Should Buccaneers Make Big Push to Re-Sign Jamel Dean in Free Agency?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some big free agency decisions to make in 2026. They have 16 unrestricted free agents, three restricted free agents and a club option on one player, so they'll have to figure out exactly who they'll bring back and who they are willing to let walk in free agency.

Jason Licht has his hands full, and it will be interesting to see how he navigates this offseason. For the next two weeks, we're going to look at some of Tampa Bay's most consequential free agents. We'll give you the pros and cons of each potential re-signing, and then we'll deliver the verdict on whether or not we think the Bucs should bring back that player in 2026.

Jamel Dean took a massive pay cut in 2025 after numerous years of injury problems and middling play, but he came back in a big way that season, performing like one of the NFL's top corners. It was a huge step up for Dean — and a huge problem for the Buccaneers. Here's the rundown on what challenges the Bucs now face because of his great run:

Why the Bucs should re-sign Dean

Simply put, Dean was quite good last year. PFF gave him an overall grade of 80.6, the third best of any corner this year. He had three interceptions, a career high, and he also deflected nine passes. On top of his improved play, Dean has played in Todd Bowles' defensive system since 2019 and he knows it extremely well. In a complicated system like Bowles', that is a huge boon for any defender. With an otherwise very thin secondary in Tampa Bay, Dean might be a necessary piece to bring back.

Why the Bucs shouldn't re-sign Dean

The biggest knock on Dean is how often he gets hurt. Dean has never played a full season of NFL football, and he missed three games last year due to injury in 2025 and five games the season before that. Dean had an excellent year in 2025, but if he isn't on the field, he can't contribute, and Tampa Bay's depth is rough as it is in the secondary. Over the Cap projects that Dean is worth around $14 million per year in the free agent market — with how much he gets hurt, that could be an unwise investment.

The verdict

If the Bucs can find a way to bring Dean back, they should. Dean played great football last year and, despite his injuries, knows the defensive scheme very well. That knowledge can only help the Bucs in 2026, and if the team brings in more players in the secondary, he'll be an invaluable resource to help them as well. It might be a little pricey, but if Dean is willing to come down on that, it would be great to have him back.

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