Tampa Bay Buccaneers make three surprising moves in latest NFL.com mock draft
The Buccaneers have to make sure they hit their marks in the 2022 NFL Draft. The roster is need of youthful playmakers and affordable ones, at that. And there are a few positions that really need that injection of youth, as well. Which is why it's such a surprise to see the Buccaneers make the […]
The Buccaneers have to make sure they hit their marks in the 2022 NFL Draft. The roster is need of youthful playmakers and affordable ones, at that. And there are a few positions that really need that injection of youth, as well.
Which is why it's such a surprise to see the Buccaneers make the moves they do in the first and second rounds of NFL.com's Chad Reuter's most recent mock draft.
Tampa Bay needs to get younger on the defensive line. Ndamukong Suh has been a very solid player over the last three seasons, but he's 35. The Buccaneers also need a down lineman who can get after the passer. Suh, Will Gholston, and Vita Vea are decent options, but the Buccaneers need someone who can really turn the pressure up when the defense doesn't blitz.
Devonte Wyatt is the type of player who fits exactly what the Buccaneers defensive line needs and it's hard to imagine them passing him up. But that's what happens, here. The Buccaneers pass on Wyatt and instead make a trade with the New York Jets in this mock draft.
It gets even more surprising after that. The Buccaneers then select Minnesota pass rusher Boye Mafe with the 35th pick, which is one of the picks they acquire in the trade with the Jets.
It would be a major surprise if this happened during the draft
The trade isn't the surprising part about Retuer's hypothetical trade. Jason Licht is no stranger to draft day trades and he is very good at picking his spots, for the most part.
In terms of assets gained, this isn't a very good trade for Licht and the Buccaneers. The Jets have extra picks in both the fourth and fifth round, so they can afford to part ways with those picks. The picks also don't offset the difference in value between the No. 27 pick and the No. 35 pick, according to Rich Hill's trade value chart. It's hard to see Licht pulling the trigger on this.
But what really sinks the ship is the idea of passing on Wyatt and then drafting Mafe. Don't get me wrong: I love Mafe as a prospect and you can never have too many pass rushers in the NFL. However, the Buccaneers already have Shaquil Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka as starters and they have Anthony Nelson -who is coming off a career year- as their third EDGE. The staff also really likes the fourth option in Cam Gil. Competition is never a bad thing, but it's hard to imagine Mafe receiving adequate playing time in 2022. The Buccaneers don't need more future prospects like the 2021 draft supplied. They need guys who can contribute immediately. Using back-to-back second-round picks on guys who are likely to sit more than they are to play is a very dangerous habit to make.
And then the third surprise comes in the form of drafting James Cook with the 60th pick. The Buccaneers have Leonard Fournette, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, and Giovani Bernard on their roster. Players like Tariq Woolen, Jelani Woods, Trey McBride, Logan Hall, Greg Dulcich, and others are still around and all of them are at bigger positions of need and many are still arguably the best players left on the board at the time. Cook would be drafted as RB4 with a chance to compete for the backup job, but there's no guarantee he makes significant headway in 2022.
It's really hard to see the Buccaneers passing up on multiple opportunities to improve areas of need with top talent and make a trade that doesn't benefit them more than the partnering team. But it's the draft and crazier things have happened before.
You can check out Reuter's full mock draft, here.
Featured image via John A. Babiak/@Photog_John B
