As we all know, not much is guaranteed for NFL players. The past is the past and there’s a reason one of the unwritten mantras is “what have you done for me lately?”.

Every year represents a new obligation for players to basically reestablish themselves, or, improve their game and climb the ranks of the best players at their respective position. Of course, there’s always room for decline, as well.

So, with that being said, there are a handful of Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have a bit more riding on the line in 2026 than it seems. If a Buccaneers player is on this list, it’s due to a mix of both performance and contractual elements. Essentially, it’s identifying guys whose 2026 season can affect what happens to their future(s) in Tampa Bay. Whether for good or bad.

Let’s stop wasting time and dive in.

5 Buccaneers players that have a lot more riding on the line than it seems in 2026

1. WR Chris Godwin Jr.

Godwin is the alpha in the Buccaneers’ receiver room now that Mike Evans is out of the picture, but that title alone doesn’t guarantee he’s in the team’s long-term plans. Even though Godwin started to bounce back toward the end of 2025, we still don’t know if he’ll return to the form Tampa Bay saw in 2024 and previous years.

Regardless, Godwin must find a way to get back to being the top option in the passing attack – mainly because he’s getting paid like one. Per Over the Cap, Godwin is slated to make $22 million in base salary and will count nearly $34 million against the cap in 2026.

It doesn’t get much better in 2027, either, as Godwin Jr. will make $22 million in cash and count nearly $30 million against the cap.

The key here is that Godwin’s 2027 year is a club option. If Tampa Bay doesn’t approve it before the start of the new league year, Godwin walks and the Buccaneers eat around $16.231 million in dead cap while saving more than $13.7 million in total cap space.

Godwin needs a strong year for the sake of the passing attack and his own future in Tampa Bay.

2. G Ben Bredeson

Like Godwin, Bredeson has a club option in 2027 that the Buccaneers have to approve before his deal hits the books. He’s not as expensive, with a 2027 projection of $6.5 million in base salary, a $500,000 roster bonus, and a total cap hit of about $8.266 million. The Bucs would save $4.468 million in a release scenario while eating $3.798 million in dead money. Usually whenever the cap savings outweigh the dead money, that player becomes an option for release.

Bredeson is coming off a 2025 season where a knee injury set him back. He struggled in run blocking, but was solid in pass protection. The Buccaneers offensive line as a whole dealt with injuries that prevented the starting five from playing a single snap together all year, which is pretty wild to think about given how much the unit was heralded heading into last season.

Still, Bredeson himself will tell you he needs to be better in 2026.

On top of the contract situation, there’s Billy Schrauth, the fifth-round rookie from Notre Dame. Schrauth will play guard in the NFL and has the talent to push for a starting role if he can stay healthy. If Shcrauth both stays healthy and shows promise while Bredeson fails to take a step forward, the Buccaneers might have a built-in replacement ready to go.

3. WR Jalen McMillan

The previous two entries leaned a bit more on the negative side. With McMillan, the outlook tilts positive. This is Year 3 of his career, which means he’ll be eligible for an extension after the season.

Why does that matter? If Godwin can’t get back on track and McMillan steps up in an effective manner, then the Bucs might be inclined to deny Godwin’s club option and instead extend McMillan as their No. 1 guy in the passing attack. Now, whether or not that’s a wise long-term strategy is a different discussion for a different day. But in terms of what’s at stake, though, there’s a real chance McMillan could emerge as the Buccaneers’ top receiver, and that could mean a significant payday heading into 2027.

4. C Graham Barton

Barton’s situation runs in the same vein as McMillan’s but carries both positive and negative weight. If Barton has a strong season, the Buccaneers will approve his fifth-year option, locking him in through the 2028 season at what would likely be a solid payout. On the flip side, if he has a poor year, Tampa Bay could very well decline said option, turning his 2027 season into a contract year.

A great contract year sets him up for a big deal, whereas a bad one can quickly put his post-2027 future in Tampa Bay in question.

Year 3 is a big deal for Barton, especially after a disappointing 2025 campaign. He needs to prove he’s the franchise center the Bucs believed they drafted with the 26th overall pick in 2024.

5. DL A’Shawn Robinson

Robinson’s situation is the most straightforward on this list: The Buccaneers gave him a raise over what he was set to make in Carolina before the Panthers cut him, but it’s a one-year deal with no void years and no dead money on the back end.

Nobody expects Robinson to record 10 sacks and become a dominant disruptor, but he needs to be a solid complement alongside Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. So far, he’s bringing the attitude and moxie the Buccaneers defense needed to inject over the offseason, and that’s a good thing. Now it’s time to produce on the field. If he doesn’t, he’ll be looking for work next offseason. If he does, maybe Tampa Bay considers keeping him around for a couple more years, even if 2027 is his age-32 season.

Either way, any player on a one-year deal always has to prove himself, and Robinson will have to do exactly that in 2026.