It has been as wild and unpredictable an NFL offseason as I can remember. Seemingly every week there has been another huge name on the move. And while these moves have big implications for the teams involved, they also send ripples throughout the league that impact every team.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no exception to this. Several of the big trades among other teams could change the course of their franchise. Specifically how it will affect the NFL Draft. Here are some examples of what I mean.
Davante Adams Traded From Green Bay To Las Vegas
The Packers traded their superstar wide receiver to the Raiders in exchange for the 22nd overall pick as well as other assets. This matters because it changes one of the team’s that will be picking shortly before the Bucs.
This could be good or bad, but in this case I believe it will benefit Tampa Bay. The primary reason for this is that the Packers have different roster needs than the Buccaneers. While Jason Licht has to find starters at defensive tackle, tight end and potentially interior offensive line, the Packers now have to fill the void left by Adams.
On the other hand, the Raiders have nothing but uncertainty at defensive tackle. They were a prime candidate to select a guy like Devonte Wyatt, or Travis Jones who the Bucs could be targeting as well. In short, that’s one less team in front of the Buccaneers who would have likely been looking to draft the same position.
Russell Wilson Traded From Seattle To Denver
It’s always a big deal when a starting quarterback gets traded. Even more so when that guy is a future Hall of Fame player. That was the case when Seattle sent Russell Wilson to Denver in exchange for several picks including the 9th overall pick in this year’s draft.
What they’ll do with that pick is anyone’s guess as they have many needs on their roster. Quarterback, offensive tackle, and pass rush off the edge all jump out as their biggest needs. None of these overlap with the Bucs, so the Seahawks are a team that won’t likely hurt to have picking above the Bucs.
One thing to watch is the quarterback market in this draft. Even in what’s considered a weak quarterback draft, once one domino falls it could set off a chain reaction. It would be beneficial for the Bucs to see as many quarterbacks drafted ahead of them as possible, thus pushing good players down the board.
Tyreek Hill Traded From Kansas City To Miami
Deuces! Tyreek Hill was sent packing from the Chiefs and he landed just down the road with Miami. In exchange, Kansas City gets multiple picks back including the 29th pick in this draft. And while some believe this impacts the Buccaneers more in terms of potential Super Bowl matchups, this move could have a huge impact on the draft.
The Chiefs now have picks 29 and 30 this year. These are obviously both behind the Bucs who pick at 27th overall. However, that doesn’t mean that Kansas City can’t ruin draft day in Tampa.
Longtime Chiefs’ safety Tyrann Mathieu is a free agent. He’s a versatile safety who can play over the top, in the box or in the nickel. As it so happens, the Bucs could really use that type of player and probably can’t afford to sign Mathieu. This means that both teams could look to draft this type of player.
In addition to that, Kansas City could look to improve their defensive line. This team will continue to be very offensive minded with Andy Reid running the show, but they need to bring more balance to the roster overall.
With so many picks to use, I could see the Chiefs trading up in front of the Buccaneers. This could be an issue with the two teams having similar needs.
Deshaun Watson Traded From Houston To Cleveland
This was the biggest bombshell of the offseason. Watson is widely regarded as a top five quarterback in the league. This is reflected by the three first round picks sent back in the trade. If I had to guess right now, assuming Watson isn’t suspended this year, the Browns are my odds on favorite to win the AFC championship.
But this article is about the draft and Houston is the focus of this conversation. The Texans now have added the 13th overall pick in addition to the pick they had originally. This combined with their long list of needs make them the biggest wildcard in the draft.
Former Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith is now the head coach of the Texans. As you may remember, Smith is a defensive minded coach who has developed great players at every level of the defense. This means that any of the defensive players the Buccaneers might be looking at could be in play here. Don’t be shocked if a guy like Devonte Wyatt, who the Bucs will likely have high on their draft board, is the pick at 13th overall.
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