Another Unemployment Question
July 5th, 2026
Former Bucs linebacker Deion Jones
Joe is intrigued that key Bucs role players last season have no 2026 team.
Two are 30-year-old defensive tackle Greg Gaines and 28-year-old guard Michael Jordan. Those guys played hundreds of snaps each, with Jordan starting most games.
And add one more player to the list.
Linebacker/full-time special teams player Deion Jones also has no 2026 team.
The Bucs got a good look at veteran Jones in 2024, then brought him back to back up Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis. Jones, now 31, played 120 snaps on defense and a whopping 270 on special teams through all 17 games last season. That level of special teams duty was by far the most of his career.
Jones stayed healthy but now has no team. Odd.
Backing up Jones last season were undrafted rookies Nick Jackson and John Bullock. They remain on the roster but the Bucs seem to have limited interest. Tampa Bay added three inside linebackers this offseason: Christian Roseboom, Alex Anzalone and Josiah Trotter.
The Bucs’ situation at inside linebacker last season seems like a series of miscalculations by Todd Bowles and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht. However, that leaves Joe optimistic, because significant improvement should be expected quickly.
On a side note, Joe is intrigued by the Rams signing former Bucs linebacker/special teamer Grant Stuard to a nice two-year contract in free agency. Stuard was the final overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft; he also was the Lions’ special teams captain last year.
And for those wondering, yes, Joe realizes Jones, Gaines or Jordan might have quit football (like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka) recently did, but there has been no announcement.
July 5th, 2026 at 1:03 pm
That should say something to the fans about the quality of players that our coaches and management see as serviceable while other teams don’t.
July 5th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
Ronald Jones III has not retired and is a very young 28-just sayin.
July 5th, 2026 at 1:10 pm
From what I observed last season, Jones played pretty solid football when he was on the field.
July 5th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
This is by design to be younger and cheaper. And , no D. Jones was not good last year.
July 5th, 2026 at 1:24 pm
Towards the end Jones would inexplicably jog out of bounds to avoid contact where there were a few yards he could fight for
July 5th, 2026 at 1:25 pm
SVD was a disaster last year and Dion Jones couldn’t get the field, that says a lot.
July 5th, 2026 at 2:03 pm
The Great Regressor always works his magic. Every player he touches gets worse.
It is a special skill.
July 5th, 2026 at 2:18 pm
The NFL is not like the old days you have one contract maybe to prove your worth being on a team if not teens will look for younger players who cost less to do the job certain guys should be able to do Like Ronald Jones is only 28 and he has no team and makes no sense to me He helped his team win a Super Bowl He’s not old You’re telling me he can’t be a backup back in this league
July 5th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
I had the impression Jones was a head case. At any rate if he was on fire I don’t think any NFL team would put him out
July 5th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound”?
Some of these guys will find jobs as soon as injuries start to mount in 2026…
Some will be getting a call from the UFL.
July 5th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
We should all also be aware that if a powerful owner puts you on the black list-your career is over regardless of your talent.
You need look no further than Tretter the current NFLPA chief who was the 6th rated Center in the league and you had teams like Tampa that had just lost their starting Center Jensen, but yet Tretter was never even brought in by the Bucs for a look see. Tretter ended up having to retire for no reason other than the league did not like his labor union activities.
July 5th, 2026 at 3:17 pm
Gaines, Jones, Tryon-Shoyinka, Hall, Reddick.
All lacking in skill or effort replaced by new and better talent.
Front 7 is stacked. ILB room and secondary are still worrisome but no doubt improved.
Much better OC, deep WR room.
Our 26 Bucs should look much different than 25 and I’m looking forward to listening to the butthole babies sing the blues when the season gets rolling 😭
July 5th, 2026 at 3:17 pm
🤣🤣🤣 Greg Gaines should have been gone two years ago
July 5th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
I’m not surprised that many Buc backups are now outta work. The team has rarely been known for its depth.
Hard to argue with the Embuka pick now ( although that probably was the beginning of the end for Evans )…but Jihaad Campbell was also there for the plucking.