Jason Licht and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' player personnel department ran through a gauntlet last offseason, trying to keep together a roster that had just won a third straight NFC South title while dealing with a restrictive cap situation. The laundry list was daunting: re-sign resurgent quarterback Baker Mayfield plus Buccaneer legends Lavonte David and Mike Evans, retain deadeye kicker Chase McLaughlin, get a long-term deal done with franchise-tagged safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and work out an extension for All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs.
Impressively, Licht and company eventually checked all those boxes, plus a few others (e.g. Will Gholston, Greg Gaines) from a list of 22 potential free agents, including 18 of the unrestricted variety. A year later, the Buccaneers' list of pending unrestricted free agents is a little bit longer than in 2023, but perhaps a little less imposing. Not having to strike deals with your starting quarterback and a future Hall of Fame receiver helps.
Still, there is work to be done. This year, the list of potential free agents is 25 (possibly 26) players long, and it does feature David again, as well as the second-leading receiver in franchise history, Chris Godwin. In addition, most of the team's 2021 draft class is in line for new contracts, either in Tampa or elsewhere.
The list could be shorter by the time the NFL's 2025 league year begins on March 12, as the Buccaneers and all NFL teams have an exclusive window to negotiate with their own free agents until 52 hours before the start of the new league year. A "negotiation period" (commonly referred to as the "legal tampering period") opens at noon on March 10, allowing teams to speak to representatives of potential free agents from other teams and even enter into contract negotiations. That period lasts until 3:59:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday the 12th.
Unrestricted free agents are players with four or more accrued seasons and an expiring contract; restricted free agents have three accrued seasons; exclusive rights free agents have two or fewer accrued seasons. Teams may also begin placing franchise tags on potential free agents on February 18.
Here is Tampa Bay's list of potential 2025 free agents.
Unrestricted Free Agents
- DL Eric Banks
- OLB Shaquil Barrett
- G Ben Bredeson
- LB K.J. Britt
- LB Lavonte David
- RB Chase Edmonds
- S Mike Edwards
- DL Greg Gaines
- DL Will Gholston
- WR Chris Godwin
- C Robert Hainsey
- CB Bryce Hall
- CB Troy Hill
- S Ryan Neal
- OLB Anthony Nelson
- G Royce Newman
- G Sua Opeta
- WR Sterling Shepard
- T Justin Skule
- CB Tavierre Thomas
- QB Kyle Trask
- OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
Restricted Free Agents
- LB J.J. Russell
Exclusive Rights Free Agents
- DL C.J. Brewer
- S Kaevon Merriweather
The Buccaneers have a club option for a second year on safety Jordan Whitehead's contract; if that option were to be declined, Whitehead would join the list of unrestricted free agents above.
The Bucs' UFA list includes three players who were starters for all or the majority of the 2024 season: Bredeson, David and Tryon-Shoyinka. Godwin would have been on that list if not for the ankle injury that put him on injured reserve after seven starts. Nelson also started the last six games of the season.
David led the Bucs' defense with 122 tackles and added 5.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, six passes defensed, an interception and three forced fumbles in his 13th NFL season. In just seven games, Godwin caught 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns. Bredeson started all 17 games at left guard and was part of an offensive line that helped produce the league's fourth-best rushing attack. Nelson contributed 4.0 sacks, 36 tackles and 13 quarterback hits.
Britt, Hainsey, Trask and Tryon-Shoyinka were all part of the Buccaneers' 2021 draft class and have all completed their initial four-year contracts. The Bucs did not pick up the fifth-year option on first-rounder Tryon-Shoyinka.
