6 free agents the Buccaneers can target after re-signing their core players
By Josh Hill
Dalton Risner, OG
If there’s one major area the Buccaneers need to address this offseason, it’s the offensive line. Outside of Tristan Wirfs and perhaps Cody Mauch, everything needs to be re-evaluated and there’s a pretty good argument that the whole line needs to be rebuilt.
Specifically, the interior of the line left a lot to be desired last season. One of the reasons the run game has struggled so for two consecutive years is due to how poorly things have gone inside. Injuries have played a role in this, as the 2022 season was essentially a wash due to how thin things got and Matt Feiler lasted only a few games before needed to be replaced by Aaron Stinnie last season.
Dalton Risner is one of the league’s best guards and could be exactly what the Bucs need to start beefing things up. He’d bring a veteran presence after having spent time with the Broncos and Vikings, and has managed to be consistently solid despite changing coaches a few different times.
Nobody made a better pitch for Risner than the man himself.
Just In case anyone was wondering… I’ve started 73 games over 5 years in the league… missing only 4 games due to injury… earning the starting spot amongst 3 different coaching staffs… I’ve never asked for a bag, simply just a starting guard contract.
— Dalton Risner (@Dalton_Risner66) March 12, 2024
The guard market has gotten pretty expensive, which likely means upgrades will be addressed in the draft. Tampa Bay has some cap space to play with, though, and it doesn’t sound like Risner is going to hold anyone over a barrel in order to get top dollar.
Adding a veteran like Risner to go alongside Wirfs as a leader on that unit could be money well spent.