We’ve reached the point in the calendar year where the contenders can look toward the playoffs while the other teams go through the motions and shift gears to NFL Draft season.

Right now, the Bucs are in a weird middle ground. They lead the NFC South, so they’re currently in position for a home playoff game. But at the same time, they’re 6-7 and only lead the division by a game heading into Week 15. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if this team missed out on the playoffs given the way this season has gone, would it?

Plus, with college football’s bowl season kicking off and running into January, there will be plenty of prospects worth monitoring throughout.

So, it can’t hurt to keep one eye on the home stretch of the Bucs’ regular season while also taking a peek at what (and who) might lie ahead in Tampa Bay’s offseason. With that in mind, let’s dive into our roundup of the latest mock drafts

Assessing The Bucs Needs With One Quarter Left In The Season

When we did our last mock draft roundup during the midway point of the season, Tampa Bay’s needs weren’t all that clear. That’s because the future of the team’s quarterback position is undecided, and what happens there will cause a ripple effect in terms of needs throughout the rest of the roster.

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

If Tom Brady elects to retire or play elsewhere in 2023, maybe the Bucs will look to the draft to fill their void under center. If he’s back for his fourth year in Tampa, perhaps the team looks to load up on some help for the quarterback in his age-46 season.

But quarterback situation aside, Tampa Bay could have plenty of holes to fill. There may be a need at cornerback depending on Jamel Dean’s future in free agency, plus the defensive line will soon need reloading with Akiem Hicks and Will Gholston being up there in age. Pass rushing outside linebackers are always a need, too.

The duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will continue to lead the wide receivers room, and Russell Gage is bound to remain the No. 3 option given his salary cap charge of $12,166,666 in 2023. If the Bucs think he’s a bust they could release him and save $2,833,332, but the team would take a cap hit of $9,333,334 if he’s released prior to June 1. So Tampa Bay will likely have him stick around another year to see if a healthier Gage is a better one.

Yet the Bucs presumably need a new No. 4 receiver next year. Scotty Miller and Breshad Perriman will be free agents and neither is certain to be retained.

Plus, the team may need to find a solution at left tackle if it can’t trust Donovan Smith heading into next season. Whether that’s kicking Tristan Wirfs from right tackle to left tackle and filling the hole on the right side or simply swapping Smith out for another left tackle, who knows? Both options could be on the table.

In simpler terms, here are the Bucs’ potential needs heading into the 2023 offseason: QB, WR, OT, DL, OLB, CB. Now, let’s get into those mocks.

Pro Football Network’s Arif Hasan

Hasan released a mock draft on Thursday, and it featured a surprising pick for Tampa Bay:

Round 1, Pick 19: RB, Bijan Robinson (Texas)

“Most analysts have Bijan Robinson as a top-eight talent, with many putting him in the top five. As a pure talent, that could be true, but most teams above the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the running back position figured out. The Buccaneers, in some sense, do as well, with Leonard Fournette still under contract and Rachaad White flashing. But without a quarterback on the board – unless they want to make a massive reach for Hendon Hooker – they’ll take a dynamic playmaker who can be deadly as a receiver and fatal as a runner.”

Pro Football Network’s James Fragoza

Fragoza’s latest mock for Pro Football Network came on Tuesday of this week, with the Bucs adding a pass rusher from a program they’re pretty familiar with.

Round 1, Pick 19: EDGE, BJ Ojulari (LSU)

“With Tom Brady finally losing the battle against Father Time, the Buccaneers could take a shot at a QB in the middle of Round 1. However, I’m not a fan of Will Levis or Anthony Richardson, and BJ Ojulari is staring right at me. The younger brother of Giants EDGE Azeez Ojulari, BJ wins with speed, leaving tackles lunging at air as he sprints to the QB.”

The Ringer’s Danny Kelly

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Kelly released a mock draft on Thursday, and he also has Tampa Bay adding a pass rusher.

Round 1, Pick 19: EDGE, Jared Verse (Florida State)

“With defensive linemen Akeim Hicks, Shaq Barrett, and William Gholston all on the wrong side of 30, the Buccaneers add some youth to the trenches here by grabbing Verse. A transfer to Florida State in 2022 by way of Albany, Verse combines size, athleticism, and power off the edge. He’s tallied 7.5 sacks and 14.5 TFLs in 11 games this year for the Seminoles.”

Walter Football

The latest mock from Walter Football dropped on Wednesday, and it had the Bucs addressing their secondary with their first round pick before grabbing a quarterback in the second round.

Round 1, Pick 19: CB, Cam Smith (South Carolina)

“Jamel Dean will be a free agent soon, and the Buccaneers need the proper personnel to defend superior passing attacks. Cam Smith is a fast cornerback with long arms.”

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Round 2, Pick 50: QB, Anthony Richardson (Florida)

“The Buccaneers need a future replacement for Tom Brady, as Kyle Trask has not shown any signs of being a franchise quarterback. Anthony Richardson is raw, but has a huge arm and great athleticism. He had a great 2022 debut, but struggled versus Kentucky the following week. He’s been inconsistent ever since.”

CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards

Edwards’ mock from Thursday of this week also had Tampa Bay going with a cornerback:

Round 1, Pick 19: CB, Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State)

“Tampa Bay’s future is the most difficult to predict. Will the Bucs run it back with Tom Brady or has that window closed? Are they rebuilding or attempting to extend their contention window?”

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler

Brugler’s Mock Draft 1.0 is a few weeks old at this point, but it’s still worth mentioning here. He has the Bucs going with a cornerback, and our first repeat pick of this roundup:

Round 1, Pick 19: CB, Cam Smith (South Carolina)

“Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean are both free agents after this season, making cornerback a potential need for Tampa Bay. With his light feet, length and physicality, Cam Smith is similar in several ways to his former teammate, Jaycee Horn. Though his route anticipation and early contact must improve, Smith’s play personality and skill set fit what the Buccaneers target at the position.”

33rd Team

33rd Team released its Mock Draft 1.0 on Wednesday, projecting a big-time weapon to land with the Bucs:

Round 1, Pick 19: WR, Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)

“Tampa adds a reliable slot receiver for whoever is playing quarterback next year. Smith-Njigba opted out of the Buckeyes’ CFP semifinal and barely played this year, but he was a massive producer last season, putting up 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns while competing for targets with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.”

DraftWire’s Luke Easterling

Bucs CBs Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Easterling’s latest mock is defense-heavy for the Bucs through the first two rounds:

Round 1, Pick 19: CB, Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)

“Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting are both headed for free agency, so the Bucs could use another starting-caliber corner to pair with Carlton Davis III. Gonzalez has the size and length Todd Bowles loves at the position, along with the athleticism and ball skills to be an immediate playmaker.”

Round 2, Pick 50: DL, Derick Hall (Auburn)

The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez

Sanchez’s mock from Wednesday has perhaps the most curious pick on this list in round one, then a pass rusher to start day two:

Round 1, Pick 19: TE, Michael Mayer (Notre Dame)

“The Buccaneers can go a bunch of different ways with this pick as their team is going to be an older squad that needs an injection of youth at multiple positions. If Tom Brady stays, they need to add a TE that can work those tight windows in zone coverage and Michael Mayer is a player that has a high IQ and could step right in and play.”

Round 2, Pick 50: EDGE, Jared Verse (Florida State)

“A lot of positions have been disappointing for the Buccaneers this season, including defensive end. Since the departure of Jason Pierre-Paul, this pass rush has been on a downward trend and it’s time to fix that. Jared Verse is an edge rusher with a lot of upside.”