With the bulk of free agency behind us, we can now safely say it seems like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are destined for more of the same in 2026 thanks to a ‘meh’ group of signings.
Outside of inside linebacker Alex Anzalone, it’s hard to definitively say the Buccaneers added anyone who makes them better on either side of the ball — maybe include running back Kenneth Gainwell as a net positive —otherwise it’s a lot of ‘meh’ beyond that.
The Buccaneers may have even let a few players walk out the door who could have helped them win games, including versatile safety/nickelback/cornerback Christian Izien, who left for a 1-year, $2 million contract with the Detroit Lions.
“Izien was invaluable as someone who could step in anywhere in the secondary,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account. “But if Bucs see him as a backup and special teams guy, he’s going to want a shot at a larger role somewhere else. Minimum deal says he didn’t have a huge market, but he’s overcome that before.”
While Izien got slightly above the league minimum of 1 1-year, $1.145 million contract, it wasn’t by much.
“DB Christian Izien’s one-year contract with the Lions is worth $2M, including $1M guaranteed, per source,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on Saturday. “Izien became a free agent when the Bucs decided not to tender him.”
The move also left some Bucs fans confused.
“Kinda surprised they let him go,” Bucs fan Justin Meyer wrote on X. “I always appreciated how he could play anywhere!”
Lions Praised for Signing Christian Izien
On the flip side of the Buccaneers being called out for letting Izien go to an NFC rival in free agency, the Lions were being praised for bringing him in after missing the playoffs in 2025.
Detroit was the NFC’s No.1 playoff seed in 2024 but was upset by the Washington Commanders at home in the NFC Divisional Round.
“Izien, who recorded 165 total tackles over the past three seasons in Tampa, will bring versatility to a secondary that has been banged up the past two years,” ESPN’s Eric Woodyard wrote. “The 2023 undrafted free agent appeared in 14 games in 2025, logging 25 tackles, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss. After agreeing to the new deal in Detroit, Izien wrote on X that he ‘can’t wait to get to work and keep proving them wrong!’ ”
Izien Went From UDFA to NFL Full-Time Starter
Izien was a 2-time All-Big Ten pick at Rutgers and closed out his career with 41 consecutive starts. His size — he’s just 5-foot-8 and 199 pounds — likely led to him not being selected in the 2023 NFL draft.
It certainly wasn’t Izien’s athletic ability holding him back. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds at the NFL scouting combine to go with an incredible 41.5-inch vertical leap and 20 reps in the 225-pound bench press.
Those are the kind of numbers that would get almost any secondary prospect drafted. Just not the undersized Izien.
He made Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent rookie in 2023 and went on to play in all 17 games with 4 starts and 2 interceptions in his first 2 games — the first undrafted rookie to accomplish the feat in NFL history.
Buccaneers Called Out for Losing ‘Invaluable’ Free Agent on Defense