The Underrated Buccaneers Addition Who Changes Everything This Offseason

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done a solid job addressing a variety of needs on the roster this offseason.

Credit to GM Jason Licht, who, despite losing Mike Evans in free agency, didn't panic and try to make up for that misfortune with any sort of impulsive signings or trades, but instead approached free agency and the draft in a careful and calculated manner.

Licht played his hand beautifully in the draft as well, where he managed to marry value with his team's positional needs, which obviously kicked off with a bang when Rueben Bain Jr. was still on the board at 19.

There's no question that the team's primary objective this offseason was to get better on the defensive side of the ball while emphasizing players who possess common traits such as size, physicality and grit at the same time.

Although the Buccaneers utilized both free agency and the draft in order to accomplish their roster-building goals this offseason, it was a middle-round draft pick that has the potential to really change everything for the Bucs this season.

Bucs Got a Steal With Their 4th Round Pick in NFL Draft

When the Buccaneers selected Keionte Scott with the 116th overall pick in the fourth round, it was immediately recognized by draft experts as an exceptional value pick.

Scott played an integral role in the Miami Hurricanes' impressive 2025 campaign that saw them make it all the way to the National Championship game before falling to the Indiana Hoosiers. One of the best blitzers of any DB in the nation, Scott formed an impressive tandem with Bain Jr. and made an impressive 43 solo tackles on the season.

Scott isn't just a run stuffer, though. His 90.5 overall defensive PFF grade was the third-best among 896 qualified cornerbacks in College Football last season. His 86.5 coverage grade was top-20 in the nation, and his 91.4 run defense grade was second best.

Keionte Scott Provides Valuable Depth to Bucs' Defense

Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles watches game play against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Although many expected Scott to be selected a round or two before he was, he is a specific style of player who requires the right infrastructure (coaching and players around him) to be at his best.

Scott is a unique player who, in the right role, could really thrive at the NFL level. Scott's highly aggressive style of play and strong tackling is perfect for what Todd Bowles looks for in defensive backs.

The reason why Scott has the potential to change everything for the Bucs is because of how well he fits into Tampa Bay's defense and the flexibility he proves in the secondary, giving Bowles another chess piece to deploy in conjunction with versatile defenders like Antoine WInfield Jr., Tykee Smith and Jacob Parrish.

The expectation is that Scott will be given the chance to earn a spot as the team's starting nickel corner, which would then allow the Bucs to kick Jacob Parrish, who had an outstanding rookie season, to the outside.

What this ultimately achieves for the Buccaneers is immediately creating some wiggle room at the outside corner position. With Zyon McCollum coming off a down year and Benjamin Morrison already dealing with a hamstring issue after missing almost half of his rookie season due to various injuries, the added depth on the outside will put some added pressure on those players to perform in order to earn, and maintain, their starting spot.

The addition of Keionte Scott also means the Buccaneers will have four players in their secondary with the experience and ability to play in the nickel. Winfield Jr., Smith and Parrish have all performed well in the slot at various points of their NFL careers. With Scott now thrown into the mix as well, the versatility of the Bucs' secondary is all of a sudden quite a strength.

With Bowles' propensity for sending pressure from all different directions and the addition of Scott to a secondary that is already full of aggressive, versatile DBs, the Buccaneers will be able to cover, tackle and unleash a variety of unpredictable blitz packages next season.

Not only is the addition of Keionte Scott flying under the radar, but because of the trickle-down effect of his presence in what is already a deep and versatile secondary, it has the potential to change everything for the Buccaneers' defense.

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