Less than two weeks until the 2022 NFL Draft, and all is quiet on the Bucs front. Tight end Rob Gronkowski and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh remain unsigned. At this point, there is little reason to believe that will change before the draft. The Bucs don’t have many holes, but right now there are open starting spots at tight end, left guard, strong safety and defensive tackle in base fronts. That’s four more open competitions than the Bucs had in last year’s training camp.

Currently the Bucs have just six draft picks to fill roster holes. Two of those picks are late seventh-rounders, with very little chance of making the final roster. The team could trade back at some point in the first three rounds, adding picks. But they’ll need a trade partner who wants to move up. That could be difficult to find in this draft.

Here are the Bucs’ needs in order from greatest to least importance 10 days from the draft.

1. Defensive Tackle

Bucs DT Ndamukong Suh – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Right now, the Bucs have Vita Vea, Will Gholston, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Pat O’Connor under contract. Nobody else on their roster projects to a real role in 2022. Yes, Ndamukong Suh and Steve McLendon both want to come back. If the Bucs re-sign the elderly duo, they’ll return the same interior defensive line that they had a year ago. That’s fine, but it won’t help their middling interior pass rush this season.

Tampa Bay really wants to land a pass rusher who can play inside in this year’s draft. But will the opportunity present itself for them? It’s a thin class at defensive tackle, especially for non-run stuffer types. Georgia’s Devonte Wyatt and Houston’s Logan Hall are the two most likely defensive tackles for the Bucs in the first three rounds.

2. Tight End

I still think it’s likely that Rob Gronkowski re-signs with the Bucs for one more year. But Tampa Bay can’t count on that, which means they’ll draft a tight end early next week. Even if Gronkowski returns, this is a major need for the Bucs. No tight end of the future exists on their roster. Cam Brate is the only tight end under contract for this season and next. And he’s coming off the worst season of his career and turns 31 in July. So I fully expect to see Trey McBride, Cade Otton, Jeremy Ruckert or Jelani Woods in Tampa Bay by the end of the draft.

3. Safety

Bucs S Keanu Neal – Photo by: USA TODAY

Some wouldn’t call this a huge need, but hear me out. The Bucs have already said Logan Ryan won’t replace Jordan Whitehead. To me, that means Ryan will likely play in the slot and perhaps at safety in late game situations. So where does Mike Edwards factor in? Is he going to be the No. 3 safety still? Edwards doesn’t profile as a strong safety in Todd Bowles’ system at all. Does putting all the chips in the Keanu Neal basket make sense?

I like Neal, but he’s dealt with injuries in the past and is playing on a one-year deal for cheap. It makes sense that the Bucs would still consider the safety position early in the draft, especially if they feel a starting caliber player is there. Georgia’s Lewis Cine would be a great fit at No. 27. But later in the draft, Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker could make sense, too.

4. Interior Offensive Line

Technically, the Bucs have a hole in their starting lineup at left guard. That makes it a need, even if we feel like the competition for the job is likely to come down to Aaron Stinnie or Robert Hainsey. Between those two, Nick Leverett and Sadarius Hutcherson, the Bucs have four players they like as options to replace Ali Marpet.

But if they love a guard on the board at No. 27, it might be hard for Tampa Bay to say no. If they can get their top guard in the draft, that’s a rare (and affordable) chance to build an offensive line with no question marks for a Super Bowl run (and beyond). The Bucs might feel like they can’t pass up on that opportunity. Tampa Bay could also take a guard later in the draft, including Memphis’ Dylan Parham, Chattanooga’s Cole Strange or UCLA’s Sean Rhyan.

5. Cornerback

New Bucs S Logan Ryan – Photo by: USA Today

It feels like most Bucs fans would love to see the team address cornerback early in the draft. However, most of the players they’ve met with at the position are more day 2-3 targets. Technically, the Bucs have better depth at cornerback already, with Logan Ryan able to step into the slot. Such a move would put Sean Murphy-Bunting as the primary backup at all three cornerback spots. And Ross Cockrell and Dee Delaney would round out the group.

But Jamel Dean, Murphy-Bunting, Ryan, Cockrell and Delaney are all in the final year of their contracts. The Bucs likely won’t let all of them leave in 2023, but they do need more talent to develop for future starting roles. Unfortunately, I have no idea where the team drafts a cornerback in this class. They could draft one in Round 1, or not at all. This is the wild card position entering the draft.

6. Linebacker

While I never expected the Bucs to aggressively pursue a top linebacker in this year’s class, I’m a little surprised they have shown basically no interest in the entire class. We know 15 of the Top 30 pre-draft visits the Bucs have hosted, and none have been with linebackers. Also, we don’t know of any formal interviews the team had with linebackers at the NFL Scouting Combine.

If the Bucs like any of these off-ball linebackers in a deep class, they aren’t showing it. Meanwhile, GM Jason Licht has praised K.J. Britt and Grant Stuard’s development last season. With veteran Kevin Minter unsigned, could the Bucs really be ready to ride with Britt and Stuard behind Devin White and Lavonte David? The latter is in a contract year, although the aging process is more of a concern than his current deal. David will turn 33 next January. Not many linebackers avoid decline at that age. When do the Bucs start thinking about life after David?

7. Outside Linebacker

Bucs OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs outside linebacker duo of the present and future is Shaq Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. Meanwhile, Anthony Nelson showed excellent growth off the bench, and Cam Gill could be blossoming into a good situational rusher. However, the Bucs may not feel deep enough at this position just yet. But will they want to get younger through the draft? Or wait to sign a veteran edge rusher before training camp?

With so many veterans looking to go ring-chasing, the Bucs could probably add a rotational rusher for cheap in July. Trey Flowers, Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, Jerry Hughes and, of course, Jason Pierre-Paul, all remain unsigned. That may be the more likely route for the Bucs to take rather than bringing in another rookie pass rusher.

8. Wide Receiver

I think there are a few ‘Best Player Available’ wideouts the Bucs would consider drafting in Round 1. But if the team passes on receiver there, they may leave the position alone entirely. After all, the Bucs have a clear top three receivers in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage. Nobody they draft is likely to play over that trio. Also, Breshad Perriman was re-signed. And the team is hopeful Jaelon Darden, last year’s fourth-rounder, can contribute this year.

But if Tampa Bay does draft a wideout, that could spell the end for Tyler Johnson and/or Scotty Miller in red and pewter. Early in the draft, Arkansas’ Treylon Burks and Ohio State’s Chris Olave are names to know. Later in the draft, North Dakota State’s Christian Watson, Cincinnati’s Alec Pierce and Southern Methodist’s Danny Gray could be targets.

9. Offensive Tackle

The Bucs are four deep at offensive tackle with Tristan Wirfs, Donovan Smith, Josh Wells and Fred Johnson. If the Bucs draft a tackle, it will be to move the player inside to guard.

10. Running Back

Bucs RB KeShawn Vaughn – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs are three deep at running back, and there is no clear path to playing time for anyone they would draft. Leonard Fournette is on a multi-year contract and proved he was an every down back last year. Giovani Bernard was re-signed to be another long- and late-downs option in the passing game. And Ke’Shawn Vaughn looks to step into Ronald Jones’ role from a year ago.

Despite that, the Bucs seem determined to draft another running back in the first four rounds. They’ve met with almost every back in the draft in some capacity. But the Bucs only have four real picks (not counting those late seventh rounders) in the 2022 draft. It would be nice to ignore fourth-string running back to add more important depth pieces elsewhere on the roster.

11. Quarterback

The Bucs have a full quarterback room. Tampa Bay is highly unlikely to select a quarterback next week.