Bucs General Manager Jason Licht – Photo by Bailey Adams/PR
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Scott Reynolds from Pewter Report answers your questions @pewterreport This week, we’re going to Bucs MailBag on Twitter account. Use the hashtag #prmailbag to submit your questions weekly via x to Bucs MailBag. Here are the BUCS questions I chose to answer this week’s edition:
Question: What we usually do until all the free agent markets are chosen, and what will we scramble at the end?
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by Bailey Adams/Pr
answer: Well, I don’t say the Bucks will necessarily scramble at the end of free agency. But what they don’t usually do is sign a splash on the first day of free agency. That’s when some people were crazy and some called “silly.” That was certainly the case today. Nate Hobbs, a frequently injured nickel cornerback for the Raiders, has been signed a four-year, $48 million contract with a $16 million bond. Hobbs won a 61.4 professional football focus grade last year.
Hobbs wasn’t the only suspicious deal made in free agency in cornerback positions. Brandon Stevens left the Ravens for the Jets, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $36 million and features a $23 million bond. Stevens was 54 PFF grade last year. The Bucs have a big need at cornerbacks, but do you want one of the two players in Tampa Bay at those prices?
General Manager Jason Licht previously tried out the flashy free agent signing routes, but (wisely) found it didn’t work normally.
an @nfl GM texted this to me today:
“We can’t win the Super Bowl today, but we can lose it.
No matter what study you choose, there is no correlation between spending Big $ on FA and winning. That’s actually the opposite. That’s my wet blanket statement that day. ”– Vincent Bonsignore (@vinnybonsignore) March 10, 2025
Licht didn’t say that (but the new Raiders GM John Speitok probably did). But he believes in that principle.
Haason Reddick’s deal is a kind of mix of flashy free agent signatures and value signatures. At present, Reddick is ranked 21st of the highest-paid Edge Rush with $14 million per year on a one-year contract. Reddick is expected to be less in the edge rusher market in 2025, as he averaged $15 million a year for the Eagles (2023) and Jets (2024) over the past two seasons.
Tampa Bay is looking for value. Shaquil Barrett and Baker Mayfield are some of the best signatures Licht has ever made, both proving $5 million and $4 million in a year respectively. Zach Boun signed a one-year contract with the Eagles last year and became All-Pro, who re-signed for $51 million over three years last week. For the rest of this week we’ll see what happens as big money trades are drained and good players can get it at a very good price.
Q: Did you have any offers at the table at Chavalais Ward?
Colts CB Charvarius Ward – Photo: USA Today
answer: I think the Bucs were interested in former 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward, but it’s not certain that $35 million is guaranteed over three years. Ward turns 29 later this year, leaving her rough season in 2024 when she saw the sudden death of her young daughter.
I don’t know if Bucs wanted to drop $20 million a year on the ward when Zyon McCollum was in his contract year. He is young and can get better if he continues to develop and improve. Having a $20 million cornerback is almost undoable, even if your salary cap increases.
The Bucs need help with cornerbacks, but they’ll look for less cornerbacks than McCollum makes when they gain extensions – perhaps later this year. And that’s one thing to consider. Tampa Bay is interested in potentially making early extensions of McCollum, right tackle Luke Godeke and tight end cade otton.
Speaking of defensive backs, look out for the Chiefs’ safety Justin Reed. Bucs could be very interested if he is available at a reasonable price. The 28-year-old Reid has been away from a strong season at Kansas City, with 16 pass breakups, three interceptions, three bags and a forced fumble over the past two years. He won a 78.2 professional football focus grade last year and a 76.5 coverage grade.
Tampa Bay signs the lead and he shows strong safety, allowing the team to keep Tykey Smith at the nickelback. If Smith moves to strong safety, an opening will be created with a nickel back. So the Bucs may be looking for both nickel and external cornerbacks that could replace Jamel Dean, as well as better depth this offseason and cornerback.
Question: I love how it’s been going so far! Chris Godwin and Ben Bredeson re-signed. Haason Reddick signed, but cornerbacks are still in a big need. Do you see Jason Licht sign Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy?
Former Packers CB Lasle Douglas – Photo: USA Today
answer: you are right. Cornerbacks are a big need. I think the Bucs will be a veteran free agent and will be drafted. This is a pretty good year for the NFL Draft cornerbacks. So it makes sense to acquire a young, developed corner. But you can also find a more reliable first caliber veteran.
