Training camp has not even begun, but NFL front offices are already thinking about next offseason. That includes Bucs general manager Jason Licht and his front office, whose reputation has been built on planning years ahead rather than simply plugging immediate needs.
While Tampa Bay is focused on chasing another NFC South title, it is never too early to identify the positions that could become priorities in 2027. None of the positions mentioned below represent glaring weaknesses today, but plenty can happen between now and next offseason. Teams always have one eye on the present and one on the future when constructing a roster.
In a two-part series looking at each side of the football, I will be looking at the biggest need, expected need, and wildcard need for the Bucs for 2027, beginning with the offense.
Biggest Need: Offensive Guard
The Bucs’ offensive line is one of the team’s biggest areas of strength — literally.
With an offensive tackle duo that is as good as it gets and locked up long-term, Tampa Bay is an envious spot compared to the rest of the league. It becomes more complicated along the interior, as right guard Cody Mauch is entering the final year of his deal, while left guard Ben Bredeson is just an average starter.
Last season underscored how valuable both guards are after their injuries forced the team to significantly shuffle the offensive line.
Bucs LG Ben Bredeson and LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The play of Tampa Bay’s guards this season will largely determine whether the position becomes a major priority in 2027.
Should Mauch pick up where he left off and re-establish himself as a top 20 guard, the Bucs will do everything they can to re-sign him to a deal, one that will likely start at $15 million per season. Bredeson is under contract through 2027, but the team could always get a head start on addressing the interior by getting an upgrade and relegating him to be the main backup.
While the organization still believes Graham Barton’s long-term future is at center, several evaluators viewed guard as his best NFL position entering the 2024 draft. If his development at center stalls, moving him inside should not be out of the question.
If Mauch leaves in free agency, the guard situation suddenly becomes much more complicated, potentially forcing Tampa Bay to replace both starting spots. Billy Schrauth was drafted in the fifth round to develop this season, and how that goes could determine his readiness for a bigger role. Unless Schrauth develops faster than expected, guard feels like the one offensive position where Tampa Bay could realistically be looking for a new starter next spring.
Likely Need: Tight End
The Bucs have plenty of tight ends, but they still do not have one defenses actually fear.
Yes, the team re-signed Cade Otton to a three-year, $30 million deal and drafted Bauer Sharp in the sixth round. Right now, Otton and Sharp are key components in a tight end room that also features Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, and Devin Culp.
While Tampa Bay has gotten away with building out the position with Day 3 picks, it has also shown through the inexperience and lack of production from the room in recent years. There was a reason why Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq was a popular prospect mocked to the team before the 2026 NFL Draft, as even though Otton was brought back, he is not exactly a needle-mover or a dynamic weapon. He has guaranteed money through 2027, although he could be let go with no repercussions before the third year of his contract.
Bucs TEs Cade Otton and Devin Culp – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Given that Durham and Kieft will be free agents after this season, and Culp’s days look numbered barring a breakout, the team may finally need to invest premium resources into revamping the tight end room. Not drafting Sadiq made sense given the team’s wealth of passing targets and the greater needs on defense this year, but a lot could change before next season.
Otton is a solid enough option, but he is what he is at this point. The Bucs could look to upgrade the room in a major way or simply find a more complete backup than the one-dimensional players behind him.
Wildcard Need: Quarterback
This one will not create any controversy, will it?
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Baker Mayfield is currently entrenched as the Bucs’ starting quarterback, but the headlines this offseason have centered around his next contract. Mayfield wants to enter the next salary bracket of signal-callers, but both sides are not on the same page financially given how last season went. There is a self-imposed deadline by Mayfield’s camp to get a deal done before training camp, otherwise this will be one of the biggest storylines to follow throughout the season.
Even if a deal cannot be reached before 2027 free agency begins, Tampa Bay can always place the franchise tag on him to buy more time while continuing negotiations. But that scenario would only reinforce the uncertainty surrounding the position.
Everything hinges on what Mayfield does under offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. If he returns to playing at the level he displayed in 2024, the Bucs will find a way to get a long-term extension done, even if it means paying him among the league’s higher-paid quarterbacks. However, if his play resembles last season’s inconsistency, Tampa Bay will have to decide whether it is comfortable paying top-tier money to a quarterback who has flashed elite play without consistently sustaining it.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: IMAGN Images
That uncertainty is what makes quarterback such an intriguing wildcard. The 2027 NFL Draft is expected to feature one of the strongest quarterback classes in recent memory, giving Jason Licht options if negotiations with Mayfield stall or if his play declines. Even if the Bucs are picking outside the top 10, a deep class could make moving up for a quarterback more attainable than in previous years.
There is also a less dramatic scenario where Mayfield signs an extension and quarterback still becomes a need. Jake Browning was signed to a one-year deal, while Jalon Daniels remains an intriguing developmental prospect but is far from a proven backup. Should Browning depart in free agency and Daniels fail to establish himself, Tampa Bay could once again be searching for a long-term No. 2 quarterback behind Mayfield.
No position has a wider range of outcomes than quarterback. 12 months from now, the Bucs could be celebrating a long-term extension with Baker Mayfield, searching for his successor, or simply trying to strengthen the depth behind him. That is what makes quarterback the biggest wildcard on the offensive side of the ball.