Final 2025 Buccaneers Roster Prediction

Training camp is over across the NFL. Now it is time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to start preparing for the regular season. The next step in the process is cutting the roster down to 53 players.

Most of the starting and backup jobs have long been accounted for. However, there are a few roster spots up for grabs on this team. Who will make the cut and who will be making the next flight out of town?

I take my best guess in my final 2025 Buccaneers roster prediction.

Quarterback – Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask, Teddy Bridgewater

We know that Baker Mayfield is a franchise quarterback and should be in the thick of the Most Valuable Player race this season. After that, there is more of an open competition.

I don’t know if Trask or Bridgewater will be the backup this year. They signed both this year and both have had moments. I don’t think they risk losing either by cutting one and they figure out who the backup is if Mayfield ever has to miss time.

Running Back – Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker

This might be the best overall running back room in the NFL. All three of these guys have a role to play and all deserve more touches than they will get. With so many mouth s to feed it was hard to keep a fourth running back in this room.

I did consider another running back just for special teams purposes, but I felt there were better options for that.

Wide Receiver – Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Ryan Miller, Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson

The top guys are a lock in Evans and Egbuka; and now Godwin who we learned will start the season on the active roster. This just leaves Jalen McMillan on injured reserve, so although he will certainly be on the 53 man roster when healthy, he won’t count against it to start the season.

I believe Miller is also a lock at this point. He’s incredibly reliable, he does the little things right and he plays special teams. I don’t see a path for him to not be on this team.

I rounded out the room with Shepard and Johnson. The first as a veteran who has chemistry with the franchise quarterback and the second as an exciting rookie who could earn a starting special teams job as a return man. This does leave Trey Palmer on the outside looking in, so don’t be shocked if he’s traded in the coming days.

Tight End – Cade Otton, Ko Kieft, Payne Durham, Devin Culp

Although I have been underwhelmed by this group in the preseason, I went with four tight ends. Otton as the starter, Kieft as a glorified fullback and Durham as more or a redzone target. Culp could be on the chopping block, but I’m betting on his athletic profile and upside here.

Offensive Line – Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredison, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch, Charlie Heck, El ijah Klein, Luke Haggard, Benjamin Chukwuma, Jake Majors

We know the five starters will be on the roster, as well as the primary backups in Heck and Klein. After that it becomes a real toss up.

I decided to keep three other offensive linemen. Two promising undrafted free in Chukwuma and Majors. The last guy is Haggard who has some inside/outside versatility. 

Defensive Line – Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, Logan Hall, Greg Gaines, Elijah Roberts

No surprises here. The three starters in Vea, Kancey and Hall. Then Gaines as a backup nose tackle and Roberts, who looked good against the Steelers, as a backup pass rusher. My only question was if they’d keep five or six in this group.

Outside Linebacker – Haason Reddick, Yaya Diaby, Chris Braswell, Anthony Nelson, Markees Watts

Another pretty chalk prediction here. The top four jobs are locked up with Reddick, Diaby, Braswell and Nelson. Then I went with Watts as a designated pass rusher and also someone who has been playing special teams this preseason. 

Inside Linebacker – Lavonte David, SirVocea Dennis, Anthony Walker, Dieon Jones

These are the four guys we all knew would make the roster. However, I struggled as if I should add one more to this group. Nick Jackson and John Bullock have impressed me this preseason. Both could contribute on special teams and one of those two is probably my “first man out” who came closest to making the roster before being cut.

Cornerback – Zyon McCollum, Jamel Dean, Benjamin Morrison, Kindle Vildor, Bryce Hall, Josh Hayes

I think the top four are all a lock at this point, with Vildor being the name that might be the surprise. However, he had a great showing against Pit tsburgh and he has a good deal of experience for a depth corner. 

Hall is also a veteran who brings a lot to the table after missing basically all of last year. I have him lower on the depth chart because I find him to be an odd fit as someone I believe does much better in zone coverage and the Bucs probably want to play more man coverage this year.

Hayes was my last guy to make the cut. He can be a third string nickel, but more than anything he should be a special teams only type of guy.

Safety – Antione Winfield Jr, Tykee Smith, Christian Izien, Kaevon Merriweather

When JJ Roberts went down for the year, that really ended most of the competition at safety. Winfield, Smith and Izien are locked in as starters and critical depth players. Meriweather may or may not have made the roster when Roberts was healthy, but now he is the clear cut pick as the fourth safety.

Specialists – Riley Dixon, Chase McLaughlin, Evan Deckers

Specialists are all locked up. Not even any real competition here.