The Buccaneers were able to get off to a helluva start on the "first day" of free agency thanks to the return of Tom Brady. By the time Monday ended, both Ryan Jensen and Carlton Davis III were back with the team and ready to go thanks to their new three-year deals.

Both joined Chris Godwin, whom the Buccaneers franchised a week ago, marking the return of Tampa Bay's top-3, in-house free agents.

There's still a lot of work to do, though. Free agency is far from over.

So where do the Buccaneers go from here in regard to free agency? Below are their updated priorities:

3. Re-sign S Jordan Whitehead

It would make a ton of sense to put "find a veteran interior offensive lineman" here after the loss of Alex Cappa. But the Buccaneers feel pretty good about the depth they currently have and will probably add an interior blocker early in the draft.

Therefore, the focus shifts to Whitehead.

The fifth-year safety has been an excellent player for the Buccaneers and has been linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency, so the Buccaneers need to get a move on re-signing him. If that's the plan, of course.

It should be the plan. Whitehead is a perfect fit for the Buccaneers defense and his role is a valuable one (for the Bucs), as well. He's a physical, downhill box safety who can also blitz when asked. If you want to know how much "juice" he brings to the defense, just go back and watch the Buccaneers Week 15 matchup against the Carolina Panthers last year. Whitehead was a monster in that game, finishing with seven total tackles that included six solo stops, an interception, and three pass deflections.

Coverage ability is a rather underrated aspect of Whitehead's game, as well. While he's not stellar, by any means, he can effectively cover certain assignments when asked to do so.

A Whitehead return would also mean the Buccaneers' top-6 defensive backs (all of which are heavy contributors) return for 2022, as well.

Potential cost aside, it's pretty easy to see why the Bucs need to bring Whitehead back.

2. Re-sign RB Leonard Fournette

When Brady is your quarterback, you surround him with as many top-notch weapons as possible.

It's that simple.

But it's not just about Brady when it comes to re-signing Fournette. He really developed into a true three-down back in 2021, which is not common in today's NFL. He also developed into a pretty decent pass blocker, as well.

Fournette's versatility on offense and his role in general make him a top priority after Monday. No one likes to pay running backs these days, so it'll be interesting to see how much he wants and how much the Buccaneers have to offer. He certainly deserves whatever solid deal he receives.

I'm usually not one to believe in the "a team owes a player X" or vice-versa, but Fournette and his agent should have a sense of gratitude when approaching the negotiating table. The Buccaneers did give him a second chance after he was cut by the Jaguars, after all. And, they believed in him enough after an up-and-down 2020 campaign to bring him back and give him a shot at the starting role in 2021.

Granted, Fournette seized those opportunities and ran with them – no pun intended. So, he paid back his debts, in a way. Regardless, it's hard to see Fournette elsewhere in 2022. The NFL, however, is a business when it's all said and done. There are no guarantees he'll be back, but the Buccaneers need to damn sure try to re-sign him during free agency.

1. Re-sign TE Rob Gronkowski

This one is obvious because of Brady. Gronk has caught just about every single pass from Brady over the course of his career and it's hard to imagine him anywhere else other than Tampa Bay. Especially since Brady is back.

Gronkowski is likely to have a rather large market, so the Buccaneers aren't going to get him easily in free agency. But, they have the ultimate tiebreaker in Brady.

Gronk is not only Brady's security blanket and favorite target of all-time, but he's an excellent blocker, too. There have been many instances where Gronkowski has served as an extra offensive lineman on certain plays. That was basically his role in the 2020 Wild Card matchup with the Washington Commanders.

The future Hall of Famer's blocking prowess is crucial. Not only because Brady is behind center, but also because the team will likely lose Cappa to the Cincinnati Bengals. Cappa agreed to terms on a four-year, $40 million deal Monday.

And, just for salary cap reasons, the Bucs can avoid Gronkowski's $5 million dead cap hit if they're able to work out a deal before 4pm E.T. on Wednesday, March 16.

Gronk's playmaking is the top reason he needs to return, but keeping Brady upright and healthy is absolutely paramount, too. And the Bucs can't afford to cut corners in that regard. Gronk's one of the league's complete tight ends, which makes him the No. 1 priority for the Buccaneers in free agency.

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