The 2024 NFL offseason was a busy one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While they didn’t have as big of a void to fill as in 2023 when Tom Brady retired, there was still plenty of work to do. Per Over The Cap, they signed 20 players this offseason, eight players signed with a new team and five players remained unsigned.
How did the Tampa Bay Buccaneers do overall? In the opinion of Seth Walder of ESPN, it was a solid, but not spectacular offseason for the franchise. He gave them an overall grade of B, highlighting some moves he liked and disliked.
The biggest move that the team made was re-signing safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfield had a monster 2023, coming at the perfect time for him. A free agent this offseason, he had the franchise tag placed on him. Eventually, a long-term deal was worked out as he is now the highest-paid secondary player in the NFL.
That big money was able to be spent because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers received such a nice discount on the deal with star wide receiver Mike Evans. A two-year, $41 million deal is a steal for the franchise when taking into consideration what other wide receivers around the NFL have been signing for.
But, Walder wasn’t a huge fan of how much they re-signed quarterback Baker Mayfield. He had a strong bounceback season in 2023, but how much of that was courtesy of Dave Canales, the offensive coordinator who will now coach against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as head coach of the Carolina Panthers?
The franchise also made a move for the future, trading cornerback Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions, netting a third-round pick in return. He isn’t the only major piece of their defense who departed, as linebacker Devin White signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as well.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t look like Super Bowl contenders right now, but they won’t be pushovers either. They should compete for the NFC South title again, which could be one of the weaker divisions in the NFL again.
Do you want the latest news, updates, and rumors surrounding all sports? Click here. Make sure to check out our sister sites as well: NFL Analysis Network, NBA Analysis Network, Packers Coverage.
