The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rounded out the 2025 season at No. 2 in the NFC South and an 8-9 record, so it wasn’t a terrible season, but Baker Mayfield and the team have more to offer than that record shows.
During the offseason, the Bucs have been especially aggressive, making moves such as signing linebacker Alex Anzalone from the Detroit Lions and running back Kenneth Gainwell from the Pittsburgh Steelers, both of whom came off strong seasons with their teams. It’s these kinds of dramatic moves that can take this franchise to the next level, so don’t expect an 8-9 season out of them in 2026.
Now, the Buccaneers are getting props for their smart, first-round draft pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
In a recent feature from Mike Sando of The Athletic, the NFL reporter names his favorite moves for each NFL franchise during the league’s offseason.
Bears’ Ben Johnson Gets Kudos for DJ Moore Trade
He gives the team kudos for a collection of their draft-day picks. One of the most crucial aspects of building any NFL team for the future is making smart draft choices, so this means something.
“If someone had said in March that the Bucs would draft Rueben Bain Jr. without trading up from No. 15, few seemingly would have believed it,” he says in the piece, “and so we applaud politely. Selecting Bain and fourth-round defensive back Keionte Scott added welcome toughness in younger players.”
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The Bain selection is especially poised to pay dividends. He has the ability to be an immediate starter and will add edge rushing talent to a team that needs it. Bain was the consensus All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year last season, so his backstory says it all. But, I also think an underrated move by the Bucs was signing pass rushing veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad to a cheap, one-year, $6 million deal following his massive season with the Lions. Detroit wasn’t smart to let him walk, but that will only benefit the Bucs.
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