Buccaneers Very Well Could Be Targeting a Quarterback in NFL Draft

Jason Licht just may be hinting at the Bucs making a move in the draft for a quarterback.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have many needs to address in the 2026 NFL Draft, and quarterback is perhaps the least among them.

The Bucs are set even beyond starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is likely to get extended this offseason with a big deal. The Bucs and general manager Jason Licht made sure to grab a quality backup for him by signing backup Jake Browning, and that was after re-signing quarterback Connor Bazelak to a one-year deal. But quarterback is the most important position in the game, and the Bucs are always on the lookout when it comes to that market.

The Bucs have already talked with some of this year's quarterbacks, both formally and informally. And when asked during his pre-draft press conference in the Bucs would consider drafting a quarterback, Licht seemed fairly open to the concept.

Could the Bucs draft a quarterback in 2026?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"We've looked at all the quarterbacks in this year's draft, and we do it every year. We haven't drafted a lot since I've been here, quarterbacks," Licht said. "But I'll kind of echo the same thing I said – we signed Jake Browning and we like him. We really like [Connor Bazelak] and what he showed us last year and we had him all year. [We will] give a chance for the new staff to see him here coming up here during the offseason… But if there's one that we like, that we feel comfortable taking at the right spot, it's something that we've talked about. It's something that we've talked about [doing] every year. So we'll just kind of have to see how it falls."

The Buccaneers brought in one quarterback for a top 30 visit in Kansas' Jalon Daniels, a six-year senior. They also met informally with plenty of others, including big names like Alabama's Ty Simpson, Penn State's Drew Allar, Tennessee's Joey Aguilar and Arkansas' Taylen Green, so the Bucs are certainly doing some due diligence at the position.

That being said, Tampa Bay still likes what it has. Any quarterback that came into the fold from the draft would certainly be competing with Bazelak for the team's QB3 position, as Browning should serve as Mayfield's backup in 2026. The Bucs would be unlikely to keep three quarterbacks on the roster, and that third quarterback would likely be on the practice squad for 2026.

There's also the matter of Baker Mayfield's contract, which is set to expire after the 2026 season. There's a general consensus that Mayfield and Licht will get something done before the start of the season, but if both teams decide to ride it out, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some insurance at the position if Mayfield's 2026 doesn't go to plan and he is not re-signed in the offseason.

You can never do too much research on the quarterback position, and it isn't out of the question that the Buccaneers could pick one up this draft, even if it's unlikely. We won't know for sure until the draft begins on April 23, though, and even then, Bucs fans would have to wait until Day 2 or Day 3 to see a quarterback get a call from Licht.

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