The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have become serial NFC dark horses in recent years. Baker Mayfield has revived his career and now leads a feared Buccaneers offense that gives the team a chance against any opposition.
After wins against the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Washington Commanders helped propel them to a fifth-straight playoff appearance in 2024, the Buccaneers should be feeling good. Nevertheless, PFSN’s Brandon Austin has pinpointed an area for the team to address before September and has named a Super Bowl champion as the ideal solution in free agency.
Tampa Bay’s Area of Weakness
In a recent article for PFSN, Austin named one current free agent that each NFL team should look to sign. Austin points to the Buccaneers’ linebacker room as an area in need of improvement, with a lack of real talent surrounding veteran Lavonte David.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ linebacker group had several issues in 2024, and they’ll need better play from that position to improve a defense that ranked in the middle of the pack last season. Lavonte David remains a high-level performer, but at 35 years old, his long-term durability is a concern.
Lavonte David is truly ONE OF ONE!
He’s going to be even BETTER this year?@heykayadams | @LavonteDavid54 pic.twitter.com/cIlqLfXYh4
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 30, 2025
“The bigger uncertainty is who will line up next to David in 2025 now that K.J. Britt is gone. The Bucs added Anthony Walker Jr. in free agency, but he was underwhelming in his lone season with the Dolphins. SirVocea Dennis is a player Tampa Bay has high hopes for, but injuries limited him to just four games in 2024. Deion Jones is also on the roster, but his play has declined over the years.”
Buccaneers Linked With Super Bowl Champion
The Buccaneers’ defense was fairly average in 2024. The team got plenty of pressure up front, finishing tied for sixth in sacks (46), while only eight teams allowed fewer rushing yards per attempt.
The Buccaneers faced the second-most pass attempts in the NFL last season, but fared better on the outside than they did against tight ends and running backs in the passing game. The team faced the eighth-most targets to tight ends, but allowed the second-most receiving yards to the position. Against running backs, they faced the seventh-most targets, but allowed the fifth-most receiving yards.
Those stats would suggest that the Tampa Bay defense is in need of some help in the middle of the field, and Austin suggests former New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.
BREAKING: #Patriots have released linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, who had over 500 tackles for the team in his career. pic.twitter.com/g7AVWoGqhG
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) March 28, 2025
“Ja’Whaun Bentley became available after the Patriots released him this offseason. He started 68 games in seven seasons with New England, recording 509 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks during that span. At worst, Bentley would add some competition to a linebacker corps that needs to reveal another solidified starter.”
Bentley won a Super Bowl with the Patriots in his rookie season and probably expected to win more, only for Tom Brady to leave for Tampa Bay a year later. The linebacker could now follow in Brady’s footsteps and head south, and would immediately find himself on an NFC contender with the Buccaneers.