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Buccaneers Exercise 2026 Option on Punter Riley Dixon

The move signals confidence a coaching change can steady a shaky unit.

Overview

  • Tampa Bay picked up Dixon’s team option for 2026, keeping the 32-year-old from hitting free agency, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
  • Dixon is set to earn about $3 million next season, including a $2.5 million base salary and a $500,000 roster bonus, per Spotrac.
  • He struggled in 2025 with below-average gross and net figures and two early blocked punts, including a Week 4 touchdown return, which led the team to audition other punters.
  • The Buccaneers recently hired longtime special teams coordinator Danny Smith to lead the unit, as reported by Rick Stroud and Mike Garofolo.
  • A 10-year veteran who has not missed a game, Dixon brings durability and prior highs that include league-leading marks in 2016 and 2022 and a career-best rate of punts downed inside the 20 in 2025.