Buccaneers' Christian Izien: Not tendered by Tampa Bay
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The Bucs will not extend a restricted free agent tender to Izien prior to the start of the new league year next Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Izien, therefore, will be allowed to become an unrestricted free agent. The 25-year-old has appeared in 45 regular-season games for the Bucs over the last three seasons, logging 165 tackles (111 solo), five pass breakups, including three interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
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Buccaneers' Benjamin Morrison: Leg issues shorten rookie season
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Morrison totaled 26 tackles (19 solo), four defensed passes and one fumble recovery across 10 regular-season games in 2025.
Morrison's NFL debut was delayed until Week 2 due to a quadriceps injury, while hamstring issues, which also wiped out his entire preseason, cost him another five games. The 2025 second-round pick did get back on the field for the last three games of the regular season after his final set of absences, finishing in solid form with 13 tackles (eight solo), a pass defensed and a fumble recovery in that span. With a healthy offseason and preseason, Morrison could certainly make a push for a much larger role in 2026 after averaging 35.9 defensive snaps per contest as a rookie.
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Buccaneers' Vita Vea: Workload boost in '25 season
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Vea recorded 34 tackles (16 solo), including 4.5 sacks, two defensed passes and one fumble recovery across 17 regular-season games in 2025.
The mammoth defensive tackle logged a whopping 760 snaps on defense while playing a full season's worth of games for the first time since 2019. Vea still saw a drop in his sack production after recording a career-high 7.0 QB takedowns in 2024, while his tackle tally was also his lowest over the last three seasons. Nevertheless, Vea remained a key cog on the Buccaneers' defensive front, and he remains under contract through the 2026 season at a cap hit of $22.2 million, per Spotrac.
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Buccaneers' Anthony Nelson: Solid again in complementary role
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Nelson (knee) recorded 38 tackles (21 solo), including 3.0 sacks, two defensed passes, including a pick-six, and two forced fumbles across 15 regular-season games in 2025.
The veteran extended his streak of seasons with multiple sacks to five while also recording a defensive touchdown for the first time in his career in Week 8 against the Saints. Nelson's 385-snap tally on defense was his lowest since 2021, although that's largely explained by the fact he missed the last two games of the season due to his knee injury. Nelson is committed to the Buccaneers through the 2026 season, and he's projected to continue filling his customary rotational role during his contract year.
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Buccaneers' Greg Gaines: Handled rotational role in '25
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Gaines posted 23 tackles (12 solo) including 2.0 sacks across 17 regular-season games in 2025.
Gaines spent his third campaign in Tampa Bay in his customary rotational role, seeing action on 369 defensive snaps and recording multiple sacks for the first time since his final season with the Rams in 2022. Gaines has proven to be a solid fit for head coach Todd Bowles' defensive scheme, so a return to the Buccaneers on another modest one-year deal would be a realistic possibility.
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Buccaneers' Haason Reddick: Second straight modest season
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Reddick recorded 31 tackles (18 solo) including 2.5 sacks, one pass defensed and one forced fumble across 13 regular-season games in 2025.
Reddick arrived in Tampa Bay last offseason on a one-year, $14 million deal in hopes of putting a mostly forgettable 2024 with the Jets behind him. However, the veteran pass rusher put together a second consecutive lackluster campaign, and he missed four games due to knee and ankle injuries. Set to turn 32 early in the 2026 season, it remains to be seen whether Reddick will be welcomed back to the Buccaneers at a reduced salary, or whether another team will be convinced it can coax another double-digit sack season out of the 2017 first-round pick.
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Buccaneers' Logan Hall: Career-high tackle total in '25
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Hall recorded 39 tackles (18 solo) including 1.5 sacks, one pass defended and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season games in 2025.
The fourth-year defensive end played a career-high 609 snaps on defense, leading to a new high-water mark in tackles. Hall played at least 51.0 percent of the defensive snaps in 14 of 17 games while operating as the starting right DE, but he disappointingly regressed in terms of getting to the quarterback after posting a career-best 5.5 sacks in 2024. Nevertheless, he has proven to be a durable rotational player, missing just two regular-season games in his career, so he could attract interest on the open market.
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Buccaneers' Jamel Dean: Solid production in contract year
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Dean (shoulder) recorded 46 tackles (38 solo) with 1.0 sacks, nine passes defended including three interceptions, one of which was a pick-six, and two forced fumbles across 14 regular-season games in 2025.
Dean put together a career-high INT total in a contract year, holding down the starting job at left cornerback whenever he was healthy. The veteran defensive back is still only 29 years old and should garner plenty of interest on the open market if he and the Buccaneers don't come to an agreement on an extension.
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Buccaneers' David Walker: Should be healthy by training camp
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Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said Tuesday that Walker (knee) is expected to be healthy for the start of training camp, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
After being selected by Tampa Bay in the fourth round of last April's NFL Draft, Walker missed all of his would-be rookie campaign due to a torn ACL. It sounds like he's progressed well in his recovery, but Licht's comments don't make it clear if Walker will be able to participate in OTAs. Regardless, the Central Arkansas product is in line to make his NFL debut in 2026 and could serve in a key rotational role.
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Buccaneers' Antoine Winfield: Another productive season in '25
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Winfield registered 93 tackles (53 solo), including 1.0 sacks, eight defensed passes, including two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery across 17 games during the 2025 regular season.
