It has been one heck of an offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That did not change following the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft. With the selection of offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs, the Bucs have a player who can start right away. One that will help protect the front side of quarterback Tom Brady or whoever for years to come.
Day 2
But the fun is just beginning as we enter Day two of the NFL Draft. The Buccaneers have the 13th pick in today’s second round (45th overall) and the 12th pick in the third round (76th overall).
While the offense looks good, there’s still work to be done on that side of the football. The Bucs could use a running back. Even if Tampa Bay isn’t ready to cut ties with Ronald Jones II, a running back may be the way to go in the second round.
Round 2
With Kansas City taking Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the final pick of the first round, there could be an early run on running backs Friday. Georgia’s D’Andre Swift is a back that can take it the distance and has superb hands, a must in this offense. Another player with a good pedigree is Utah’s Zack Moss, a cousin of speedy NFL receivers Santana and Sinorice. One thing that may be a flag is the knee injury he had in 2018. He did, however, play in 13 games in 2019. Florida’s Lamical Perine is another who not only has good hands but can run between the tackles. He’s a solid player who wouldn’t be asked to carry the load.
Round 3
In the third round, the Bucs need to build depth on the defense. Tampa Bay was 29th in points allowed, 15th in yards allowed per game and 30th in passing yards allowed in 2019.
A Tyler Clark from Georgia at defensive tackle or a Josiah Coatney from Mississippi, who can play either end or inside, could be the direction the team goes. One guy to monitor is UCF’s Brandon Hayes, who has a high motor and can be all over the field.
The final day should be when the Buccaneers look for a wide receiver, a quarterback and someone in the secondary. There will probably be some wheeling and dealing on Saturday as Tampa doesn’t have a fourth-round pick (yet). These aren’t players who are expected to come in and be starters. They will be special teams players and ones who can grow into starters down the road.
Buckle up, this will be fun.
