Now that the 2025 NFL Draft has concluded, current players have a heads up as to whether they’ll have competition for their position, or if they’ve produced at a level that the team does not need to add to their position. Jason Licht has proven he is one of the best roster builders in the NFL.
This weekend was another example of that.
Some positions were addressed in the draft, while others weren’t. What that did was send signals to various players and groups, and we wanted to share our thoughts on them. Here are the Buccaneers‘ winners and losers post-draft.
Winner: Rachaad White, Running Back
After some, quite frankly, strange rumors surrounding Rachaad White and a possible trade on draft night, nothing materialized, and the Bucs did not draft a running back with one of their six picks. But the Bucs were never trading a back-to-back 1,000-yard from scrimmage back who’s a part of a deadly one-two punch, still on his rookie deal.
Loser: Greg Gaines, Defensive Line
Gaines is a rotational piece on the Bucs’ defensive line, but when in the game, it’s very feast or famine. There are times he’s held his own, but is often taken out of the play completely. With just two sacks in as many seasons in Tampa, the Bucs looked to upgrade their depth and did so with Elijah Roberts. Roberts racked up 131 QB pressures since 2022, more than any player in the country. Gaines re-signed on a one-year deal. He may see his role diminish.
Winner: SirVocea Dennis, Linebacker
Shining early on in 2024, it was a significant blow to the Buccaneers’ defense when Dennis was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. With concerns over a small sample size and availability for this upcoming season, it was believed Tampa would take an LB and take one early, but they never did, highlighting the confidence they have in Dennis in the future as LB2.
Loser: Jamel Dean, Cornerback
Once the season ended. It was widely thought the Bucs would move on from the often-injured and underperforming corner, but the high price of corners in free agency made it so Dean would stick around, for now. Tampa drafted cornerback Benjamin Morrison in the second round, a consensus top 10 pick before his hip injury, who just so happens also to be an outside corner. Dean will have to earn his CB2 job in training camp as the Bucs send a clear message.
Winner: Baker Mayfield, Quarterback
The biggest winner of the weekend is no other than QB1. If having wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin weren’t enough, Mayfield now gets a consensus top 20 player in Emeka Egbuka, as well as a route technician and a human joystick, Tez Johnson, who has the most YAC yards of any player since 2023.
Loser: Trey Palmer, Wide Receiver
Palmer was drafted as a deep threat in the later rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft. His rookie season showed some flashes, with 385 yards and three touchdowns, but Palmer regressed in 2024, tallying only 172 yards and one touchdown. Not to mention struggling mightily as a PR/KR, most notably fair catching a punt at the three-yard line. The Bucs drafted two WRs and signed even more in UDFA. Likely ending Palmer’s days on the 53 if not the Buccaneers in general.
