Trending Now - Bucs' Free Agency Spotlight: Top Players and Unique Styles

WHO:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

General Manager Jason Licht

Head Coach Todd Bowles

Emeka Egbuka, wide receiver from Ohio State

Sterling Shepard, wide receiver

Sonny Styles, linebacker from Ohio State

Taylen Green, quarterback from Arkansas

Fernando Mendoza, quarterback

Lee Hunter, Texas Tech standout

Gennings Dunker, Iowa offensive lineman

Jeremiyah Love, running back from Notre Dame

Diego Pavia, quarterback

R Mason Thomas, edge rusher from Oklahoma

WHAT:

The Buccaneers are focusing on the defensive side of the ball with the 15th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Buccaneers finished 18th in the NFL in sacks in 2025 with 37.

The last Buccaneers defender to reach double digits in sacks was Shaquil Barrett in 2021 (10.0).

319 players were invited to the 2026 NFL combine.

Emeka Egbuka had 63 catches for 938 yards and six touchdowns in the 2025 season.

Sterling Shepard finished the 2025 season with 39 receptions for 371 yards and one touchdown.

Sonny Styles recorded a 43½-inch vertical jump and a 4.46-second 40-yard dash.

Taylen Green ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, a 43½-inch vertical, and an 11-foot-2 broad jump.

Shepard was a second-round draft pick by the New York Giants in 2016.

Shepard signed with the Buccaneers on July 10, 2024, and re-signed for the 2025 season on March 24, 2025.

Shepard's lone touchdown in 2025 was an 11-yard catch against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5.

WHERE:

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis (location of the 2026 NFL scouting combine)

Tampa Bay, Florida (location of the Buccaneers)

WHEN:

The 2026 NFL combine took place in 2026.

The Buccaneers' free agency period begins on March 11, 2026.

Shepard's touchdown against the Seahawks occurred in Week 5 of the 2025 season.

The Buccaneers selected Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

WHY:

The Buccaneers aim to improve their defensive performance and generate more pressure on the quarterback.

The selection of Egbuka was based on him being the best player available on their board.

HOW:

The NFL combine allows teams to evaluate players through medical, mental, and physical tests, including on-field drills and interviews.

The Buccaneers acquired Shepard with input from quarterback Baker Mayfield, who had previously played with him at the University of Oklahoma.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gearing up for the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on bolstering their defense with the 15th overall pick after finishing 18th in the league in sacks last season. In preparation, the Buccaneers are evaluating a strong group of prospects at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, including wide receiver Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State and linebacker Sonny Styles, who impressed with a 43½-inch vertical jump. As free agency approaches on March 11, the team looks to enhance their roster, having previously signed wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who caught one touchdown in the 2025 season against the Seattle Seahawks.