Should the Bucs get aggressive and trade for a star tight end?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't expected to be in the market for a tight end anytime soon, but if Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride ever becomes available, they should at least consider making the call.

>CBS Sports' Garrett Podell recently explored whether some of the NFL's biggest stars could eventually seek a change of scenery. McBride made the list, though Podell ultimately predicted the All-Pro tight end will remain in Arizona as long as the Cardinals can solve their quarterback situation before his current contract expires.

>That doesn't mean the idea isn't worth discussing from Tampa Bay's perspective.

>McBride is coming off one of the best seasons by any tight end in football. He finished 2025 with 126 receptions, second-most in the NFL, while adding 1,239 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Those numbers earned him first-team All-Pro honors and established him as one of the league's premier offensive weapons.

>The Buccaneers already have stability at the position after extending Cade Otton, but McBride offers a different level of production as a receiving threat. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has shown a willingness to feature multiple tight ends, and pairing McBride with Otton would create matchup problems for opposing defenses while giving Baker Mayfield another reliable target over the middle of the field.

>The biggest obstacle, of course, is availability. Podell believes Arizona still has two seasons to convince McBride that the franchise is headed in the right direction. With the tight end under contract through 2027, the Cardinals have little incentive to entertain trade offers unless their rebuilding efforts completely stall.

>That makes this more of a long-term thought exercise than a realistic short-term target. Still, championship-caliber teams rarely pass on elite talent when it unexpectedly becomes available. If the Cardinals' plans unravel and McBride eventually reaches the trade market, the Buccaneers should be among the teams exploring what it would take to bring one of the NFL's best tight ends to Tampa Bay.

>This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Should the Bucs get aggressive and trade for a star tight end?