How to read the Buccaneers at the trade deadline
The NFL trade deadline is getting closer and many fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rightfully wondering whether or not their team will make any moves. On one hand, the NFC South is wide open and a playoff spot is certainly attainable, but on the other hand, the Bucs could see this as a […]
The NFL trade deadline is getting closer and many fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rightfully wondering whether or not their team will make any moves.
On one hand, the NFC South is wide open and a playoff spot is certainly attainable, but on the other hand, the Bucs could see this as a good chance to evaluate current talent for a better shot at a deeper playoff run down the line.
Either way, the Buccaneers will reveal plenty about how they see themselves based on their moves at the deadline.
There are only two ways for this to go; either the Bucs get busy and start making moves or they stay put.
Staying put seems far more likely. Based on everything we have seen, this Bucs team is probably a first-round out in the playoffs, and that isn't a bad thing.
Tampa has an objectively-bad head coach and is playing with a ton of dead money on the books. The fact that they have been competitive in games this year is actually a testament to the resiliency of this roster. The Bucs don't need to make some long playoff run to prove anything.
Not making any moves would be this team saying it is either good enough to compete (which it isn't) or that the focus is on developing talent with the team as is with the goal of competing down the line getting improved by more reps now and holding onto capital and picks.
On the other hand, the Bucs choosing to trade would be an acknowledgement that the roster isn't perfect right now, which is true.
With a head coach that could get on the hot seat quickly, trading for a quality running back makes some sense if Bowles is that worried about losing his job and sees a run game as a means of fixing the offense.
This would be a little bold for the Bucs to assume they are just a few pieces away from being one of the better teams in the NFC, but it would tell us just how the franchise looks on its own talent.
One way or another, the next few weeks are going to reveal plenty about the direction of this Buccaneers team.
Buccaneers embarrass themselves with loss
That one is going to sting for a little while.
