5 Buccaneers That Are Not Getting Talked About Enough Entering 2026

After a very disappointing 2025 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are out for redemption in 2026.

That mindset doesn't just apply to the team as a whole, though. There are a number of players on the Buccaneers roster who possess the talent, pedigree, and experience to be major factors for the team as they aspire to regain control of the NFC South Division and make some serious noise in the postseason.

Let's take a closer look at some of the key players who all fit that bill, yet are not being talked about enough as we inch closer to the 2026 NFL season.

WR Chris Godwin Jr.

With his longtime running mate Mike Evans no longer in the picture, a tremendous amount of responsibility now shifts to the shoulders of Chris Godwin, who will be tasked with leading the Bucs' wide receiver room for at least this season.

Despite Godwin's impressive production over the course of his career, his last few seasons have seen the steady veteran miss a ton of time due to injury. That fact, combined with the emergence of rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka last year, has most people under the impression that Egbuka will be the star of the show.

Not so fast.

Godwin is fully healthy for the first time in quite a while, and he's still just 30 years old. Godwin's tireless work ethic, combined with his versatility as a receiver, will make him a crucial weapon this season for Baker Mayfield. With an inevitable increase in targets this season, don't be surprised if Godwin reminds everyone that he's still got plenty of gas left in the tank.

OG Cody Mauch

Last season, a big reason for the Buccaneers' struggles on offense stemmed from a litany of injuries along the offensive line. Starting right guard Cody Mauch was lost for the season following a knee injury in Week 2.

Mauch is rarely talked about enough when it comes to discussing the Bucs' offensive line, and coming off a season where he played just one full game, that has become even more apparent. Like Godwin, Mauch is coming back with a lot to prove in 2026, and it feels like people have forgotten how valuable his presence in the lineup really is.

Like all teams, the Buccaneers' success on offense this season will depend heavily on the health and performance of their offensive line. At full health, the Bucs have one of the strongest groups in the entire NFL. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Mauch will not only be playing to re-establish his value as one of the league's ascending young guards, but he'll be looking to show just how much better the team is when he's in the lineup.

IDL Calijah Kancey

Calijah Kancey is a dynamic and explosive interior pass rusher. Having the opportunity to line up next to a double-team magnet like Vita Vea makes his impact that much more significant for the Buccaneers.

Despite his unique skillset for the position, Kancey has yet to realize his potential because of injuries. Heading into last year, Kancey was coined as a breakout player with the potential to lead the team in sacks. Unfortunately, though, Kancey only made it to Week 2 where, just like Mauch, he suffered a season-ending injury when he tore his pectoral muscle.

Because the Buccaneers exercised Kancey's fifth-year option, they will have him for the next two seasons. That being said, it's time for Kancey to start rewarding them for the investment the Buccaneers made in him when they selected him 19th overall in 2023.

Kancey's compact frame, explosive agility and quick first step are extremely unique. However, he seems to have been forgotten by many simply because he hasn't been able to stay on the field. If, and it's a big if, Kancey can finally stay healthy for a full season, he could unlock a level of productivity from the Buccaneers' defensive line that we haven't seen in decades.

S Antoine Winfield Jr.

Unlike the players mentioned above, Antoine Winfield Jr. was, for the most part, healthy and available for the 2025 season. That being said, Winfield wasn't exactly the dynamic game-breaker he's been for the team over the course of his career.

Now, with a formidable defensive line in front of him for the first time since his rookie season and a cast of versatile and interchangeable defensive backs around him, don't be surprised if we see Winfield recapture the magic he put on tape in 2023, when he became the first Buccaneers' safety to be named a First-Team All-Pro since John Lynch.

Winfield will take on an even greater leadership role for Todd Bowles' defense this season, and there's a good chance he's unleashed in a way we haven't seen for several years.

Al-Quadin Muhammad

Bucs' GM Jason Licht took a measured but calculated approach to free agency this offseason. There's no better example of this than the signing of Detroit Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad.

A sixth-round draft pick by the Saints out of Miami back in 2017, Muhammad had a relatively quiet start to his NFL career, where he spent time with numerous organizations, including the aforementioned Saints, with stops along the way with the Colts, Bears and Cowboys before settling into a rotational role with the Lion over the past two seasons.

Last year, Muhammad really broke out when Aiden Hutchinson was sidelined, producing a career-high 11 sacks for the Lions.

With the Bucs selecting Rueben Bain Jr. in the draft, it makes perfect sense why Muhammad isn't being talked about enough. That being said, he is a veteran player coming off his best season as a pro and he will have the opportunity to contribute to the Bucs' pass rush in a rotational role, which is something the team desperately needs.

Muhammad will be eager to prove that his performance last season in Detroit was not a mirage, and if he does, the entire Buccaneers' defense will stand to benefit.

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