3 Buccaneers Players Who Could Be Traded Before Deadline

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be coming off a win, but things still don't look great for them heading into the rest of the season. The team is 1-4, and if things go poorly, it could be staring at a rebuild next year with a new head coach.
If that's the case, general manager Jason Licht may want to get some new draft capital. Licht almost never trades midseason, but what if he did? And if he needed some draft picks, which Buccaneers players would he be willing to give up? Who would teams want?
We tried to answer all these questions with three potential Bucs players who could be moved before the deadline:
WR Chris Godwin

If the Bucs don't play well leading up to the deadline, they'd probably be down to get anything they could from Chris Godwin. Godwin is 30 years old and isn't getting a ton of use in Zac Robinson's scheme, and there are probably a few teams that wouldn't mind his veteran presence and experience at the position — and maybe a few that would utilize him just a bit more.
Godwin is currently playing on a $22 million deal this year after signing a three-year deal for that much on average. But his last deal is a team option, so any team that traded for Godwin could either extend him to the tune of $22 million more or simply let him walk. Godwin could be a rental for any team looking to take themselves over the line, and the Bucs could get a little capital on top.
RB Kenny Gainwell

Gainwell is another player the Bucs haven't been using much. He's only ran the ball 17 times for 44 yards, just 2.6 yards per carry — he's also only caught 11 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.
RB-needy teams could easily call about Gainwell if needed. The Bucs have Sean Tucker available and Tucker has looked good in his limited snaps, so he could slide right into that RB2 postion (and he's be a lot cheaper). Any team that wants Gainwell would have to take on his two-year, $14 million contract, which he's currently in the first year of.
OLB Yaya Diaby

This one doesn't feel particularly likely, because the Bucs' pass rush hasn't been great. But if Tampa Bay really wants some capital back before what could be a rebuilding year next year, Diaby wouldn't be a bad player to move.
Diaby is on a contract year as it stands and will be a free agent in March. As a result, any team picking him up wouldn't have to worry about taking on a big contract and could instead watch him to see how he plays — if he pays well, they can extend him, and if not, he'd be a quick rental.
Diaby has five solo tackles and a pick without any sacks so far this season. The Bucs probably want to keep him around for now, but it might be wise to simply listen if a team comes calling.
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River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.
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