INDIANAPOLIS — Lucas Oil Stadium is shaking today. With defensive linemen and linebackers hitting the turf for their on-field 2026 NFL Combine workouts, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers front office is watching through binoculars with one clear mandate: find a monster. Tampa Bay lost the NFC South crown last season after a frustrating 8-9 finish, slipping out of the top spot for the first time since 2020. Now, sitting with the No. 15 overall pick, General Manager Jason Licht faces a brutal defensive rebuild.
The Buccaneers need immediate impact starters at edge rusher and inside linebacker. Offensively, key contributors like tight end Cade Otton and running back Rachaad White are staring down free agency. But defense wins January football in Tampa, and the current depth chart is bleeding talent. The front office must navigate life with several massive pending free agents:
- Lavonte David (LB): The 36-year-old franchise legend cannot play forever.
- Haason Reddick (EDGE): A premium veteran pass rusher seeking a new deal.
- Logan Hall (DL): Entering free agency right as he hits his physical prime.
- Anthony Walker Jr. (LB): His potential exit leaves another glaring hole in the middle.
Edge Rusher: The Keldric Faulk Solution
Auburn’s Keldric Faulk is currently turning heads in Indianapolis, and CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson rightly points out why the Bucs are mesmerized. Faulk is unofficially 6-foot-6 and 288 pounds. He just turned 20 this past September. Faulk doesn’t just set the edge; he drops an anchor and physically displaces grown men on the offensive line.
FOX Sports draft expert Henry McKenna sees Faulk as the immediate answer to Tampa Bay’s edge exodus. If Reddick and Hall walk, Faulk steps right into the starting lineup. Even if Licht retains one of his veteran edge rushers, injecting Faulk into a heavy rotation smooths out his raw pass-rushing mechanics while weaponizing his elite run-defense traits from day one.
Linebacker: Life After Lavonte
Lavonte David racked up 114 tackles last season. He bled pewter and red for this franchise. But Father Time remains undefeated, and replacing that production requires a heavy-hitting athlete. Enter the Ohio State and Georgia standouts.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and The Athletic’s Matt Baker both link the Buccaneers to Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. Styles brings scary athleticism to the second level. A former safety, he transitioned to linebacker and dominated, leading the Buckeyes in tackles last fall. He covers ground like a defensive back but hits like a Mack truck. If David departs, Styles plugs the gap with sideline-to-sideline speed.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper prefers Georgia’s CJ Allen for the No. 15 spot. Allen represents the modern three-down linebacker. He mixes raw power with the burst required to drop into coverage, stuff the run, and blitz the A-gap. He fits the exact aggressive mold the coaching staff demands.
“We lost our grip on the division because we stopped dictating the violence up front. That changes now. We need game-wreckers, not just guys who wear the uniform. If you don’t want to hit, don’t pick up the phone when we call in April.”
— Todd Bowles, Head Coach
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
Hitting on the No. 15 pick shifts the entire power dynamic of the NFC South. The division is wide open. Nailing this selection means the Buccaneers instantly improve their pressure rate, forcing opposing quarterbacks into the hurried, panicked throws that Antoine Winfield Jr. eats for breakfast. Miss on this pick, and Tampa Bay risks falling into a multi-year rebuild while their division rivals stock up on offensive firepower.
Next up, Jason Licht and his scouting department will finalize their draft board based on today’s explosive Combine metrics. Once free agency officially opens next month, we will know exactly how desperate the Buccaneers are to draft for need versus taking the best player available.
