March 5, 2026, 9:55 p.m. ET
In the upcoming free agency, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could look beyond the bigger-name veterans and instead target younger upside players. One under-the-radar option to watch is edge rusher Joseph Ossai.
Ossai has spent the early part of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, mostly working in a rotational role while flashing athleticism and burst off the edge. During the 2025 season, he continued to develop as a situational pass rusher, finishing with five sacks, two forced fumbles, and a career-high 9 tackles for loss. While he hasn’t fully broken out into a full-time starter, the traits are still there, and teams around the league value that kind of upside entering a second contract window.
For Tampa Bay, this type of move would make a lot of sense. Instead of committing major cap space to an older veteran, the Buccaneers could target a younger player like Ossai, who still has room to grow – a la Shaq Barrett, someone who may just need someone to believe and give a chance. His speed and flexibility off the edge would fit nicely into a Bucs EDGE group still finding their footing.
Financially, Ossai is a more affordable option than the top-tier edge rushers. According to Spotrac, players in his production tier typically land short-term deals with moderate annual value, making him a realistic mid-level target at about 9$ million annually, which can be structured in a way that is incentive-heavy.
If Tampa Bay looks for upside rather than star power in free agency as they flush the rest of their defense out, Ossai could quietly emerge as one of the more intriguing fits to watch.
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