Bucs News: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have Five Impending Free Agents Land in the Top 100
Looking at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offseason priorities and free agents four players stand out more than the rest. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr., wide receiver Mike Evans, quarterback Baker Mayfield, and linebacker Lavonte David are the core four the Bucs need to re-sign to stay competitive in the NFC South next year.
Then there's Devin White. The once-promising inside linebacker has regressed terribly over the last few seasons. So much so that he lost his starting spot this season and came in sparingly as a rotation player. He was also a late-game scratch against the Packers in a decision surrounded by controversy. The former fifth-overall selection has likely played his last down in Tampa Bay.
As they do, national media outlets have started to put together their top free agent lists and the Bucs have their core four, along with Devin White make several of them. the latest to come out has been presented by The 33rd team. Unlike other publications, the 33rd Team is unique as it has former players, coaches, and front-office executives create content for the site.
In their rankings they have Winfield Jr. landing as the tenth top free agent in the league. He's followed by Evans as the 11th-best player available and they offer potential free-agent destinations for the All-Pro receiver. They list the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and of course a return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as landing spots for Evans.
Here is what they had to say about Winfield Jr. and Evans.
10. S Antoine Winfield JR.
Few players make the full-field impact that Antoine Winfield Jr. does. He’s been a slot corner and safety throughout his career, and he urged the Tampa Bay coaching staff to let him focus on one position in 2023. After that, he only played 13 percent of his snaps in the slot, but that did not erase his versatility. Winfield was all over for the Buccaneers with six sacks, three interceptions, and a league-leading six forced fumbles. The first-team All-Pro safety won’t turn 26 until August
11. WR Mike Evans
Mike Evans was 13th among wide receivers in yards per route run and continues to dominate into his 30s. He’s the perfect X receiver to put on the outside and let him win 1-on-1. He can still use his big body as a weapon near the goal line, where he scored a league-leading 13 receiving touchdowns. Evans has at least 13 touchdowns in three of the past four seasons.
Down the board a bit and another member of the "core four" is quarterback Baker Mayfield. The veteran quarterback has earned himself a nice payday after playing on just a $4 million base salary last year. He will likely have suitors but it feels like returning to the Bucs is the best bet.
38. QB Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield finished his first season in Tampa Bay ranked 19th in EPA per play, but he made improvements along the way. One of those improvements was his comfort in the pocket. Mayfield handled pressure better and used more straight dropbacks instead of relying on play-action. He still makes bad decisions at times, but he’s a good enough quarterback for a team looking to make a run to the playoffs.
Three spots later the last of the Bucs big four free agents lands. It feels like David is a Bucs or go-home decision. The veteran linebacker considered retirement last season and could do so again. He's lost a step in coverage but is still one of the best in the league and isn't likely to play anywhere else but Tampa next season.
41. LB Lavonte David
Lavonte David is still going at 34. He wasn’t as effective in coverage as he’s been in the past, but he ramped up the run defense with the seventh-most positive tackles and a 65 percent positive tackle rate. His 17 tackles for loss were second among linebackers, and his 4.5 sacks were his most since he had five in 2018. If David needs to shift to a downhill-first linebacker in his final years, there are way worse options for teams needing an addition off the ball.
Rounding out the Bucs' remaining top free agents is the enigmatic Devin White. After demanding a trade in the offseason due to unhappiness about playing on his fifth-year option, White took to Instagram with a series of cryptic tweets. He opted not to hold out and started the season for the Buccaneers but was later benched. He doesn't figure into the team's 2024 plans.
69. LB Devin White
At his best, Devin White is an intense downhill linebacker who threw caution to the wind as he charged plays in front of him, which made up for a lack of coverage ability. There was always a big shift in White’s effectiveness and Tampa Bay’s overall performance when Lavonte David was out of the lineup. That crept in when David was on the field but was slightly older. White had a down season as a pass rusher, even though he blitzed more. He’ll still only be 26 at the start of 2024, so a team could have a more defined role for him while pairing him with a plus-coverage teammate to get the most out of his play.
You can follow JC Allen on Twitter @JCAllenNFL.
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