Positions for Buccaneers to avoid early in 2023 NFL Draft
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't gotten to where they are with a bad draft strategy. There have been some questionable picks here or there, but overall the strategy has been sound and the team has been able to reap the benefits of this plan more than once. Part of this success was due to the […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't gotten to where they are with a bad draft strategy. There have been some questionable picks here or there, but overall the strategy has been sound and the team has been able to reap the benefits of this plan more than once.
Part of this success was due to the obvious hand of former head coach Bruce Arians, and now the pressure is on for Todd Bowles and a newer staff to maintain the success in the draft alongside GM Jason Licht.
The pressure is on in Tampa, and a few mistakes could quickly cost Bowles his job. Assuming he wants to keep that role, avoiding a few obvious traps in the early parts of the draft is a good place to start.
Position 1: The first position for the Bucs to avoid like the plague early is inside linebacker. Devin White could be departing, but that doesn't mean you need to use an equal pick to replace him.
In fact, White is an excellent argument against drafting backers too high. The position just isn't worth the value as a whole, and the value of later picks at the position is almost always far better.
Position 2: The next position to avoid is the same that it always is; running back. Drafting running backs does nothing to move the needle, even for a team like the Buccaneers that has one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL.
The history tells us that first-round running backs rarely have a positive correlation on wins for their teams, and even a guy like Bijan Robinson isn't enough to help this Buccaneers roster.
The Buccaneers are fine to draft either position in any round after the second, but addressing either one early could be one of the clearest signs that Todd Bowles isn't long for his job.