As for Viking’s cornerback Byron Murphy, he’s a bit of a mixed bag. He signed a three-year contract worth $66 million on Monday night. The former Cardinals’ second round pick achieved a career-high 74.4 profile football focus grade in 2024. This was my second year in Minnesota. He also had a career-high 73.5 coverage grade, as he has six personal interceptions in 2024. These picks won his first Pro Bowl nod.
However, Murphy gave up four touchdowns last year, surrendering 32 touchdowns while generating 14 interceptions in six seasons in the NFL. Murphy has had nine intercepts in a two-year stint with the Vikings, but has been allowed 10 touchdowns over that period. He is also not a solid tackler, and his tackle at Tampa Bay last year was a problem. I don’t know if the Bucs are interested – especially at the price tag.
Todd Bowles would prefer a long, long cornerback on the outside, and Murphy would have projected into the role of nickel cornerback at 190 and 190 in the Tampa Bay defense. The Bucs may be interested in Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas, who struggled with Buffalo last year, but he had a very good career in Green Bay from 2021-23, blocking 10 interceptions, including three picks six.
Question: NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry said if Chris Godwin signs with Bucs it would be a three-year deal. He also reads between tea leaves, and said that if Sean Tucker improves pass protection, he could become the RB2 behind Bucky Irving. Or is this wrong with the national media again?
Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo: USA Today
answer: Matthew Berry was right because it was a three-year deal for Chris Godwin. I didn’t think he would be 29 years old and would be longer than that. Given the fact that he has a serious ankle injury, I don’t know if Tampa Bay wanted to commit to anything more in terms of length. Godwin received $22 million a year, which was fair market value. And that helped the Bucs given that Florida has no state income tax.
Godwin wanted to stay in Tampa Bay so I don’t know if there were any other suitors to win him, but his agents are available to take advantage of a sparse free agent wide receiver. I bet my reputation on the fact that Godwin is back and went until last November I guaranteed it. Thankfully, I was right.
above? Sean Tucker, He could potentially move up the depth chart, but pass protection is a problem. Tucker finally saw the field last year and showed off his spinning speed and explosiveness. Despite being third on the depth chart, Tucker ran for 308 yards and a touchdown pair, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, making it the best of his team’s running. He also had nine catches for 109 yards (12.1 average) and a touchdown in the air, making him the sixth week of NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Rachaad White is currently a backup for Bucky Irving, he is an elite pass protector and one of the best blocking backs in the NFL. So, Tucker needs to make a monumental leap in the area to surpass White as Tampa Bay’s RB2. White is in his contract year and has everything to play for everything, so he will create all runs, catches and snaps this year to maximize his value in free agency in 2026.
question: Is there a sense of who Bucs wants to bring in for their top 30 visits?
UCLA Edge Rush Orwa Femioradejo – Photo: USA Today
answer: Bucs show a trend of bringing players from every day of draft. Leads from the first round to the third day. My guess is because of potential leads in the first round, nearly 10 of the top 30 visits. Teams need to hit the first round picks to make the draft really successful.
Tampa Bay is chosen at No. 19, making it available to a wider range of players than if the team had a top 10 selection. This means you need to bring in more potential candidates that could become an option at No. 19. With perhaps 10 visits and the top 30, draft prospects can spend the whole day meetings with the NFL team’s general manager, head coach, scouting department, coordinators and position coaches.
But it’s also important that the Bucs get a good feeling about the guy drafting round 2-7. Even formal interviews at NFL Scouting have combined the last 18 minutes only. Tampa Bay gave an official interview with tight end Devin Culp last year, then took him to a top 30 visit, making him the team’s seventh pick.
Of course, the Bucs went into stealth mode a few years ago in 2023 with their team’s first round pick, defensive tackle Calijah Kancyy. Kansy did not take part in the top 30 visits and there was no official interview with Tampa Bay. That’s why his choice was caught the most off guard. Last year, it was a different story from the Graham Burton Center. Graham Burton took part in a top 30 visit after conducting a formal interview with Indianapolis Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Most players who have been officially interviewed with BUCS are ideal candidates to take part in the top 30 visits. You can see people the Bucks officially met at the Combine Here.
