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NFL teams use free agency to ensure they have starters this season, and the draft is for locking down starters for the following seasons. The Bucs have mostly stuck to this philosophy under general manager Jason Licht, building the majority of the roster through the draft while filling holes through free agency.
This year, the Bucs largely addressed their most pressing needs, apart from one or two starting jobs. Their main concern is filling out their depth, a hallmark of a perennial contender in the postseason.
Tampa Bay will also consider its needs after next season. Some Bucs poised to hit free agency will be given the opportunity to test the market, so the front office will begin laying the groundwork to maintain the roster against natural attrition.
These are the positions the Bucs will likely address in the upcoming NFL draft:
Lavonte David may seem ageless, but he will not be able to anchor the Bucs defense forever. He is also a little lonely in the middle of Tampa Bay's defense. Both of the linebackers who took most of the snaps next to him last year, K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell, are no longer on the roster. SirVocea Dennis should be back from a season-ending shoulder injury, and the Bucs signed Anthony Walker from the Miami Dolphins, but neither is an established starter, at least not yet.
One way or another, the Bucs have to address their long-term plan at inside linebacker. Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell remains the ideal pick to carry Tampa Bay's linebacker group into the future, but as the top consensus linebacker in the class, he may not be available when the Bucs make their first pick. South Carolina's Demetrius Knight Jr. and UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger are potential Day 2 targets if the Bucs don't land Campbell.
The Bucs' plan at safety next to Antoine Winfield Jr. has not worked out the last two seasons with the additions of free agents like Ryan Neal, Jordan Whitehead, and Mike Edwards. This year, Todd Bowles appears to have designs on 2024 third-round pick Tykee Smith moving from the nickel corner spot to safety, and Christian Izien remains a valuable utility player. Still, the Bucs need to reinforce the secondary with more young talent.
Georgia S Malaki Starks is a popular pick for the Bucs, but given Tampa Bay's financial investment in Winfield Jr., using a premium pick on Starks may be too much of a luxury. Penn St.'s Kevin Winston Jr. and Notre Dame S Xavier Watts are both coming off injuries but have the talent to start in the NFL. If the Bucs opt to specifically target the nickel corner position, Kansas St. CB Jacob Parrish should be available to the Bucs in the third round.
The signing of Haason Reddick gave the Bucs a viable pass rush threat off the edge in 2025, but the Bucs signed him for one year. Even with an extension next offseason, the Bucs could still use another edge defender with pass rush chops in case Chris Braswell does not take the next step in the NFL.
First-round pass rushers like Mike Green and Donovan Ezeiruaku offer the Bucs the best chance of addressing their chronic pass rush woes. The later prospects all come with distinct flaws ranging from lack of college production to low-end athleticism. The Bucs tend to favor projection over past production, which puts Louisville's Ashton Gillotte in their crosshairs. Like fellow Louisville alum Yaya Diaby, Gillotte is an athletic specimen, scoring a 9.74 Relative Athletic Score, just shy of Diaby's 9.88.
As with the outside linebacker position, the Bucs appear set at the cornerback position for the 2025 season, but the long-term prospects are less certain. Jamel Dean has one year left on his contract, and his injury history makes his return unlikely. In any case, Tampa Bay needs to plan for life after Dean now.
Michigan CB Will Johnson fits the Bucs' typical physical requirements for the position, but his limitations in man coverage might make them think twice about using a high pick on him. Iowa St. CB Darien Porter should be a prime target in the second round, as he comes with top-tier athleticism that the Bucs favor. Porter has just one year of full-time experience at corner, but as a convert from wide receiver, he has ball skills that the Bucs have not had at the position in decades.
The Bucs did little to address the tight end position in free agency, mostly because Cade Otton stepped up in a big way last season while the Bucs dealt with injuries at wide receiver. However, Otton will be a free agent next year, and the Bucs have not particularly prioritized this position over the last five years.
Tampa Bay's needs on defense make a first-round pick unlikely at tight end, but this year's class is relatively deep. LSU TE Mason Taylor and Oregon's Terrence Ferguson could be available to Tampa Bay in the third round. They would, at minimum, be upgrades in athleticism to the Bucs' current tight end room.
The Bucs' defensive line boasts three of its first picks from the last seven drafts, and yet it could still do more. Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey are not going anywhere in the next two years, but Logan Hall will be a free agent next year. He has never lived up to his standing as Tampa Bay's first pick of the 2022 draft and may not be in the Bucs' long-term plans at the position.
The likelihood that the Bucs draft another defensive tackle in the first round is low. Fortunately, this year's tackle class is particularly deep, especially with run stuffers. Tampa Bay could find reliable early down defenders with some pass-rush upside as late as the third round with prospects like Florida St. DT Joshua Farmer and Maryland's Jordan Phillips.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: What are the Bucs needs in the NFL Draft after free agency?
