Devin Lloyd And The Bucs
February 3rd, 2026
In Joe’s mind, the Bucs need three new inside linebackers.
Draft two and sign one free agent, or draft one and sign two free agent linebackers. Or, hell, draft three or sign three free agent linebackers. However Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht wants to work on the math is fine.
The Bucs’ inside linebackers group needs a major overhaul.
Even if Lavonte David comes back (Joe’s not betting a nickel that will or won’t happen), should David be a part-time player at this point in his career, given how each week he had to have a knee drained of fluid?
Simply put, SirVocea Dennis, unless it is leaked he was hiding a major injury last year, is not a starting linebacker in the NFL.
Given how bad the Bucs are at inside linebacker, if you have already written off David, Bradley Locker of the PFF tribe thinks a Jags inside linebacker, a free agent, should be targeted by the Bucs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Devin Lloyd
The Buccaneers ended the 2025 campaign in unfavorable fashion, losing seven of their last nine games. The team’s defense was certainly liable, especially a poor linebacking corps.
Whether or not Lavonte David returns, the team cannot simply return the same crop next year. Lloyd’s well-rounded skillset could be affordable for Tampa, as the team can clear over $83 million in cap space via several restructures.
Given how Bucs coach Todd Bowles covets takeaways, this Lloyd may be Bowles’ kind of guy. Last year Lloyd had five picks (including a 99-yard house call) and a fumble recovery.
Lloyd will turn 28 in September.
Joe cannot imagine the Jags letting this guy hit the open market. But if they do, Licht needs to pounce while the free agency dinner bell is still ringing.
February 3rd, 2026 at 7:14 am
Just not LB Dean. He is glass.
February 3rd, 2026 at 7:15 am
Yes PLEASE!!!
He will cost more than the Devins, but worth it. I also like KC’s Chanel, should he wiggle free. Younger & much cheaper. Tbh, I’m curious to see Licht snapping into action, not just pick8ng through the leftover scrap heap for once
February 3rd, 2026 at 7:30 am
Love how Joe(s) just throw stuff up against the wall to see if it sticks — is Tampa Bay really a choice destination for quality free agents with Todd Bowles totally in a do-or-be-gone situation??
February 3rd, 2026 at 7:38 am
@Tom E,
27 yr old want the money. In their mind, they have all the time in the world to get a championship. 30+ year olds chase the ring, so their is hope if the bucs are willing to pay.
February 3rd, 2026 at 8:11 am
I was pounding the table the season before last at the trade deadline when Jacksonville sucked and was willing to trade players, for JL to call the Jags and offer them some picks for Lloyd. Like letting Coen go, the Bucs were asleep at the wheel.
February 3rd, 2026 at 8:16 am
The chances of him not being resigned are slim to none. If a team is willing to let someone walk, there is usually some baggage.
February 3rd, 2026 at 8:21 am
joe says,
“Draft two, sign one free agent or draft one and sign two free agent linebackers.”
Wishful thinking Joseph, is not gonna happen, LB is most definitely a need, but at least they are gonna make 2 moves not 3, there are so many holes to fill, specially on D
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:22 am
That’s another check in the “Bowles is a horrible coach” box. He said MLB was the team’s deepest position. What a joke.
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:27 am
There are younger linebackers out there but Todd Bowles needs old players for his scheme to work
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:33 am
Lloyd is another pipe dream. We’ll get outbid or Jax will resign. Still, there are a few other guys like Walker and Chenal out there. Licht needs to be out there early looking for these guys in earnest, cash in hand. No waiting for second wave of FA.
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:34 am
Hey Joe, I can see El Serpiente trying a fast one knowing Tampa is sniffing.
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:48 am
Whoever the draft or get via free agency, for you know who’s sake, please use them to THEIR strengths. No more trying to fit a square peg into a round hole TODD!
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:49 am
Since this is JL & TB prove it year, they need veterans, as there is not time to develop a rookie in this quantum physics Bowles playbook.
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:54 am
Take styles in the draft and try to get llyod if not get Devin bush on the Browns. Maybe pick up Bobby Wagner for cheap one year see if he still has some in the tank. Keep Lavonte one more year in a limited roll and let Dennis also have a limited roll.
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:58 am
Day 1-76 … ‘That’s another check in the “Bowles is a horrible coach” box.’
Or MAYBE Todd was told by his GM that he had to ‘make do with what ya got’ and so he was attempting to boost a couple of ILB egos & instill confidence. With all the years that Bowles has played AND coached, I have to believe that he knows talent (or lack thereof) when he sees it.
I think it’s time fans put Jason front-and-center on the hot seat. Like Bradley Locker said (Joe’s article) … ‘the team can clear over $83 million in cap space via several restructures’. That gives us quite a bit of room to maneuver in the Free Agent market. We’ve got a LOT of needs, and that kind of money could go a long ways towards filling some of those. Add in (HOPEFULLY) a good draft, and the Bucs MIGHT be able to hold their own in the NFC South.
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:05 am
Yes, I believe Licht while he may not like to give up picks in the draft, this year he really has no choice. He can’t get enough starting talent in the draft for the holes he has on defense this year, unless he trades for more picks. With that said I hope he realizes it appears the team has no nose for drafting an edge rusher!!. That despite multiple efforts has been a huge waste of picks. Yes draft at least 2 linebackers, maybe 3. Presently, we have no LB that really is of a starting caliber. The LB’s we currently have would not even make some teams rosters much less as backups.
Then yes please pay somebody in free agency and get a real edge rusher for this defense. If we have to give up a draft pick so be it. The whole defense will be better for it. Make no mistake due to past draft failures and failure to add free agents that can play, the current defense will take more than this year to be formable. However, picking up some key pieces this year to go with what should be a great offense the Bucs should be a formable team next year. Please Jason get us a real edge rusher in free agency that will shock the world!! We are waiting!!!
