The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recently added veteran pass rusher Randy Gregory to their roster. Gregory brings depth to a position that desperately needed it.
Don’t let the Gregory signing fool you into believing the Bucs won’t look to add a pass rusher in this year’s NFL Draft. That’s the message from general manager Jason Licht during his predraft press conference Thursday.
“We were just looking for some depth there, however it turns out,” Licht stated. “I think he even answered that he didn’t have his [mind] set on being a starter. He just wants to contribute. He has to earn it. We wanted some depth there, but it’s not going to affect how we approach the draft. We could always use a higher-end pass rusher – I think every team can. It’s not going to affect the way we approach it.”
Licht is clear here on the Gregory signing and that his signing won’t change their draft strategy. It seems Gregory is just a stop-gap while the team transitions from recently departed Shaq Barrett. So there’s still a high likelihood that the team uses a high draft pick on a pass rusher.
This makes sense in two ways. One, this draft is top heavy with pass rushers. Names like Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse, and Chop Robinson. There’s even better value in day two of the draft with the likes of Bralen Trice, Chris Braswell, Adisa Isaacs, and Marshawn Kneeland.
The draft is rapidly approaching so buckle-up Bucs fans, Jason Licht is about to do some work.