Honestly, looking at the tampa bucs depth chart right now feels a bit like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube while riding a roller coaster. You think you’ve got the colors lined up, and then an injury or a late-season breakout flips the whole thing on its head.
We just wrapped up a 2025 season that was, frankly, exhausting. Between Baker Mayfield’s shoulder issues and the revolving door on the offensive line, the depth chart you see on paper rarely matches the guys actually huddling up on Sundays. If you’re trying to figure out who’s actually going to be "the guy" in 2026, you have to look past the official PDF the team puts out.
The Baker Mayfield Factor and the 2026 Guarantee
Let’s start with the most important spot. Baker Mayfield is the engine. There was a lot of chatter back in July 2025 about his contract, and the front office basically shut everyone up by guaranteeing $30 million of his 2026 salary.
He’s under contract through the end of this upcoming 2026 season. Basically, the Bucs have signaled that they aren't looking for a replacement in the draft—at least not one they expect to play right away. Baker finished 2025 with some gutsy performances, even when he was clearly banged up with that right shoulder and knee toward the end of the year.
Behind him, it’s a bit of a question mark. Teddy Bridgewater has been the steady veteran presence, but the team is high on Connor Bazelak. If Baker’s "tough guy" routine catches up to him again, the backup battle in training camp is going to be surprisingly intense.
The Skill Positions: A Changing of the Guard?
If you looked at the tampa bucs depth chart five years ago, it was the Mike Evans and Chris Godwin show. It still is, mostly. But 2025 showed us that the kids are alright.
- Emeka Egbuka is the real deal. He didn't just play like a rookie; he led the team in receiving EPA at one point. When Evans and Godwin were sidelined with injuries mid-season, Egbuka stepped into that WR1 role like he’d been there for a decade.
- Jalen McMillan had a rough 2025 with that scary neck injury in the preseason. He came back late, though, and that 114-yard game against the Dolphins proved he’s a focal point for 2026.
- Tez Johnson is the "hidden gem." A seventh-round pick who ended up playing over 80% of snaps in some games? That doesn’t happen by accident.
The backfield is just as messy. Bucky Irving has seemingly taken the "lead" role over Rachaad White, but it's a true 1A/1B situation. Irving has that explosive twitch that Liam Coen’s offense (or whoever takes over as OC) craves, while White remains the superior pass-blocker and check-down option.
Why the Trenches Are Shifting
The offensive line was a nightmare for a while last year. Tristan Wirfs is an All-Pro, obviously, but even he’s human. That toe injury that kept him out against the Saints and Dolphins showed just how vulnerable this team is when the blindside isn't locked down.
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Benjamin Chukwuma, the rookie tackle out of Georgia State, got some trial-by-fire experience filling in for Wirfs. He wasn't perfect, but for a guy thrown into the deep end, he didn't drown.
The interior is where the real 2026 battles live. Graham Barton is the center of the future. That’s settled. But the guard spots? Ben Bredeson and Cody Mauch have had their share of struggles and injuries. We saw Dan Feeney and Michael Jordan getting meaningful snaps late in the season. Don't be surprised if the 2026 tampa bucs depth chart looks significantly different at both guard positions after the draft.
Defense: The Vita Vea Era and the Reddick Experiment
On the other side of the ball, everything starts with Vita Vea. He’s the sun that the rest of the defense orbits. When he’s healthy, the run defense is elite. When he’s out? Well, we saw what happened against the Bills.
Calijah Kancey is the X-factor. He finally got back on the field for the Week 18 win against the Panthers after a long stint on IR with a pectoral injury. If he can actually stay healthy for 17 games in 2026, him and Vea are the most terrifying interior duo in the NFC South.
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The edge is where things get spicy.
Haason Reddick was the big-name addition, but 2025 was a bit of a rollercoaster for him. Yaya Diaby is the primary returner on the edge, and the team needs him to take that next step into double-digit sack territory. Chris Braswell is also lurking there, needing more consistency to jump Reddick or Diaby on the official depth chart.
The Secondary Logjam
This is where things get truly confusing for fans.
- Antoine Winfield Jr. is the heart of the defense. Period.
- Tykee Smith has moved to safety full-time, which has been a great transition.
- Zyon McCollum and Jamel Dean are the projected starters at corner, but Dean’s shoulder issues are a recurring theme.
- Benjamin Morrison, the rookie out of Notre Dame, is breathing down their necks.
Morrison was a draft steal. He’s got the ball skills that Todd Bowles loves. By the time we hit mid-season 2026, I wouldn't be shocked if he's the definitive CB1 on the tampa bucs depth chart.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Offseason
The Bucs have some massive decisions coming up. Mike Evans and Lavonte David are the legends, the "Old Guard." Both are impending free agents (again). Every year we think Lavonte might hang it up, and every year he leads the team in tackles and defies the aging curve.
But the 2026 roster is clearly pivoting toward the youth. You have guys like SirVocea Dennis and Payne Durham who are no longer just "prospects"—they are expected to be contributors.
The reality of the tampa bucs depth chart is that it's no longer a "top-heavy" team like it was during the Brady years. It's a roster built on mid-round hits and savvy veterans who were overlooked elsewhere.
Actionable Insights for Bucs Fans:
- Monitor the Guard Battle: Keep a close eye on the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Bucs go O-line early, it means they aren't sold on the Bredeson/Mauch/Feeney rotation.
- Health is Everything for Kancey: The defense’s ceiling is entirely dependent on Calijah Kancey playing 15+ games. His pressure rate is elite; his availability is not.
- Wide Receiver Value: In fantasy or just general team outlook, Emeka Egbuka is the name to watch. He’s likely to surpass the veterans in targets sooner rather than later.
- Cornerback Shakeup: Don't get too attached to the starting lineup in the secondary. Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish are the future, and the future usually arrives faster than veterans would like.
The 2026 season is going to be about whether Baker Mayfield can bridge the gap between the Super Bowl LV era and this new, younger core. The talent is there, but as we saw last year, the depth chart is only as strong as the trainer's room allows it to be.