Bucs ignore their biggest needs in the first round and it leaves more questions than answers heading into Day 2 of the draft
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a very peculiar decision by drafting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.It has nothing to do with the player and everything to do with the fit. Outside of injury to one of the incumbents, it's hard to envision Egbuka ranking any higher […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a very peculiar decision by drafting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
It has nothing to do with the player and everything to do with the fit. Outside of injury to one of the incumbents, it's hard to envision Egbuka ranking any higher than WR4 in 2025. The Bucs had much bigger needs at linebacker, cornerback, EDGE, and even defensive line before wideout. Now, their left with a lot of work to do on Day 2 of the draft.
So, with that being said, let's go ahead and dive into the Bucs' biggest needs after the first round of the draft. Keep in mind the "best remaining" options are guys who are likely to be there when the Bucs pick at Nos. 53 and 84, unless it's a wild injury situation like Will Johnson's.
1. Cornerback
Todd Bowles made his thoughts very clear on the state of the Bucs cornerback room when he spoke with reporters at the League Meetings in March. It's obviously their biggest needs since they didn't take one in the first round of the draft.
They could very well need both an outside and inside corner. Jamel Dean can't be relied on when it comes to playing a full season and the Bucs are considering moving Tykee Smith to safety. Yes, Christian Izien could step in and play nickel and he's manned the spot admirably over the last couple of years, but 2024 was a great example of how you can never have too many cornerbacks and some inside depth would go a long way toward preventing another situation like last year.
No matter what, the Bucs need a corner that can make an impact in 2025 and it's easily their No. 1 priority heading into Day 2 of the draft.
Best remaining options: Will Johnson, Darien Porter Jr., Nohl Williams
2. EDGE
On paper, the Bucs have four guys that look to be clear-cut contributors in 2025: Haason Reddick, Yaya Diaby, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell. Then there's Jose Ramirez and Markeese Watts, two guys who have flashed potential and continue to carve out spots on the 53-man roster. And lastly, Daniel Grzesiak is in the mix, as well.
In all, the Bucs have a lot of options at the position. However, there are questions surrounding the top-4 guys. Reddick has to prove the debacle that was his time with the Jets was an aberration. Diaby needs to take a big step forward in terms of finishing his pressures by taking down opposing quarterbacks. Braswell, like Diaby, needs to take a step forward and the same goes with Nelson, who's a solid player, but is more of a rotational guy, himself.
There's also the fact Reddick is on a one-year deal. The Bucs can simply part ways next year if he doesn't play well, so he's not a long-term option, right now.A Day 2 pick would be, though.
Competition is always a good situation, especially at a premium position. The good news is Bowles' defense is multiple and versatile enough to where he can deploy multiple/different edge rushers in different scenarios throughout games. Meaning, any new blood wouldn't be sitting on the sidelines all year.
Best remaining options: Nic Scourton, Oluwafemi Oladejo, Princely Umanmielen
3. Linebacker
The Bucs have a stable trio of guys in Lavonte David, SirVocea Dennis, and Anthony Walker, but it only takes one injury to derail things as we saw last year, So, the Bucs really need to find a reliable guy who can not only provide quality depth, but a potential starting option in both the small and big picture.
Best remaining options: Chris Paul Jr., Demetrius Knight, Jeffery Bassa
4. Safety
Even if Smith stays at nickel, the Bucs still need help at the safety position. Antoine Winfield Jr. is going to attempt a comeback from an injury-plagued year. Izien showed potential, but is still unproven and the same goes for Kaevon Merriweather. If Winfield Jr. were to go down for whatever amount of time, the Bucs safety room would be perilously thin.
It's not just a matter of depth, either. While serviceable, Izien and Merriweather's ceilings aren't going to be as high a second- or third-round pick. Simply put: The Bucs need to add more talent in this room and they have a great shot at doing that on Friday.
Best remaining options: Andrew Mukuba, Jonas Sanker, Jaylen Reed
5. Defensive line (tackle or end)
It's a deep draft along the interior of the defensive line and the Bucs could actually stand to roster another explosive guy that can rotate with the likes of Logan Hall, Vita Vea, and Calijah Kancey.
We all know defensive linemen don't play 100% of snaps like a Lavonte David would and while Greg Gaines, C.J. Brewer, Adam Gostis, and Mike Greene are OK options, an interior guy who can wreak havoc on obvious passing downs and potentially even help in run situations makes so much sense as an option.
Best remaining options: Darius Alexander, Ty Robinson
Final Word
The Bucs absolutely love Egbuka and the plan is for him to help in both the short and long term, as Jason Licht discussed with reporters after the pick. However, the selection still leaves the Bucs at square one when it comes to addressing the major needs on the roster, leaving more questions than answers as they head into Day 2 of the draft.