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:14 am
You can’t have it both ways! We obviously need to upgrade our defensive players. Forget about Bowles right now it is what it is! Joe, you want to get LBs and we need some edge and DTs, but that takes money to play in the FA game. This is why resigning Evans and David have to move on and not resign. We must get better on the defensive side of the ball! If our offense comes back healthy and add maybe one WR in the draft or free agency we will be very good, but this defensive front 7 aren’t good and need a major over haul! Everybody gets old and David and Evans have gotten old and injury prone. You can’t have it all.
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:24 am
I’m with Joe, one FA linebacker and a round 1-3 ILB. The problem is finding a FA to be willing to play for Bowles, when he will be gone after ’26. Also, Licht is a Dollar Store guy in FA and not willing to spend. Will Licht and the Glazers go cheap in FA to prep for a recycle?
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:42 am
“the team can clear over $83 million in cap space via several restructures”
That’s good news…
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:13 pm
I am still mad. We did not go after Brooks from the Dolphins last year at the trade deadline. I am sure a third round pick would’ve gotten a premier linebacker who led the league I believe in tackles and he is still young.
Another linebacker who is available that nobody seems to be mentioning at all is Quay Walker from the Green Bay Packers. He would be another very solid add in the middle.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Kyle Louis.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Bingo.
February 3rd, 2026 at 1:01 pm
But can he cover WRs 25 yards downfield???
That’s what LBs are really used for.
Just ask Todd. He’s a defensive guru.
February 3rd, 2026 at 1:16 pm
Keeping LVD would just delay the inevitable and stunt the growth of any draft pick. So tired of Bowles and his horrible defense!
February 3rd, 2026 at 1:59 pm
Pewter Power … ‘There are younger linebackers out there but Todd Bowles needs old players for his scheme to work’.
Can go along with that about halfway Pewter. Bowles prefers a MIX of veterans & youth. Super Bowl year he started Winfield & White on defense, and both were youngsters then, as were many others. Suh, JPP, Shaq, Gholston & LVD had some years on them, but the rest of that 2020 defense was fairly young.
I think what Todd really values is veteran LEADERSHIP. Suh, JPP & LVD provided that, but that year they also provided EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE on the field. Personally I think that’s a key factor that was missing this past season; we really didn’t have anyone on defense who gave EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE last year, and particularly no veterans (who could lead by example).
Everyone on defense always seemed to be waiting for someone else to make a big play, and rarely did that happen. Actually quite the contrary happened; various defenders gave up big plays and those turned out to be demoralizing.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:17 pm
The Bucs will have to be creative to fill the gaps.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:49 pm
i like d.lloyd but we’re not an LB away from being a good defense lol….
let Jackson & Bullock play more and draft 1 in the later rounds….
i’d like to see Dennis only on 3rd down….let him master 3rd down before giving him more
GO BUCS!!!!
February 3rd, 2026 at 3:16 pm
I would target Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean and Germaine Pratt for open OLB/ILB roles…The Bucs could get all of them for less than the Market Value that Devin Lloyd alone will command in FA.
I would 100% let LVD retire before spend any cash on his return vs going after the above 3…Bucs can get younger and hungrier in the middle of Bowles DEF without sacrificing cash on a declining commodity, while also adding a sure tackling OLB into the mix….Both Walker & Dean are 25, Pratt not yet 30.
Do the above & Licht can focus all his attention on finding the right situational Edge Rusher to plug & play….A guy like J.Clowney would not be a bad Vet option to consider for that role & also would not break the bank at this stage of his career…Like signing a younger JPP clone.
February 3rd, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Completely agree. I said before the 2025 season started that we needed to bring in at least 2 quality ILBs.
What did the Bucs do? Signed some 30 year old backup who never took any snaps…
February 3rd, 2026 at 3:32 pm
The idea that this guy would come here with the ship sinking is as stupid as those thinking McDaniel or Monken would come here.
Tampa is not a top 16 team any more. Bad coaching. Bad front office. No one is safe.
Coveted players in FA will go to playoff-caliber teams with stable coaches and front offices.
Tampa is a failed franchise.
February 3rd, 2026 at 6:34 pm
ModHairKen … ‘Tampa is a failed franchise’.
In 2018 the Bucs went 5-11 under Dirk Koetter. We had the #12 ranked offense but the #31 ranked defense. Dirk got fired. What self-respecting head coach would ever want to come here to coach a team with that kind of record & personnel?
Well, Bruce Arians gave it a go, and our record improved a little in 2019 to 7-9. Still, not much to brag on there. And yet, some guy named Tom Brady ultimately saw enough here to sign on. And managed to talk several others (like Gronk, Fournette, AB) to also sign on. The rest is history.
I wouldn’t call the Bucs a ‘failed franchise’. I would say though that it’s a wonder we won anything these last 3 years since our ‘payroll situation’ was extremely bad after Brady left. Could we afford top-tier talent to stay relevant? Nah, not really. This is the FIRST year we’ve dug out of that hole. HOPEFULLY our GM stops putting mediocre bandaids on things and starts accumulating some real beasts.
February 3rd, 2026 at 8:04 pm
the theme of jbf during the offseason: speculation about players that have zero chance of coming here, unrealistic waste of reading time not going to happen even if pigs fly speculation about nothing
February 4th, 2026 at 1:44 am
Five picks. And we had? Dennis standing around wondering where to run. LVD again trying to cover for a subpar team mate. Get him signed Jason. It may open up the draft for you. Lots of holes to fill sir.
Go Bucs!