Continue reading...
This year, the Bucs largely addressed their most pressing needs, apart from one or two starting jobs. Their main concern is filling out their depth, a hallmark of a perennial contender in the postseason.
Tampa Bay will also consider its needs after next season. Some Bucs poised to hit free agency will be given the opportunity to test the market, so the front office will begin laying the groundwork to maintain the roster against natural attrition.
These are the positions the Bucs will likely address in the upcoming NFL draft:
Inside linebacker
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Lavonte David may seem ageless, but he will not be able to anchor the Bucs defense forever. He is also a little lonely in the middle of Tampa Bay's defense. Both of the linebackers who took most of the snaps next to him last year, K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell, are no longer on the roster. SirVocea Dennis should be back from a season-ending shoulder injury, and the Bucs signed Anthony Walker from the Miami Dolphins, but neither is an established starter, at least not yet.
One way or another, the Bucs have to address their long-term plan at inside linebacker. Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell remains the ideal pick to carry Tampa Bay's linebacker group into the future, but as the top consensus linebacker in the class, he may not be available when the Bucs make their first pick. South Carolina's Demetrius Knight Jr. and UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger are potential Day 2 targets if the Bucs don't land Campbell.
Safety/Nickel cornerback
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The Bucs' plan at safety next to Antoine Winfield Jr. has not worked out the last two seasons with the additions of free agents like Ryan Neal, Jordan Whitehead, and Mike Edwards. This year, Todd Bowles appears to have designs on 2024 third-round pick Tykee Smith moving from the nickel corner spot to safety, and Christian Izien remains a valuable utility player. Still, the Bucs need to reinforce the secondary with more young talent.
Georgia S Malaki Starks is a popular pick for the Bucs, but given Tampa Bay's financial investment in Winfield Jr., using a premium pick on Starks may be too much of a luxury. Penn St.'s Kevin Winston Jr. and Notre Dame S Xavier Watts are both coming off injuries but have the talent to start in the NFL. If the Bucs opt to specifically target the nickel corner position, Kansas St. CB Jacob Parrish should be available to the Bucs in the third round.
Outside linebacker
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The signing of Haason Reddick gave the Bucs a viable pass rush threat off the edge in 2025, but the Bucs signed him for one year. Even with an extension next offseason, the Bucs could still use another edge defender with pass rush chops in case Chris Braswell does not take the next step in the NFL.
First-round pass rushers like Mike Green and Donovan Ezeiruaku offer the Bucs the best chance of addressing their chronic pass rush woes. The later prospects all come with distinct flaws ranging from lack of college production to low-end athleticism. The Bucs tend to favor projection over past production, which puts Louisville's Ashton Gillotte in their crosshairs. Like fellow Louisville alum Yaya Diaby, Gillotte is an athletic specimen, scoring a 9.74 Relative Athletic Score, just shy of Diaby's 9.88.
Outside cornerback
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As with the outside linebacker position, the Bucs appear set at the cornerback position for the 2025 season, but the long-term prospects are less certain. Jamel Dean has one year left on his contract, and his injury history makes his return unlikely. In any case, Tampa Bay needs to plan for life after Dean now.
Michigan CB Will Johnson fits the Bucs' typical physical requirements for the position, but his limitations in man coverage might make them think twice about using a high pick on him. Iowa St. CB Darien Porter should be a prime target in the second round, as he comes with top-tier athleticism that the Bucs favor. Porter has just one year of full-time experience at corner, but as a convert from wide receiver, he has ball skills that the Bucs have not had at the position in decades.
Tight end
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The Bucs did little to address the tight end position in free agency, mostly because Cade Otton stepped up in a big way last season while the Bucs dealt with injuries at wide receiver. However, Otton will be a free agent next year, and the Bucs have not particularly prioritized this position over the last five years.
Tampa Bay's needs on defense make a first-round pick unlikely at tight end, but this year's class is relatively deep. LSU TE Mason Taylor and Oregon's Terrence Ferguson could be available to Tampa Bay in the third round. They would, at minimum, be upgrades in athleticism to the Bucs' current tight end room.
Defensive tackle
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The Bucs' defensive line boasts three of its first picks from the last seven drafts, and yet it could still do more. Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey are not going anywhere in the next two years, but Logan Hall will be a free agent next year. He has never lived up to his standing as Tampa Bay's first pick of the 2022 draft and may not be in the Bucs' long-term plans at the position.
The likelihood that the Bucs draft another defensive tackle in the first round is low. Fortunately, this year's tackle class is particularly deep, especially with run stuffers. Tampa Bay could find reliable early down defenders with some pass-rush upside as late as the third round with prospects like Florida St. DT Joshua Farmer and Maryland's Jordan Phillips.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: What are the Bucs needs in the NFL Draft after free agency?
Continue reading...
