The Buccaneers’ 1-4 start has them in a rough spot, and that’s what makes the trade deadline worth watching in Tampa Bay. Even after a win, the mood around the roster is still cloudy enough that general manager Jason Licht could at least entertain the idea of adding draft capital if the season keeps slipping.
Licht doesn’t usually make midseason deals, but if the Bucs decide the year is heading toward a reset with a new head coach, there are a few players other teams could circle.
Chris Godwin is the most obvious name. He’s 30, and he hasn’t been used heavily in Zac Robinson’s scheme. That alone could make him appealing to teams looking for a proven veteran at receiver, especially clubs that think they can squeeze a little more out of him down the stretch.
Godwin is playing this season on a $22 million deal after signing a three-year contract with that average salary. His final year is a team option, which gives any acquiring team some flexibility: they could extend him for another $22 million or simply let him go. That makes him a possible rental for a contender trying to get over the hump, while Tampa Bay could get something back in return.
Another possible trade chip is Gainwell, who also hasn’t been a big part of the offense. He has run the ball 17 times for 44 yards, an average of 2.6 yards per carry, and he has 11 catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Teams looking for backfield help could call on Gainwell, but Tampa Bay does have Sean Tucker available. Tucker has looked good in his limited work and could step into the RB2 role at a much cheaper price. Any team that wanted Gainwell would also have to take on his two-year, $14 million contract, and he is in the first year of that deal.
Diaby rounds out the list, though he feels like the least likely to move. The Buccaneers’ pass rush has not been good, which makes it harder to imagine them shipping him out unless the organization really starts leaning toward a rebuild and wants something back before the deadline.
Diaby is on a contract year and will be a free agent in March, so a team trading for him would not be taking on a major long-term commitment. That would make him a straightforward rental, with the option to extend him if he performs. So far, he has five solo tackles and an interception, but no sacks.
The Bucs would probably prefer to keep Diaby, but if teams come calling, it might make sense for Tampa Bay to at least listen.
In Other News...
Dak Prescott Tunnel Confrontation Keeps Stirring Debate After Bucs Win
After the Buccaneers handled Dallas, the conversation around the game quickly shifted from the scoreboard to the tunnel. Dak Prescott was heckled as he walked off after the loss, with the man shouting that the performance was embarrassing, and Prescott stopped to confront him in the moment. The scene added another layer to a lopsided night and drew plenty of attention because it came as the Cowboys quarterback was already dealing with the weight of a frustrating result.
The debate only grew once a TikTok clip began circulating around the confrontation, feeding speculation about what happened next. Prescott acknowledged the criticism, while a local report identified the heckler as a car service driver rather than a stadium employee, complicating some of the early assumptions about who was involved. For Tampa Bay, it was the sort of postgame flashpoint that kept the win in the headlines for reasons far beyond the Bucs own performance. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Is Still Driving The Bucs Through This QB Crisis
Baker Mayfield may be sidelined, but he has not disappeared from the Buccaneers quarterback room. With Mayfield out because of injury, Tampa Bay has handed the offense to Jalon Daniels, and the rookie has leaned on the veterans steady hand as he settles into a much bigger role than anyone expected this early in the season.
Daniels has said Mayfield has helped him get ready for games in ways that go beyond a quick tip or two, with support in practice, in film study and on the sideline. That kind of presence matters even more for a young quarterback who was thrust into the starting job, and it was part of the backdrop before Tampa Bay picked up its first win of the season in Dallas. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Rookie Gives Fans One More Reason To Love Beating Dallas
The Buccaneers Thursday night win over Dallas gave Tampa Bay another satisfying layer to enjoy after the final whistle, and rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter made sure fans noticed. Trotter, whose football bloodlines run deep as the son of former Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr. and the brother of Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., shared his own postgame moment from the victory, leaning into the kind of swagger that follows a surprise win over a marquee opponent.
On social media, Trotter posted photos and a video from the game, including a tackle of Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, and capped it with a pointed nod at Dallas. It was the sort of rookie flex that lands well in the aftermath of a big home crowd win, especially when the opponent is the Cowboys, and it added one more talking point to a night Tampa Bay had already turned firmly in its favor. [Read more 🡒]