The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' have 16 players from their final 2025 roster and reserve lists who could become unrestricted free agents (UFAs) on March 11. That's six fewer than the previous year, but it still includes seven players who started the '25 season finale (and an eighth, Jamel Dean, who would have started had he not been injured). As always, there is work to be done by Jason Licht and his staff in the coming months, and roster turnover from season to season is inevitable and necessary.

The Buccaneers saw their five-season streak of playoff qualification come to an end in 2025, but it has been a remarkably successful first half of the decade and much of that is attributable to the team's ability to – and Licht's annual focus on – retain the team's most productive players. Most recently that included the contract extensions signed by tackle Luke Goedeke and cornerback Zyon McCollum just before the start of last season. Had those deals not gotten done, Goedeke and McCollum would be on a longer and more worrisome list of pending free agents heading into March.

This year's list of potential UFAs is most notable for the inclusion of two of the greatest players in franchise history. This past summer, the Buccaneers celebrated the onset of their landmark 50th season by counting down the 50 greatest players in franchise history; Mike Evans landed at number four, while Lavonte David came in at number seven. It's entirely possible that those two could end up even higher on a similar list produced 10 or 20 years from now.

The current question, however, is whether either Evans or David will be building on their Buccaneer legacies. Both obviously have the power to play elsewhere in 2026 and beyond if they so choose, but the first choice is whether either or both wants to extend their playing careers at any location. The Buccaneers, obviously, would love for both players to finish any remaining seasons in their red and pewter uniforms. At the end of the 2025 campaign, David and Evans had played in 163 games together, the second most among active NFL teammates behind only Kansas City's Travis Kelce and James Winchester.

In the weeks leading up to the start of the new league year and free agency, we are going to look at nine players who are currently poised to become unrestricted free agents in mid-March. This is the full schedule of our 2026 Free Agent Focus rundown:

February 11: LB Lavonte David

February 13: WR Mike Evans

February 18: DL Logan Hall

February 20: TE Ko Kieft

February 25: RB Rachaad White

February 27: CB Jamel Dean

March 4: WR Sterling Shepard

March 5: TE Cade Otton

March 6: OLB Haason Reddick

This list is subject to change based on potential roster moves in the coming weeks. However, we will begin with a Bucs legend who may or may not choose to return for a 15th NFL season.

Player: Lavonte David

Position: Linebacker

Age at the Start of the 2026 Season: 36

Experience: Entering 15th NFL season

How Acquired: Drafted in the second round (58th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. The Buccaneers traded a fourth-round pick to Houston to move up 10 spots to get in position to draft David.

Previous Contract(s): As a second-round pick in 2012, David originally signed the standard four-year contract presented to all players picked after the first round. That deal was meant to run through the 2015 season, but the Buccaneers signed the standout defender to a five-year extension that covered the 2015 season and lasted through 2020. After completing that contract, David again re-upped with the Buccaneers' inking a two-year deal in 2021. In 2023, 2024 and 2025 David returned to Tampa Bay on one-year pacts.

Rank in Pro Football Focus Top 250 NFL Free Agents for 2026: 180th.

2025 Performance: For the 11th time in his 14 seasons, David finished as the Buccaneers' leading tackler or tied for the team lead, this time accumulating 114 total stops. He was also the only player on Tampa Bay's defense to record multiple forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, with two each. In the process, he moved into an exact tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer for the most tackles in franchise history (as compiled by StatsPass), with 1,714.

As usual, David filled up his stat line from left to right. In addition to his tackles and fumble exploits, he also notched eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, six quarterback hits, one interception and three passes defensed. He increased his career sack total to 42.5, which ranks sixth in franchise history.

David played in and started all 17 games for the Buccaneers in 2025 and has only missed two games over the past four seasons combined. He served as a team captain for the 12th season in a row. His interception with 53 seconds left in Week Five at Seattle set up the game-winning field goal in a thrilling 38-35 shootout with the eventual NFC champion Seahawks.

Career Accomplishments: David has started all 215 regular season games in which he has played, and all 10 playoff contests he has been a part of. His games and starts totals in the regular season are both third in team history behind only Rondé Barber (241, 232) and Brooks (224, 221).

David's robust career stats line includes 1,714 tackles, 42.5 sacks, 179 tackles for loss, 33 forced fumbles, 21 fumble recoveries, 14 interceptions and 73 passes defensed. In addition to his tie with Brooks for the franchise tackle lead (as compiled by StatsPass using press box totals), he is first in team annals in both forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, as noted above, is sixth in sacks. The only linebacker in Bucs history with more interceptions is Brooks.

David has been one of the best linebackers of his generation. He currently ranks second among all active players in tackles, first in solo tackles (1,171), second in tackles for loss, first in fumble recoveries and third in forced fumbles. Among active linebackers he is second in interceptions and second in passes defensed. Since the NFL actively began tracking tackles in 1994, David is one of only two players to amass 1,500-plus tackles, 40.0-plus sacks and 10-plus interceptions, joining Ray Lewis in that exclusive club.

Though he has been criminally underrated throughout his career in terms of postseason awards due largely to positional groupings, David was a first-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2013 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2015. He has also been named a second-team AP All-Pro in two other seasons.

Other Potential Free Agent Linebackers: Devin Lloyd (Jaguars), Quay Walker (Packers), Demario Davis (Saints), Quincy Williams (Jets), Kaden Elliss (Falcons), Devin Bush (Browns), Alex Anzalone (Lions), Nakobe Dean (Eagles), Christian Rozeboom (Panthers), Leo Chenal (Chiefs), Eric Wilson (Vikings), Elandon Roberts (Raiders), Bobby Wagner (Commanders), Kenneth Murray (Cowboys), Matt Milano (Bills)

Top Linebacker Prospects in 2026 NFL Draft: Arvell Reese (Ohio State), Sonny Styles (Ohio State), Deontae Lawson (Alabama), Anthony Hill (Texas), Taurean York (Texas A&M), C.J. Allen (Georgia), Whit Weeks (LSU), Jake Golday (Cincinnati), Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech), Austin Romaine (Kansas State), Kyle Louis (Pittsburgh), Sammy Omosigho (Oklahoma), Harold Perkins (LSU), Drayk Bowen (Notre Dame), Keyshaun Elliott (Arizona State), Jaishawn Barham (Michigan), Lander Barton (Utah)