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BY IRA KAUFMAN

A year from now, the Buccaneers could be looking at a rebuild rather than a reload.

This franchise appears to be at a tipping point as Todd Bowles prepares for his fifth season on the sidelines since replacing Bruce Arians. The first three of those years ended with a division title, but 2025 concluded with a disastrous collapse following the bye week.

With a 35-33 record behind him, Bowles is clearly under scrutiny, But save a little room under the heat lamp for Jason Licht and his cabinet. Licht delivered a Super Bowl with shrewd drafting and key free-agent signings, but this roster was exposed last fall.

The next few months are critical if Tampa Bay wants to avoid falling behind in a division that shows tangible signs of improvement.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht.

Carolina is on the rise under Dave Canales and the Saints may have found their franchise quarterback in Tyler Shough, who ranked ahead of Baker Mayfield in completion percentage and passer rating. The Falcons enjoyed a banner defensive draft and replaced Raheem Morris with two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski.

Licht and his braintrust face quite a challenge in the offseason.

Assistant GMs Mike Greenberg and Rob McCartney, VP of Player Personnel Mike Biehl, Director of Player Personnel Shane Scanell and Director of College Scouting Tony Hardie must coordinate with Licht to fill the holes that emerged last fall. The Bucs have seven draft picks, including the No. 15 selection in the first round. That’s not enough ammunition to fix what went wrong, so Licht should be aggressive in free agency.

The strengths of this team are obvious.

The offensive line, when healthy, is an impressive unit and Licht deserves credit for drafting four of those starters. He also signed guard Ben Bredeson as a free agent in 2024 and Bredeson is now a versatile blocker who looked very comfortable at center when Graham Barton shifted to left tackle early in the season because Tristan Wirfs was sidelined.

The receiving corps is talented and deep, especially if Chris Godwin returns to form. Godwin averaged seven catches and 82 yards through seven games in 2024 before suffering a dislocated ankle that limited his production last fall.

Licht needs to find another running back and a tight end who can get down the field and stretch opposing defenses. And don’t forget about landing a credible backup quarterback.

Adding defensive talent is the obvious priority and this secondary would look a lot better if quarterbacks were hurried and harassed. That didn’t happen nearly enough in 2025 as teams consistently handled Bowles’ blitzing schemes.

This front seven on defense doesn’t have enough talent to compete at the highest level. The only stalwart at this point is Vita Vea, who turns 31 this week. Calijah Kancey can’t stay on the field and Lavonte David is no longer a sideline-to-sideline defender.

There’s not enough there.

Chris Braswell is still looking to shock the world while David Walker is still looking for his first NFL tackle. SirVocea Dennis often appeared lost in coverage. Logan Hall and Anthony Nelson are complementary pieces, but this embattled defense needs star power.

Maxx Crosby?

If a Maxx Crosby becomes available, Licht shouldn’t think twice about parting with a premium draft pick. We’ve seen how Tampa Bay’s drafted edge rushers have failed at the pro level. Blame Bowles all you want for the lack of production but do you have any confidence Haason Reddick is going to flourish for another team in 2026?

If the Bucs finish with a losing record again, Bowles won’t be back. He knows it. But at that point, Licht might not survive a third coaching dismissal under his watch. The Glazers kept Licht at the helm of football operations after Lovie Smith and Dirk Koetter were fired.

If Bowles goes, Licht could also be moving on.

Bowles has to coach better to save his job. Licht’s not naive. He knows the challenge he and his inner circle are facing in the next three months.

He’ll be looking for the next Shaq Barrett, an underutilized talent who could prosper at One Buc Place. He’ll be looking for the next Carson Schwesinger, a second-round linebacker who will likely be named Defensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday.

The Senior Bowl is over. Licht’s work has just begun.

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