Free agency hasn’t been much of a frenzy for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that doesn’t mean a lack of production.
Rather than spend on new players, the Bucs used most of their cap space on guys already in the building. There’s still a loose thread dangling with Antoine Winfield Jr., who still needs a new contract after getting franchise tagged, but that’s expected to get taken care of.
Other guys like Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans were re-signed before free agency opened with Lavonte David, Chase McLaughlin, and Chase Edmonds among veterans who followed soon after. Even Jordan Whitehead is back after spending the last two seasons with the New York Jets, so it’s been reunions across the board.
Spending on external talent hasn’t been a priority for Tampa Bay, but that doesn’t mean they won’t still go out and add a few veterans if it makes sense.
Buccaneers could bring in a sleeper free agent to bolster defense
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder looked at veteran free agents that each team could still add and connected linebacker Zach Cunningham to Tampa Bay. It’s not a move that would replace Devin White or negate the need to draft someone, but it could go a long way in adding some helpful depth.
“Cunningham could be a good insurance policy and David only signed a one-year deal at 34 years old, so bringing in the former Eagle and Titan could give the Bucs a long-term option at linebacker as well,” Holder wrote.
K.J. Britt is penciled in as the replacement for White heading into training camp, but we’ll see if that changes based on what happens in the draft. Prospects like Edgerrin Cooper, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and Junior Colson are all potential targets for the Bucs and would challenge for a starting role as rookies.
Tampa Bay also has a lot to work with in Yaya Diaby and SirVocea Dennis, as well as J.J. Russell and Markees Watts. Randy Gregory was signed in free agency as well, giving the Bucs even more depth but it seems Todd Bowles can never have enough.
Cunningham would be along the lines of a Gregory or Russell, working his way into games as part of a rotation rather than a long-term piece of the puzzle. That’s not a slight, as depth is key for championship winning teams, something the Bucs know all about from their Super Bowl run just a few years ago.
The Bucs haven’t dipped too deep into free agency but when they have it’s been smart moves like bringing back Whitehead or taking a chance on Gregory. The same could go for Cunningham, who we might look back at as a sleeper the team looks brilliant for bringing in.