Mike Ehrmann / The Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked like they could be headed toward another NFC South title when they reached their Week 9 bye at 6-2 in 2025. Instead, they were plagued by injuries, dropped seven of their final nine games and lost the division tiebreaker to the Carolina Panthers.

The Jacksonville Jaguars play their third preseason game Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is the last game before NFL teams set their 53-man rosters for the opening week. QB Trevor Lawrence has not yet played in the first two Jaguars preseason games.

After Monday’s practice for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sean Tucker’s status for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals seems in question. Tucker was not a participant in Monday’s drills, and the team could look to promote Josh Williams from the practice squad to take his place on the roster.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have spent the last several years trying to get younger without completely tearing down a roster that has remained competitive in the NFC South. Heading into the 2026 season, that approach has left them almost in the middle of the NFL in terms of age.

Defensive back Sean Murphy-Bunting was a standout during Tampa Bay’s run to the Super Bowl 55 title. The veteran now returns to the Bucs after being signed to the practice squad.

Who are the most important Buccaneers this season for the team’s success? With one week until the season kicks off, let’s break it down. The 3 Most Important Buccaneers for the 2026 Season Tampa Bay is coming off an 8-9 season in 2025.