Tampa Bay Buccaneers do not act like a transitional team. Remember that they come out of a season that has seen them emerge as one of the most balanced teams in the NFC. Now they have doubled to keep the nucleus intact and build from the inside. There is a certain confidence – in addition to the audacity – in the way the director general Jason Licht and the head coach Todd Bowles approached the 2025 off -season. Of course, most of the NFC South mixed the bridge or restarted their manuals. However, the BUCs relied on the familiarity with a calculated mixture of internal promotions and some high -level movements. For all the movements sensible, however, a signature stands out – not for the task, but for how much it should go well.
Familiar faces, promising choices and stable hands
Buccaneers must feel very well in their offseason. Their only departure from a major coach came when the attacking coordinator Liam Coen left to take the job of head coach in Jacksonville. Instead of splashing outdoor hiring, the BUCs promoted the Josh Grizzard pass game coordinator at OC. It is an internal decision that signals confidence in their offensive philosophy and stability around the quarter-Arrière Baker Mayfield.
On the player’s front, the title stroke was signed the wide receiver Chris Godwin to a three -year agreement. He is 29 years old and comes out of a dislocated ankle which put an end prematurely in his 2024 campaign. However, Godwin still projects himself like a vital cog in what was an offense among the first five. Insurance came in the form of the Choice of first Tour Emeka Egbuka. He is a gentle route runner with explosive advantages that will help keep the defenses honest. This is especially true if Godwin needs time to accelerate.
Defensively, the BUCs relied on the project to recharge. They made a smart bet on the cornerback Benjamin Morrison. He had a buzz in the first round before suffering a tear from LCA. Combine it with Jacob Parrish gives Tampa Bay two high ceiling players. They should immediately contribute to a secondary too thin sometimes last year. Overall, it was a solid and measured off -season – until it came to repair the rush to the passes.
Here, we will try to look at the most risky movement that Tampa Bay’s Buccaneers executed during the NFL 2025 off -season.
Reddick or bust?
If there is a decision that could boomerang on Tampa Bay, she signs the Rusher on board Haason Reddick to a one -year contract of $ 14 million. On paper, it meets a need. The rush towards the edge of the Buccaneers was in a strait so terrible last year. Remember that they even composed the retired veteran Shaq Barrett in despair. They needed body, speed and disturbance off the edge. That said, the recent history of Reddick are a mixed bag, and that says it slowly.
He was once a rising star with the Eagles. Remember that Reddick even struck the two -digit bags and looked like one of the first speed rushers in the league. Then came the disastrous passage with the New York jets. Whether it was the dynamics of scheme, coaching or changing rooms, Reddick looked like a shell of his Self Philly. He finished the 2024 season With only 3.5 bags And an alarming drop in the pressure rate. At 30, its brilliance is not what it was in the past. In addition, opposing offenses have started to settle it more effectively.
So why is this decision risky? Because the Bucs need him to train. They did not sign any other notable edge russeur in free agency. There is no clear impact recruit in the wings. Calijah Kancey is a game guard inside, but he needs out of the edge. Without this, the teams can drag protection and neutralize it. Reddick is not only a luxury – this is the plan. And 12 million dollars guaranteed are not “to kick tires”. It is a commitment.
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Why the bet can be paid
To be fair, there are reasons to be carefully optimistic. Todd Bowles is one of the most creative defensive minds in the NFL. He has a talent for deploying hybrid players on the front. If someone can rekindle Reddick’s career, it’s Bowles. Tampa’s scheme could also let Reddick pin his ears and rush without the cover responsibilities that mired him in New York.
In addition, there is something to say about the culture of the locker rooms of the BUCs. Veteran leaders like Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr have given a tone of responsibility and concentration. Reddick always has the tools to be an effective situational pass rusher. It is even if it is no longer a Pro Bowl lock.
But do not be mistaken: it is a boom or blow movement. If Reddick underperform or is injured, Tampa Bay is back where she started. They will be short of presence on the edge and excessive on the inner line.
High issues, moderate reward
For a team looking to face in a wide open NFC, the Reddick signature is a bet wrapped in a necessity. It is not reckless, but it is far from being sure. Tampa Bay has chosen to trust the rebound potential of a rusher in decline because they did not want to pay too much elsewhere or reach the draft. It could work. This could also cost them dearly in tight matches where only one bag or pressure could reverse the result.
The offseason of the Buccaneers was filled with intelligent and stable decisions – occurring from the inside, developing their young secondary and supporting the offensive. But the only thing they could not afford to miss is the rush to the passes. And they placed this bet on Haason Reddick. If it is paying, Tampa could again be a high -level defense. Otherwise, it’s the kind of swing that could keep them stuck neutral.
