Buccaneers Could Be Sellers At Deadline

However, Tampa Bay has tough matchups with the Falcons and the Bears in the next two weeks before the deadline. A 1-1 stretch would move them to 3-7 and reignite trade talk. Two losses would drop them to 2-8 and force them to consider dealing players for future draft capital.

The Buccaneers already have several core pieces on their roster, so general manager Jason Licht would likely resist trading players with multiple years of contract control like Chris Godwin or Tykee Smith. But Tampa Bay has multiple edge rushers as well as veteran defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson on expiring contracts, which could make them appealing targets for teams looking for defensive line depth.

Licht presumably would prefer to sign fourth-year edge rusher YaYa Diaby to an extension. The 2023 third-round pick averaged 6.3 sacks and 12.7 tackles for loss over his first three seasons and is on pace for similar numbers this year. That could help a team in need for an upgrade off the edge, and at the same time, Licht could be discouraged by Diaby’s lack of development in Tampa Bay.

The last update on extension talks between player and club was in March, suggesting that Diaby is betting on himself in a contract year. Licht may have to weigh offers for Diaby right now against the potential compensatory pick the Buccaneers would receive in the future if he walks in free agency. And of course, holding onto him through the deadline would preserve the chance of a long-term stay in Tampa Bay.

Former Lion Al-Quadin Muhammad is a more likely trade candidate candidate. Despite posting career-highs of 11.0 sacks and nine TFLs in Detroit last year, the veteran could only get a one-year, $4MM deal from the Buccaneers this offseason. He has two sacks and two TFLs in his first seven games in Tampa Bay and could draw more interest if he bumps his numbers up before the deadline.

Robinson, 31, is an 11-year veteran with 112 career starts, including six in Tampa Bay this year. Like most 320-pound defensive tackles, he has not typically stuffed the stat sheet, though he did post career-highs of 80 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and eight TFLs for the Panthers in 2024. Those numbers fell by more than half the following year, though his 2.5 sacks and three TFLs were still in line with his career averages. He has one sack and one TFL as a starter in Tampa Bay in 2026 and could bolster a defensive line looking to add some heft in the trenches.

The Buccaneers could still be right back in the playoff mix by the deadline. Back-to-back wins would keep them firmly in the hunt for another NFC South crown. But until and unless that happens, Licht may be willing to at least take calls on his players as he prepares to retool the roster in the offseason.