When Kyler Murray decided to join the NFL and be available for the 2019 draft, Buccaneers fans should have jumped for joy. He could have a drastic effect on Tampa Bay’s draft without, of course, getting picked by the Bucs.
Even though he does not have the measures of a prototypical NFL quarterback, he should warrant plenty of interest from quarterback-needy teams willing to trade up. With the Giants, a team with high demand for a quarterback and holding the number 6 pick, the first one after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Bucs’ pick should be very attractive for anyone trying to steal a quarterback, potentially Murray, from the New York Giants.
For the Bucs, trading down and acquiring additional early draft picks should be the right thing to do. With just a little bit of luck they might receive very good offers for their first-round pick.
There are multiple teams who could end up making offers for Tampa’s pick. Jacksonville (7th pick), Miami (13th), Detroit (8th), Cincinnati (11th) and Washington (15th) are all potential suitors who might be looking to acquire their franchise quarterback.
Multiple NFL experts expect Murray to be picked very early in the first round by. This would play right into the hands of the Buccaneers. Even if he gets picked ahead of Tampa, that would mean another high-profile player would slide. Even though none of the teams picking ahead of Tampa is in desperate need of a quarterback (Arizona, San Francisco, New York Jets and Oakland), stranger things have happened in sports.
Some experts even expect the Cardinals to pick Murray with the first overall selection, even though they used the tenth overall in last year’s draft on quarterback Josh Rosen. Granted, Rosen struggled mightily in his rookie year. But is Arizona going to throw in the towel on him and start over after just one year? Highly unlikely…. Yet, again, crazier things have happened.
In a dream scenario, Murray and Haskins both get picked in the top four and, somehow, Josh Allen miraculously falls into Tampa Bay’s lap. He is the only player the Buccaneers should pull the trigger on with their fifth overall pick. If Allen is gone, trading down in order to acquire much-needed additional picks must be the number one priority. It should be way easier to find suitors now that another high-profile signal caller is available.
Consequently, Jason Licht and the Bucs should highly benefit from Murray declaring for the 2019 NFL draft.
