnering with Antoine Winfield Jr., who he played with during the Buccaneers' Super Bowl run, was also injured for large sretches of the season which further threw things out of whack.
Whitehead could return, but using his $4.5 million elsewhere might be the best move for the team. Not only is there the pass rush situation to address, but Fowler's mention of Chris Godwin is spot on in terms of a top priority. Tampa Bay can restructure deals to create space but reallocating money owed to Whitehead toward bringing back Godwin is something that won't get much pushback from fans.
Tykee Smith stepped up in a big way in 2024 as a rookie, which suggests he could help fill in any gaps left by Whitehead leaving. The Bucs can also draft another young safety to make up the difference as well, plus they already have Keavon Merriweather and Christian Izien on the roster as well.
Whitehead returning to the Bucs was great at the time, but it never panned out. It's a bummer, but this seems like it might be the end of the road for him once again in Tampa Bay.
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