With the player contract market in the NFL ballooning year after year, it can be a proactive move for teams to extend core players before the official end of their contract.
It’s a mutually beneficial trend, as players can get long-term security early, and teams can secure the futures of their coveted players while getting good value on a contract before the market gets reset.
The Buccaneers actually made this kind of move last year, when they signed Tristan Wirfs to a massive five-year, $140 million extension ahead of the final year of his rookie contract.
The Buccaneers currently have two players set to enter the final season of their rookie contracts, and rewarding them with early extensions ahead of the season and avoiding tense free agency negotiations in the offseason could prove to be a wise decision for the front office.
Bucs need to extend these two players from their 2022 draft class
Luke Goedeke
Goedeke was Tampa Bay’s second round choice in the 2022 NFL Draft. He started his career as a guard, where he really struggled as a rookie, before being moved to right tackle in 2023.
Goedeke has since found a home at right tackle, and has been one of the Buccaneers’ most improved players, and one of the league’s best at his position.
Pro Football Focus’ Zoltán Buday recently ranked the 32 best offensive tackles in the NFL, and Goedeke was ranked No. 29 on the list. His counterpart, Tristan Wirfs, was ranked No. 2, making Tampa Bay one of just a handful of teams to have both of their starting tackles on the list.
“The former second-round pick endured a rough rookie season in 2022 but made one of the biggest improvements in the NFL when he ranked 27th among all offensive tackles with a 73.4 PFF overall grade in 2023.
“Goedeke has been nothing if not consistent since then, as he replicated his performance in 2024 with a 74.2 PFF overall grade, which once again ranked 27th at the position. The 3.2% pressure rate he allowed was the best clip of his career by a significant margin,” wrote Buday.
Spotrac currently values Goedeke at a $16.5 million per year value, which would rank No. 10 at the right tackle position. If the Bucs could extend Goedeke to a four-year, $66 million deal as Spotrac projects, they should do it today, and in a heartbeat.
With another strong 2025 season, Goedeke could see his value grow into the $20 million per year range, and the Bucs should pounce early.
Zyon McCollum
The Buccaneers selected McCollum in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Much like Goedeke, he went through some growing pains early in his career, before emerging as one of the team’s most improved players.
McCollum went from buried on the depth chart behind Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean, to taking over as the team’s primary cornerback entering 2025.
He tied for the team lead with two interceptions last season, and if McCollum takes another big step in his development this season, he’ll be headed for a significant pay raise.
At the end of last season, OverTheCap valued McCollum as an $8 million per year player. He’s currently set to make just under $3.5 million in 2025 on his current deal, and a respectable extension at OTC’s value would more than double his salary while providing the Buccaneers with a great value.
Goedeke and McCollum both have the potential to be cornerstone pieces of the future for Tampa Bay. If the Buccaneers believe in their breakout potential, there’s no reason to wait. Extending Goedeke and McCollum now could lock in two future stars at a discount before their price tags climb even higher.
More Tampa Bay Buccaneers news and rumors