It was another season of across-the-board IDP production for the veteran safety, who tied the second-highest snap count of his career (1,034) and got back on the board in the interception column after going without a pick for the first time in his career during an injury-shortened 2024 campaign. Winfield's tackle total was the third highest of his career, while his eight pass breakups were second only to the 12 he compiled in the other 17-game season of his NFL tenure to date, the 2023 campaign. He'll once again slot into the starting strong safety role in 2026 as one of the leaders of a talented Buccaneers defense.
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Buccaneers' Tykee Smith: Breakout effort in '25
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Smith finished the 2025 regular season with 100 tackles (61 solo), including 2.0 sacks, 13 defensed passes, including one interception, and two fumble recoveries across 16 games.
The second-year pro had already displayed a penchant for solid tackle numbers and getting his hands on the ball during his 13-game rookie 2024 campaign, but Smith took a clear step forward in 2025 while holding down a starting role. The Georgia product logged a career-high 890 snaps from scrimmage, and he was in on 94 percent or greater of the defense's plays in all but his injury-shortened Week 14. Given his impressive development this season, Smith will head into 2026 ready to once again man the starting free safety role and form one of the league's best tandems at the position with Antoine Winfield.
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Buccaneers' Yaya Diaby: Another productive season in '25
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Diaby recorded 50 tackles (29 solo), including 7.0 sacks, one defensed pass and one forced fumble across 17 games during the 2025 season.
Diaby played in all 17 games for the third time in as many seasons to open his career, and he got to the 7.0-sack threshold for the second campaign within that span. Diaby is still looking for his first career interception, but he's now forced one fumble in each of his first three seasons and played a career-high 781 snaps in 2025. Diaby will head into the final year of his contract in 2026, although given the steady production he's delivered over his first three seasons, it's possible the Bucs may be willing to discuss an extension this offseason.
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Buccaneers' Jacob Parrish: Productive in rookie season
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Parrish recorded 76 tackles (50 solo), including 2.0 sacks, seven defensed passes, including two interceptions, and one fumble recovery across 17 games during the 2025 season.
The rookie third-round pick logged a total of 744 defensive snaps and another 129 on special teams, seeing ample opportunity right out of the gate in his NFL career. Parrish played at least 60 percent of the snaps in 10 games, and he projects to enter the 2026 season reprising his role as the Buccaneers' top slot cornerback.
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Buccaneers' SirVocea Dennis: Career-best season in '25
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Dennis recorded 101 tackles (66 solo), including 3.0 sacks, and five defensed passes, including one interception, across 16 games in the 2025 regular season.
After playing under 100 snaps in each of his first two seasons over 17 total games, Dennis moved into a full-time role and put his whopping 909 snaps to good use. Dennis' stat line was unsurprisingly comprised of career-best figures across the board, and he recorded at least seven tackles on 10 occasions. Dennis will now head into the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, although given his breakout campaign, it's certainly conceivable he and the Bucs come to terms on an extension this offseason.
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Buccaneers' Lavonte David: Another productive season in '25
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David recorded 114 tackles (61 solo), including 3.5 sacks, three passes defensed, including one interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 17 games during the 2025 season.
David played 17 games for the third time in the last four seasons, once again serving as the iron man of the Buccaneers' defense in his age-35 season. The standout linebacker recorded at least nine tackles on six occasions, and he posted multiple sacks and forced fumbles for the second consecutive campaign while eclipsing the 100-tackle mark for the fourth straight season as well. David played the 2025 season on a one-year, $9 million deal, and it remains to be seen if he and the team will come to terms on extending their working relationship for a 15th season.
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Buccaneers' Jayson Jones: Staying in Tampa Bay
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The Buccaneers signed Jones to a reserve/future contract Monday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
Jones spent most of the 2025 season on the Buccaneers' practice-squad injured list due to an undisclosed issue. He'll remain with the organization and participate in offseason activities as he aims toward making the active roster for the 2026 campaign.
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Colts' John Bullock: Claimed by Indianapolis
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Bullock was claimed off waivers by the Colts on Monday.
Bullock was cut loose by the Buccaneers, and he has quickly found a new home in Indianapolis. The linebacker appeared in 15 regular-season contests with the Buccaneers this year, compiling 10 total tackles (three solo) while playing six snaps on defense and 252 with the special-teams unit. The 24-year-old will now look to compete for an active roster spot with the Colts in 2026.
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Buccaneers' Anthony Walker: Ruled out for Saturday
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Walker (ankle) has been ruled out for the remainder of Saturday's game against the Panthers.
Walker tweaked his ankle on the game's first snap and will be unable to return to the contest. Deion Jones will likely help fill the special-teams snaps that Walker was set to play in Week 18.
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Buccaneers' Anthony Walker: Questionable to return with ankle
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Walker (ankle) is questionable to return to Saturday's game against the Panthers, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Walker exited the game after the opening kickoff. If the linebacker's ankle injury ends up being too much to play through, his role on special teams will likely be covered by Deion Jones for the remainder of Saturday's game.
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Buccaneers' Calijah Kancey: Returns for Week 18
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Kancey (pectoral) is active for Saturday's game against the Panthers, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Kancey is set to play in his first game since the Buccaneers' Week 2 win over the Texans, where the defensive end suffered a pectoral injury. The 24-year-old should suit up for rotational snaps with the defensive line behind starters Elijah Roberts and Logan Hall. Kancey logged 7.5 sacks over 12 regular-season games last year, and his return should provide additional depth to the Buccaneers' pass rush.
