Buccaneers Getting 'Two Bonus Draft Picks' Back in 2026, Says Jason Licht

Unlucky injuries during the offseason kept these two rookies off the field in 2025.

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense didn't play up to standard in 2025, but it also wasn't quite at full strength. An already-thin edge rushing room and defensive back corps was made even thinner before the season started when two of Tampa Bay's rookies went down in training camp.

Edge rusher David Walker and defensive back J.J. Roberts both went down with knee injuries after showing some promise during the 2025 preseason. As a result, when Tampa Bay's edge rushers and defensive backs started to suffer some injuries, neither were available to step in when needed — and that lack of availability showed up during the worst way, especially late in the year.

That will hopefully not be the case this year, though, as both players will take another stab at their true rookie season. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht spoke at the NFL Combine this week, and he mentioned that the team is excited to truly see what both players can do this season.

Buccaneers set to get some reinforcements in 2026

Central Arkansas defensive lineman David Walker (DL72) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"We had a promising young rookie that were going to rely on that went down in training camp," Licht said. "We got another undrafted rookie, J.J. Roberts, a safety who can play nickel, that we're very, very excited about... we kinda feel like we have two bonus draft picks this year coming back, so we're excited about that."

Walker was a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, selected because of how productive he was at the college level. A standout at Central Arkansas, Walker netted an astonishing 191 tackles and 31 sacks at Central Arkansas, giving him a great baseline for playing in the NFL. Walker could have helped with last year's edge rushing struggles, but he'll officially get the chance to this year as he recovers from an ACL tear he suffered early in training camp.

Roberts also suffered a knee injury during joint practice against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Roberts came out of Marshall as an undrafted free agent, and he quickly impressed in training camp and during the limited preseason action he got with the Buccaneers. A potential backup nickel and safety, the Bucs could use Roberts' versatility if he's able to continue the promising development he initially showed.

There's no way to know if either player will truly pan out, but the Bucs will be glad to have more depth to work with in 2026 if both players can stay healthy this time around.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2026 season.

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