Buccaneers' Biggest Mystery Heading Into Mandatory Minicamp

The Buccaneers have tried to get the job done on addressing some of the most glaring questions regarding their 2026 roster. They've made plenty of additions to the front seven, replaced a large portion of their coaching staff and have tried to change the culture in the locker room in an effort to win more games in 2026.

However, there are still a couple of mysteries worth talking about.

Dec 7, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Honorable Mention: What Will Life After Lavonte David Look Like?

Franchise legend Lavonte David decided to call it a career after playing 14 long years with the Buccaneers. A future Ring of Honor member, hopefully a future Hall of Famer and one of the best defenders and players in Bucs history, David's presence in Tampa Bay will surely be missed in 2026.

The mystery here is what the team will look like going forward without David. Yes, the team added free agents Alex Anzalone from the Lions and Christian Rozeboom from the Panthers, and they also drafted linebacker Josiah Trotter in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft.

However, not many, if anyone, can replace what David meant to Tampa in terms of overall play and leadership, and the team will have to see if the pieces that they brought in can attempt to fill the massive shoes that David has left.

How Will the Cornerback Room Take Shape?

I believe that the biggest question the Buccaneers still face is their cornerback room. Yes, there is plenty of praise and hype being thrown at 2026 fourth-round draft pick Keionte Scott, and understandably so. I believe that Scott will be a great piece for the Bucs secondary and will contribute in a lot of ways due to his versatility.

However, the team did lose veteran cornerback Jamel Dean to the Pittsburgh Steelers and has yet to add a starting-caliber veteran this offseason to replace him. They did add cornerbacks Kemon Hall and Chase Lucas, but those two figure to be high-end special teams players more than anything.
Could the team still look to add some veteran competition to the mix for training camp and preseason?

Jul 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison (21) participates in training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Right now, the two biggest contenders for starting outside cornerback are Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison, two players who struggled greatly in 2025 and are looking to rebound after a lackluster season.

Now, I know that Morrison was a rookie and struggled with injuries, but McCollum doesn't have the same reasons and needs to return to form that earned him the large contract extension he got before the 2025 season.

Sep 28, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jacob Parrish (25) during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

What about Jacob Parrish? With the drafting of Scott, Parrish could look to be moved to outside cornerback in 2026 as well. However, Parrish was excellent in his role as nickel cornerback last season, so is it wise to mess with a good thing?

In my opinion, how this room shakes out is the biggest mystery the Buccaneers have on their roster currently, and could have a large effect on the defense in 2026.

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