The Tampa Bay Buccaneers managed to make some improvements to their lackluster defense from last year in free agency, retaining Lavonte David for at least one more year and taking a flier on former Pro Bowl pass rusher Haason Reddick after his nightmare of a Jets stint.
Even with these improvements, Jason Licht's work is far from finished. With Chris Godwin coming back, the Baker Mayfield-led offense should have no problem leading Tampa Bay to another NFC South title if everyone stays healthy. Todd Bowles' defense is far from being an elite unit.
With the first wave of free agency in the books and many of the top players officially off the market, the Bucs may need to look at this 2025 NFL Mock Draft as they try to find the best way to get their defense back up to full respectability.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers post-free agency 3-round NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 19: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
David might be back, but the Bucs need to plan for his eventual retirement. Who better to fill that old role than a former edge rusher in Campbell, who has established himself as a player who will end up in the first round, thanks to his blinding speed and versatility?
With rare explosion at over 240 pounds, Campbell has played both inside linebacker spots and lined up in the edge to great effect. With tremendous hitting power and coverage skills, Campbell could be a Pro Bowl player after one year of learning under a linebacking sage like David.
Round 2, Pick 53: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State
Bowles' cornerback room is still fairly below average, as the Bucs were unable to spend some of their available cap space in what was a fairly thin market. If Tampa Bay is drafting based on potential on Day 2, Thomas might be the ideal player for a coach like Bowles who loves size and length outside.
While he doesn't have the best ball skills for a corner his size, Thomas' feisty style of play and splendid open-field tackling will give the Tampa Bay secondary two traits they need more of in the worst way. In Bowles' zone-heavy scheme, a corner like Thomas could find a perfect landing spot.
Round 3, Pick 84: Jared Ivey, EDGE, Ole Miss
Reddick is in town, and the Bucs seem confident in promoting 2024 second-rounder Chris Braswell to a larger role. While Ivey has often been overshadowed by teammate Princely Umanmielen, Ivey's ability to both defend the run and get after the quarterback will help him get picked on Day 2.
No one will confuse Ivey with Abdul Carter when comparing their overall athletic profiles, but Bowles has a history of making it work with larger defenders on the edge who are more than just situational pass rushers. Ivey's ability to steamroll offensive tackles with power and work them over with pass rush moves should help him land a role in Tampa.