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To have sustained success in the NFL, a team needs its fair share of young building blocks who can anchor the roster season after season.
They can be a franchise quarterback, set to lead the team for the next decade.
Or a lethal edge rusher who can wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
Maybe it's an explosive wide receiver who can turn any play into a touchdown, or a true shutdown cornerback who can take away the other team's best receiver every week.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a couple of players who should be viewed as young building blocks. However, the team does need to get younger, and could be seeing a lot of roster turnover in the next year or so.
Out of all the Bucs' young building blocks, which one is the most promising?
The logical choice is edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who has looked like a potential superstar as he prepares for his rookie season. Bain is only 21 years old and is being counted on to emerge as the face of Tampa's defense.
Maybe it's last year's first-round pick, WR Emeka Egbuka. Despite struggling over the second half of the 2025 season, Egbuka still looked like a future WR1 and must now step up to help Tampa move forward without Mike Evans.
Could it be cornerback Jacob Parrish? The 22-year-old is coming off a fantastic rookie season where he excelled as the Bucs' cornerback. Parrish is being moved to outside corner this year, and looks like a foundational piece of Tampa's secondary.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report published an article in which he chose the most promising building block on each of the NFL's 32 teams.
For the Bucs, Knox went with Egbuka,
With all the hype surrounding Bain, it is surprising to see anyone be chosen ahead of him.
However, Knox believes Egbuka's talent will be the main reason the Bucs will succeed offensively, even without franchise icon Evans.
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were unable to retain longtime star Mike Evans this offseason, as he departed for San Francisco in free agency. However, the Bucs are equipped to succeed post-Evans due to the presence of second-year wideout Emeka Egbuka.
"The Ohio State product flashed early and often during his rookie campaign last season. While he did cool off a bit later in the season—as did the entire Bucs offense while injuries mounted—he still finished with 938 yards and six touchdowns. Now, Egbuka is poised to potentially step into the No. 1 receiver role this season.
"He's prepared, he understands what to do, and he's excited for the opportunity," Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles told reporters.
"The Bucs have stayed competitive in the post-Tom Brady era, largely because they've continually found young contributors in the draft. Egbuka certainly isn't the only promising young up-and-comer on Tampa's roster, but given the importance of replacing Evans long-term, he gets the nod here."
Egbuka is a quality pick, as he is being depended on to replace Evans, who is the Bucs' all-time leader in every major receiving category. He is young, talented, and has shown flashes of his immense potential.
I still would have selected Bain. Tampa's identity has long been fielding a ferocious defense. He looks to be the headliner for the next generation of the Bucs' defense. The praise Bain has been showered with all offseason has made his debut one of Tampa's most anticipated in recent memory.
No matter which one anyone thinks is the most promising, the Bucs are fortunate to have Egbuka as a building block on offense and Bain for the defense.
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Continue reading...
They can be a franchise quarterback, set to lead the team for the next decade.
Or a lethal edge rusher who can wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
Maybe it's an explosive wide receiver who can turn any play into a touchdown, or a true shutdown cornerback who can take away the other team's best receiver every week.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a couple of players who should be viewed as young building blocks. However, the team does need to get younger, and could be seeing a lot of roster turnover in the next year or so.
Out of all the Bucs' young building blocks, which one is the most promising?
The logical choice is edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who has looked like a potential superstar as he prepares for his rookie season. Bain is only 21 years old and is being counted on to emerge as the face of Tampa's defense.
Maybe it's last year's first-round pick, WR Emeka Egbuka. Despite struggling over the second half of the 2025 season, Egbuka still looked like a future WR1 and must now step up to help Tampa move forward without Mike Evans.
Could it be cornerback Jacob Parrish? The 22-year-old is coming off a fantastic rookie season where he excelled as the Bucs' cornerback. Parrish is being moved to outside corner this year, and looks like a foundational piece of Tampa's secondary.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report published an article in which he chose the most promising building block on each of the NFL's 32 teams.
For the Bucs, Knox went with Egbuka,
Why Did Knox Pick Egbuka?
With all the hype surrounding Bain, it is surprising to see anyone be chosen ahead of him.
However, Knox believes Egbuka's talent will be the main reason the Bucs will succeed offensively, even without franchise icon Evans.
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were unable to retain longtime star Mike Evans this offseason, as he departed for San Francisco in free agency. However, the Bucs are equipped to succeed post-Evans due to the presence of second-year wideout Emeka Egbuka.
"The Ohio State product flashed early and often during his rookie campaign last season. While he did cool off a bit later in the season—as did the entire Bucs offense while injuries mounted—he still finished with 938 yards and six touchdowns. Now, Egbuka is poised to potentially step into the No. 1 receiver role this season.
"He's prepared, he understands what to do, and he's excited for the opportunity," Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles told reporters.
"The Bucs have stayed competitive in the post-Tom Brady era, largely because they've continually found young contributors in the draft. Egbuka certainly isn't the only promising young up-and-comer on Tampa's roster, but given the importance of replacing Evans long-term, he gets the nod here."
Final Thoughts
Egbuka is a quality pick, as he is being depended on to replace Evans, who is the Bucs' all-time leader in every major receiving category. He is young, talented, and has shown flashes of his immense potential.
I still would have selected Bain. Tampa's identity has long been fielding a ferocious defense. He looks to be the headliner for the next generation of the Bucs' defense. The praise Bain has been showered with all offseason has made his debut one of Tampa's most anticipated in recent memory.
No matter which one anyone thinks is the most promising, the Bucs are fortunate to have Egbuka as a building block on offense and Bain for the defense.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
