Key offensive position might be Buccaneers' biggest draft need in 2026

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been ravaged by injuries this season, and instead of making a move at the trade deadline to bolster their roster, they decided to stick with what they have.

Many disagree with the Bucs not doing anything to improve their roster, but over 11 seasons as general manager, Jason Licht has made just one in-season trade. It’s hard to argue with Licht’s philosophy when he continues to hit on impact players in the draft, even in the latter rounds. However, with a plethora of needs and holes set to open up in the 2026 offseason, parting with picks is something Licht refused to do.

Some teams made moves to address the now and the future, moves that will ripple when it comes to free agency and the draft. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report compiled his list of the biggest needs for each team after the trade deadline, and he pointed out the tight end position for the Bucs as the biggest area to tackle in 2026 free agency.

Could Buccaneers go tight end next year in the NFL Draft?

“Cade Otton is not a high-impact player to begin with, but there's really no other option at the tight end position in Tampa,” Gagnon wrote. “The 26-year-old is slated to become a free agent in March. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has a lot of options at wide receiver, but could use a boost in the tight end role.”

Respectfully, I have to disagree with his assessment. Otton has been a great player for the Bucs, and the hope is they will be able to re-sign him after the season, but the Bucs have much bigger holes to worry about on both sides of the ball come 2026.

Linebacker, edge rusher, running back, and wide receiver could all be more important positions of need when free agency and the draft come around next year. This could likely be Lavonte David’s final year in red and pewter, and after a possible season-ending injury and the end of his 1,000-yard season streak, one has to wonder if Mike Evans, a free agent, will choose to keep playing or hang it up himself.

But those areas of need go beyond just Evans and David. SirVocea Dennis has yet to show he can be a consistent every-down linebacker as he’s struggled in coverage this season, and there are no options on the roster beyond him. Chris Godwin missed the start of the season, and even when he came back before getting injured again, he didn't look like himself. And then there's Jalen McMillan, who is dealing with a serious neck injury. The Bucs have serious question marks at both positions and will need to be addressed come March.

Tampa Bay is likely set to lose Rachaad White in free agency, and it’s doubtful they tender Sean Tucker, who will be an restricted free agent. Josh Williams has impressed the Bucs, but they will need someone who can hold up in pass protection and spell Bucky Irving to round out the room. Haason Reddick has been impactful as far as pressures and garnering extra attention go — however, he has just one sack on the year and will be a free agent after the season. The Bucs will get David Walker back, but he has yet to prove himself in the NFL, and Chris Braswell has not developed as hoped. Yaya Diaby and Anthony Nelson will be in the final year of their deals as well, so finding more help in the edge room will certainly be a priority this offseason.

The Bucs like Otton and would like to see him stick around for the foreseeable future. However, it will come down to dollars and cents. Tampa Bay won’t overpay for Otton when they have so many other holes that will need to be addressed this offseason.

Jaxson Dart constantly being in physical distress can’t be a Giants formula

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He spent time this past week expressing his excitement about playing in a relic venue, Soldier Field, against a “traditional organization” such as the Bears.

He recounted how when he was younger — he is just 22, keep in mind — he was impressed with the “elite defenses” one of the oldest franchises in the NFL regularly put on the field.

Dart also mentioned that the Bears were on his radar because he is a product of the same program in Utah — Roy High School — as Jim McMahon, the wild and carefree former Bears quarterback and Super Bowl winner.

Hmm.

Dart has a connection with McMahon.

Jaxson Dart walks off the field after the Giants’ Nov. 2 loss to the 49ers. Bill Kostroun for the NY Post

Is that why he always wears a headband under his helmet, to copy McMahon’s famous — and sometimes infamous — headwear accessory?

“No,” Dart said.

Then he smiled and shrugged. “It keeps the hair out of my face.”

What we are learning is that Dart is his own guy.

Jaxson Dart gets tackled during the Giants’ loss to the 49ers on Nov. 2. Charles Wenzelberg

He has enlivened a fan base tired and weary of losing, but he has been unable to lift a team tired and weary of losing out of the doldrums.

Dart is 2-4 as a starter, and the Giants take a three-game losing streak into what is expected to be a cold and wet afternoon for all concerned.

Dart at least makes the Giants worth watching, as he is assured of being on the scene in 2026, unlike his head coach, Brian Daboll, and Joe Schoen, the general manager who engineered the bold trade to get him with the 25th-overall pick in the 2025 draft.

What is not assured is Dart’s health and well-being.

He plays as if every game could be his final game and throws his body around as if on every snap a trip to the championship is at stake.

At the conclusion of last week’s 34-24 loss to the 49ers, Dart sat on the bench, slumped over, looking as if he was in physical distress.

Shea Tierney, the quarterbacks coach, put his arm around Dart.

“It’s a football game,” Dart said three days later, when asked to explain that scene. “I feel good and excited for this week.”

The Giants are 2-7.

No help arrived at the trade deadline, and their team is their team.

They need to keep Dart upright and healthy, as every pass or read or run is a learning experience.

He cannot receive this education from the sideline.

Dart and Daboll are asked about this every week, and both tend to react as if the question is a bit off-putting.

As in: Don’t you see we’re competing out here?

Dart does slide to protect himself, but only when absolutely necessary.

“That’s definitely something that when you watch the tape back on, you try to think of those moments where you can save your body, a hit or not,” he said. “At the same time, it’s really hard for me in those moments because I just want to compete. Ultimately, I just want to score.”

Ultimately, that is what Dart did down the stretch last week, with the Giants trailing 34-17 and clearly not going to win the game.

With 1:56 remaining, Dart on third-and-10 took off on a scramble and raced to the left sideline.

He seemingly had the 10 yards he needed for the first down on the 49ers 24-yard line — the Giants would have gone for it on fourth down anyway — and instead of running out of bounds, he cut inside and took a hit, actually delivered a blow on linebacker Tatum Bethune.

This contact could have been avoided.

“Close, yeah, I mean, I don’t know,” Daboll said. “He’s running, you’re going to ask a player to look and see — I mean, he’s a competitive guy. I have confidence in the decision-making that he makes. If there are some that we think we can pull back on and learn from, that’s what we try to do. But I’m not going to second-guess a guy out there that’s competing and playing and has good vision and awareness and instincts. I wouldn’t take that away from him.”

It sounds and looks as if Dart will not allow anyone to take that away from him.

“No,” he said, “I’m going to play the game the way I want to play the game.”

For as long as he is physically able to do it, that is.

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