The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Riley Dixon last spring to bring stability to their punting unit.

Special teams had been an issue for the Bucs in 2024 to the point where the team needed to use three different punters.

So it made sense to sign a guy who had been in the league for nearly a decade, and Dixon fit the mold.

Initially, it looked like the decision wouldn't work out. By the end of September, Dixon had two of his punts blocked, and the Bucs were openly considering other options. But Dixon got himself together enough to keep the job for the rest of the season.

Bucs Roundtable will take a look at where each of the Buccaneers' 2025 free-agent signings stands going into this year's cycle. Our series has featured offensive lineman Charlie Heck, linebacker Haason Reddick and cornerback Kindle Vildor.

Dixon finished with a 56.4 punting grade from Pro Football Focus. His net punting average of 40.16 ranked 27th in the league, and his hang-time average of 4.33 ranked 23rd. Dixon has always been good at pinning his punts inside the 20-yard line, and this past season was no exception. He was fourth in the league with 31 of his 63 punts landing inside the 20.

For context, Dixon's net punting average in 2024 with the Denver Broncos was 42.2, his hangtime was 4.43 and 34 of his 77 punts were pinned inside the 20.

Dixon's overall punting grade was among the lowest of his career and the lowest since 2021, when he had a 51.2 mark for the New York Giants.

It was unclear whether the Bucs would retain Dixon for the 2026 season. But the team decided earlier this month to exercise his option, thus keeping him from entering free agency. Dixon, who turns 33 in August, will be working with a new special teams coach. The Bucs fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey about a week after the end of the regular season and replaced him with Danny Smith. Smith had been in the same position with the Pittsburgh Steelers for more than a decade, but left Pittsburgh after longtime head coach (and former Bucs assistant) Mike Tomlin stepped down. Smith is known for his high-energy gum-chewing and his work with Chris Boswell, who has become one of the best kickers in NFL history.

The Steelers haven't had the same success at punter, starting three players at that position since the beginning of the 2023 season.

The Bucs brought Smith in to improve the special teams unit, and Dixon will play a big part in the amount of success that unit has.

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