Buccaneers Free Agent Signing Shows Highest Potential

Teams' seasons can be made or broken during the free agency period of the offseason prior, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no exception.

While Tampa Bay has been active in re-signing their own, general manager Jason Licht has also been praised of for one major signing from the outside.

Licht and the Bucs signed free agent linebacker Haason Reddick to a one-year, $14 million deal with $12 million guaranteed. Reddick is expected to bolster the pass rush that was lacking last season.

Pro Football Focus calls the move the best by the team this offseason.

"Reddick’s past year has been a blur, from his trade to the New York Jets to his lengthy holdout to now," PFF wrote. "But the 30-year-old undeniably has the talent to shred opposing offensive tackles, and the Buccaneers are banking on that."

"Reddick instantly becomes Tampa Bay’s most feared edge rusher for 2025, bringing four straight seasons of double-digit sacks and a 12th-ranked 88.5 PFF pass-rush grade from 2020 to 2023."

Reddick posted just one sack last season across 10 games with the New York Jets. But that's not indicative of the two-time Pro Bowler's talent. 

Before last season, Reddick rattled off a string of four straight seasons of 12.5, 11, 16 and 11 sacks, showing his pass rush potential. In New York last season, he sat out the first seven games of the season after being traded somewhere he had no interest in playing.

But he chose the Bucs and is happy to be in Tampa Bay.

"I'm excited. I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to be in front of the crowd. If anything, I can't wait to get in front of the Krewe," Reddick said in his introductory press conference. "I want to hear the cannon go off a lot this year. So, very excited. Hope the fans, hope the Krewe is excited as well. Looking forward to making this a great fit here."

And fire the cannons they will.