Bucs still get to face Myles Garrett in 2026, just later in the year

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were always scheduled to face Myles Garrett during the 2026 season. What changed is when. Following the blockbuster trade that sent Garrett from the Cleveland Browns to the Los Angeles Rams, the NFL's premier pass rusher is no longer waiting for Tampa Bay in Week 2. Instead, the Buccaneers will encounter him in Week 17 and take on a Rams team that has quickly become one of the NFC's most dangerous contenders.

>On paper, the move may seem insignificant for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers were already preparing to face Garrett once this season.

>But the circumstances surrounding that matchup have changed dramatically. Rather than seeing Garrett early in the year against a Browns team still trying to establish itself, Tampa Bay will now face him as part of a star-studded Rams defense during the final stretch of the regular season.

>Garrett remains one of football's most disruptive defenders. The former Defensive Player of the Year has built a reputation as a game-changing force capable of wrecking offensive game plans on his own. Now he joins a Rams roster with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. The matchup will place added attention on Tampa Bay's offensive line, particularly in pass protection.

>Baker Mayfield has excelled when kept clean, but Garrett's ability to generate pressure without blitz help makes him a challenge unlike almost any other defender in the league.

>Week 17 also has the potential to carry major postseason implications. The Buccaneers are expected to once again contend for the NFC South crown, while the Rams are widely viewed as one of the conference's top teams. A game that already looked difficult could become a pivotal showdown with playoff seeding on the line. Thanks to his move to Los Angeles, they'll now have to face one of the best players in the NFL during one of the most important weeks of the season on a true contender.

>This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: The Bucs still have to worry about Myles Garrett after being traded