The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are about a week out from opening the 2026 regular season, and the roster looks good enough to make people take notice. If everything clicks, Tampa Bay has the kind of talent that could push it into the dark horse Super Bowl conversation.
That kind of leap usually starts with a few players taking real steps forward, and the Buccaneers have three names that stand out as breakout candidates.
Yaya Diaby looks like the clearest bet of the group. He has already led Tampa Bay in sacks in two of his three pro seasons, and he’s done it while carrying the load as the top edge rusher with limited help around him.
That should change now. The Buccaneers revamped the defensive front by bringing in Rueben Bain Jr. and Al-Quadin Muhammad, and they also get David Walker back from injury.
Up the middle, Tampa Bay added A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches. Diaby has never had a defensive line around him this strong, and that gives him a real chance to cash in on the upgrade.
On offense, Jalen McMillan is easy to overlook right now. Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka are drawing the spotlight, and even rookie Ted Hurst is getting more attention than McMillan.
But if McMillan stays on the field, there’s room for him to matter in a big way. He missed most of last season after suffering a broken vertebrae in his neck during the preseason, then came back for the final four games and caught 12 passes for 178 yards.
Over a full 17-game season, that production would have put him on pace for 51 catches and 757 yards. He also showed what he can do as a rookie, when he scored eight touchdowns, including one in each of the final five games.
With Baker Mayfield already comfortable with him and Mike Evans gone, McMillan should see more targets.
Then there’s Tykee Smith, who already made a strong impression in his first season after moving from nickel cornerback to safety. Todd Bowles went as far as saying earlier this offseason that Smith was the team’s best defensive player last season before a shoulder injury slowed him down late in the year.
Smith still finished with 100 total tackles, two sacks, an interception, and two fumble recoveries. Now, with another year in the system, he should be even more settled, and he has a chance to put himself in the conversation as one of the NFL’s best safeties if he takes another step forward.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Practice Squad Addition Might Not Stay There For Long
After trimming the roster from 90 to 53 players, the Buccaneers got their initial practice squad in place and brought back a familiar name in cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. The former Super Bowl winner returns as a veteran presence and a depth option for a secondary that can always use experienced help once the grind of the season starts.
Murphy-Bunting was one of 16 players signed to the practice squad, a group that also includes linebacker Caden Fordham, safety Ifeatu Melifonwu and tight end C.J. Dippre. For Tampa Bay, those are the sorts of names that can matter quickly, especially when injuries hit or special teams needs change, and Murphy-Bunting in particular looks like the kind of addition that could be more than a temporary stop. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Changed Something Big Inside The Buccaneers Locker Room
When Baker Mayfield arrived in Tampa Bay in 2023, he was stepping into one of the sports toughest follow-up acts, taking over at quarterback after Tom Brady. Instead of merely filling a spot, Mayfield quickly helped reset the tone around the Buccaneers, putting together Pro Bowl seasons in both 2023 and 2024 while posting career highs in passing yards and touchdowns and guiding the team to back-to-back NFC South titles.
Just as important inside the building, teammates and staff have pointed to his outgoing personality and easy approachability as a real plus for the locker room. For a team trying to stay steady after such a major transition, that kind of presence matters, and it helps explain why Mayfield has become more than just the guy under center in Tampa Bay. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Enter 2026 With One Problem That Could Derail Everything
On paper, the Buccaneers look built to make another run in 2026, with Baker Mayfield back directing an offense that still has plenty of muscle in the trenches and real playmaking at wide receiver. The roster has enough talent to make Tampa Bay feel like a team that can hang with most opponents, and that kind of depth is usually the sort of thing that keeps a contender steady when the schedule gets tougher.
Still, there are a few early-warning signs that could make this season feel a lot less secure than the talent suggests. The cornerback group remains a concern in terms of both performance and development, the offense will be adjusting to new coordinator Zac Robinson, and the health and depth of the offensive line will be tested right away. If those areas hold up, the Bucs should be fine. If they dont, all the promise on the roster could become a lot harder to cash in. [Read more 🡒]