Top Ten Trade Targets For The Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter their bye week with an impressive 6-2 record. They have looked good, despite an unreasonable amount of injuries. Now is the time to take a breath and reevaluate what this team needs to do moving forwards.

As the Bucs are tied for the best record in the NFC, it’s safe to say that the Super Bowl expectation is still a reasonable one. However, this team might need to make a trade or two to compensate for some of their injuries or some of their slow starters. Here are my top ten trade targets for the Buccaneers.

10) Alex Cappa

A familiar face could reunite with the Bucs offensive line at this trade deadline. Although Cappa has fallen on hard times after leaving Tampa, he was a key player on their Super Bowl team in 2020. Perhaps a return could revitalize his career.

Cappa is currently a backup with the Las Vegas Raiders. He has struggled in recent years, but could provide more experience and familiarity than what the team currently has at right guard. Plus the cost would be very affordable.

9) Jakobi Meyers

Things are really falling apart for the Raiders. So much so that Meyers has requested a trade from the team. This would be a nice, under the radar pickup for a team who is looking for help at wide receiver.

That could very well be the Bucs. It was reported that the team was in the mix to sign veteran receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling following last week’s loss on Mike Evans. Meyers is a quality veteran who I believe would do very well in this Buccaneers offense.

8) Jaelan Phillips

I don’t view this one as especially likely, but it would be a fun fit. Phillips is in the last year of his rookie deal and could be on the move as things continue to deteriorate in Miami. He has been rumored to several different teams in trade conversation.

Phillips has battled injuries over his career, but when he is on the field he’s been a good player. He can play with his hand in the dirt as a defensive end or stand up and rush the passer as a linebacker. A versatile piece who can make an impact.

7) Mack Wilson

Inside linebacker is one of the biggest needs on the roster right now. With an aging Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis having struggled in pass coverage, the Bucs should be looking to upgrade this room. Adding more depth, or even a starting option should be a priority. 

Wilson has bounced around with a few teams over his seven year NFL career, but seems to be finding some stability in Arizona. He’s putting together one of his better years after a solid season last year. At an affordable cap hit and one more year on his deal, he could be a very nice bridge as the Bucs look to draft and develop their next star linebacker.

6) Joe Tippmann

Tippman is in his third NFL season with the New York Jets. He hasn’t thrived in the league like expected when he was a second round pick in 2023, but he has had some promising moments. His talent level would be a big upgrade from what the Bucs currently have on the interior. 

Not only does Tippmann play right guard, the biggest need on this offensive line, but he also plays center. This gives a little more versatility to the roster. He will also have one more year on his rookie deal after this, so he wouldn’t just be a rental.

5) Devin Bush

Much like Wilson, Bush wasn’t able to put it all together early in his career. Now he’s settled into a full time starting job with Cleveland and is finally looking like a good NFL linebacker. His speed and physicality have always stood out, but now it is all translating on the field. 

Bush currently ranks 21st in solo tackles and has 4 passes defended. He’s also in the last year of his deal, so this would be a very minimal financial commitment and cost to acquire him. Buccaneers could fill one of their biggest needs with this type of move.

4) John Simpson

Simpson is a culture setting type of addition. He rose from being a 4th round pick and has had stops with the Raiders and Ravens before landing with the Jets last year. In terms of additions on the offensive line, he would be close to the best case scenario. 

As a pass blocker, Simpson has been very good. He also brings great size and power as a run blocker. The only issue is that Simpson has been almost exclusively a left guard at the NFL level, so this move might require some shuffling on the offensive line.

3) Jordyn Brooks

Does your team need a starting linebacker? Allow me to offer you the NFL’s leading tackler. Brooks has started 16 or more games in each of the last four seasons and has been a tackling machine with sideline to sideline speed.

Brooks brings the experience and speed that is hard for Dennis to match. This extends well beyond the raw tackle numbers, but in coverage as well. We recently saw the Dolphins rework his deal which could indicate that they expect to be trading him at the deadline.

2) Will McDonald

It might be a pipe dream to acquire a young pass rusher on a rookie deal, but it’s not totally crazy to think that McDonald could be available. The Jets are a mess and with a new coach in town this year McDonald might not be part of their long term plans. Despite having 10.5 sacks last season, it seems like this is a name that has been brought up a lot in trade conversation.

It seemed like the Bucs were interested in McDonald a few years ago in the draft. He ended up going before their pick, but the team is still looking for that fast bendy pass rusher on the edge. If he is truly available, getting him on half his rookie contract could be a very good value. 

1) Kevin Zeitler

This might not be the biggest name or flashiest player out there, but I think he’d be the best fit for the Buccaneers. Zeitler is 35 years old, but is still playing at a relatively high level. He was a pro bowler with Baltimore in 2023 and had a very good year in Detroit last season. Now he is on a Tennessee Titans team that is going nowhere fast.

The Bucs need a plan at right guard. With Cody Mauch out for the season, the Bucs can’t expect the likes of Mike Jordan and Dan Feeney to become a legitimate starter for them this year. This provides a perfect short term answer and should come at a reasonable price.