2023 NFL Offseason report: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Free agency recap: In a bit of a surprise, Tampa Bay was able to re-sign CB Jamel Dean, who entered free agency as the No. 5 player on PFF's 2023 free agent rankings.

• Best move of the offseason: Calijah Kancey has a chance to be one of the true stars of the draft class, and putting him next to the 6-foot-4, 347-pound Vita Vea should free him up for one-on-one blocks.

• Outlook for 2023: The 2023 Bucs could be in for a very long season if they don’t get competent play from the quarterback position, but the roster is filled with enough talent at every level to compete in the NFC South.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

As the dust settles on the 2023 NFL offseason, it's time to assess how each team fared in their quest to improve their roster.

Recapping blockbuster trades and high-profile signings to shrewd draft selections, PFF offers an in-depth assessment of all 32 NFL teams, shedding light on the potential impact these moves may have on their fortunes in the upcoming campaign.

For more information on each team's draft selections and offseason moves, download the PFF draft guide today!

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS OFFSEASON GRADE: A-

 2023 NFL Free Agency

Free agency recap

In a bit of a surprise, Tampa Bay was able to re-sign CB Jamel Dean, who entered free agency as the No. 5 player on PFF's 2023 free agent rankings.

Dean has been a forced-incompletion machine during his time in Tampa, as he has racked up 45 forced incompletions during his four-year career, recording a 15.8% forced incompletion percentage that ranks 11th among the 68 corners who have seen at least 200 targets since 2019.

The Buccaneers also brought back star linebacker Lavonte David, who posted an 88.0 coverage grade in 2022, second at the position. The veteran has earned an overall grade above 70.0 in eight of his 11 years as a pro and has been a bright spot in Tampa over the past decade.

Tom Brady‘s retirement brought uncertainty at the quarterback position, so the Bucs signed Baker Mayfield to compete for the starting role. Mayfield started the final five games for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, posting five big-time throws and five turnover-worthy plays.

2023 Draft class

R1 (19): DI Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
R2 (48): OT Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
R3 (82): EDGE YaYa Diaby, Louisville
R5 (153): LB SirVocea Dennis, Pittsburgh
R6 (181): CB Josh Hayes, Kansas State
R5 (171): TE Payne Durham, Purdue
R6 (191): WR Trey Palmer, Nebraska
R6 (196): EDGE Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan
R7 (232): CB Carrington Valentine, Kentucky

2023 NFL Draft recap

The Bucs took a bit of a leap of faith by drafting interior defender Calijah Kancey in the first round. At 6-foot-1 and 281 pounds, Kancey is extremely undersized for the defensive line, but his production as a pass-rusher is undeniable. He recorded 47 total pressures for Pitt in 2022, including eight sacks and nine hits.

In the second round, Tampa Bay selected North Dakota State offensive tackle Cody Mauch, who is expected to play — and possibly start — at right guard as a rookie. Mauch earned a 92.7 overall grade in 2022, allowing just one sack and nine total pressures across 304 pass-blocking snaps.

Best move of the offseason: Drafting CALIJAH KANCEY

Kancey has a chance to be one of the true stars of the draft class, and putting him next to the 6-foot-4, 347-pound Vita Vea should free him up for one-on-one blocks. Kancey wins many of his reps with elite explosion and quick hands at the snap, athleticism he verified at the combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds with a 10-yard split of 1.64 seconds.

Remaining team needs: Right tackle

Tristan Wirfs is moving to left tackle, which pencils in 2022 second-round pick Luke Goedeke as the starting right tackle. Goedeke played only 55 of his 642 snaps at right tackle last season, and he finished his rookie season with a 46.7 PFF grade, indicative of his struggles.

While taking Kancey at 19 overall in the draft is a move that could pay off huge in the long run, it left a glaring hole at right tackle if Goedeke is not up to the task. There is little behind him in terms of experience, so the Bucs need to look to add a veteran, even if just to back up both Wirfs and Goedeke as a swing.

Early position battle to watch: QB Kyle Trask vs. QB Baker Mayfield

With Tampa Bay transitioning away from The GOAT, all eyes will be on this quarterback situation during training camp.

Mayfield brings experience and a baseline level of competence, but he is more of a stopgap than a franchise signal-caller at this stage in his career.

Trask was drafted in Round 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft and has played just 98 snaps in his two seasons as Brady’s understudy. He has a big arm but was inconsistent with his accuracy in college and lacks pocket mobility, two traits critical to the modern game. If he is unable to win the job and impress during this season, the Bucs could turn to next year’s draft to find the next franchise QB.

2023 Outlook

The 2023 Bucs could be in for a very long season if they don’t get competent play from the quarterback position, but the roster is filled with enough talent at every level to compete in the NFC South.

The back seven on defense is largely intact, and the addition of Kancey should further bolster the defense. And while the offensive line is in a massive state of transition, there is still plenty of talent at the skill positions.

Regardless of the number of wins the team achieves this season, the No. 1 outcome needs to be a long-term decision at quarterback — either Trask or Mayfield (or John Wolford, potentially) needs to prove that he is worthy of a long-term investment, or the Bucs need to be in the QB market next April.