Ranking 2nd-Year Buccaneers By 2026 Importance

Tez Johnson was productive last year for the Buccaneers, especially while filling in for the numerous injuries Tampa Bay's wide receiver corps suffered. He ended the year with five touchdowns and 322 yards on 28 receptions, but those numbers might go down in 2026.

The Buccaneers just drafted Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst in 2026, who can play on the outside as an X receiver similar to what Johnson did last year. Johnson will now likely be competing with Hurst for snaps, and on top of that, the Bucs already have Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan at wide receiver, too.

Johnson can play all over the place, so he could have an impact at multiple different places, but if Hurst shows up in a big way and can start playing outside for Tampa Bay sooner rather than later, Johnson could quickly find himself buried.

5. DT Elijah Roberts

Elijah Roberts already made a mark last year for the Buccaneers. He began siphoning snaps from Logan Hall on the defensive line, and he'll likely continue to get some rotational play in 2026 in a similar manner.

That being said, the Bucs picked up a lot of defensive linemen in the offseason, with players like A'Shawn Robinson, DeMonte Capehart and Rakeem Nunez-Roches in the building. Roberts is another player who will have to fight for some snaps, but he has a lot of value as a three-tech and should still see some work in 2026 and beyond.

4. OLB David Walker

David Walker is the only player on this list who did not get to play his rookie season — he tore his ACL during the offseason and missed the entirety of 2025. The Bucs are excited about him in 2026, though, and he has the opportunity to move up the depth chart in a big way.

The Bucs are set with their first three edge rushers in the rotation — Bain, Yaya Diaby and Al-Quadin Muhammad — but the No. 4 spot remains up for grabs. Anthony Nelson likely holds the spot at the moment, but a strong offseason from Walker and some good play in the regular season could propel him up the depth chart over Muhammad and players like Chris Braswell.

Edge rushers are some of the most important players in football. If Walker can be the player the Bucs think he is in 2026, Tampa Bay's pass rush could get a lot better very fast.

3. CB Benjamin Morrison

Benjamin Morrison is set to compete for a starting job in 2026 after the departure of Jamel Dean to the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he's able to win the job, he'll play likely play alongside Zyon McCollum at outside cornerback in what will be a big season for him — and even if he doesn't, he could serve as crucial rotational depth for a room that really needs it.

Morrison had a decent showing last year when he was healthy, but his season was largely marred by injuries. Tampa Bay can't afford too many of those, so it would be a huge boon for the Bucs if Morrison could stay healthy and elevate his game to the level that it was during his best seasons at Notre Dame.

2. DB Jacob Parrish

This is an interesting one. Jacob Parrish excelled at the nickel position last year in his debut season, but the Bucs just drafted Scott to play nickel for them in 2026. As a result, Parrish will bounce outside, and how he reacts to that change could be crucial for the Bucs.

Parrish is a smaller cornerback, so size is a concern, but he displayed good instincts and an aggressive play style last season for Tampa Bay, netting two interceptions and 50 solo tackles. He'll probably compete with Morrison for an outside corner spot, and he's in the same boat as Morrison is — whether he wins that competition or not, his play will be crucial for an ailing outside cornerback room in Tampa Bay.

1. WR Emeka Egbuka

With Godwin coming off a recovery season from a nasty ankle injury he suffered two years ago, Egbuka could be the No. 1 option for the Bucs at wide receiver. It remains to be seen where exactly he'll line up, but a stellar beginning to his rookie season last year puts his stock sky-high heading into Year 2.

The Bucs have some safety blankets if Egbuka falters, but he's set to be a crucial part of the offense, and the effectiveness of Tampa Bay's passing game could very well hinge on how his year goes. Egbuka had some drop issues at the back half of last year, but he was playing on an injured hamstring and he'll be entirely fresh in 2025.

If Egbuka can carry the momentum from the first half of last year throughout the whole year in 2026, Tampa Bay's wide receiver won't miss a step.

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