Day 3 Prospect To Watch

Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Mississippi

I’ll be clear that if Watkins is your WR3 heading into the 2020 season, you’re probably in a bad spot. The Southern Mississippi receiver is a raw route runner who struggles to get off legit press coverage, which will slow any potential impact in the NFL.

Having said that, this is the type of depth pass-catcher every team will be looking for in Rounds 6-7 – a true speedster with the ability to get behind defenses and stretch the field. Watkins’ 4.35 40-yard dash time at the Combine turned some heads, as did his weigh-in at 6-foot, 185 pounds, which was a good result for him. That speeds shows up on tape too, as Watkins stacks corners down the field who can’t beat him up at the line of scrimmage.

Watkins is the linear, outside receiving threat that Jason Licht typically gravitates toward on Day 3 (see Justin Watson and Scotty Miller), but he’s far different from the type of target Tom Brady has spent most of his career throwing to. We’ll see how that part of the process plays itself out, but I would have Watkins on your radar as the Bucs move toward the latter stages of Day 3 of the draft.

Free Agent To Target

EDGE Jadeveon Clowney, Seattle Seahawks

Hear me out. I know the perception out there is that Clowney is going to cost a ton of money, but clearly that isn’t the case or he’d be off the free agent market already. It sounds like he can be had for $9-10 million a year, and for the Bucs – with $24 million in cap space still available – that’s very doable.

But where would he play? Well, that’s the great thing about Clowney, he’s at his absolute best when a team moves him around a defense and make it impossible for opponents to scheme up how they are going to block him. He can rush inside just as well (maybe better) as he can off the edge, and his presence will also allow Jason Pierre-Paul to kick inside situationally as well, where I think his pass rushing style is even better suited to succeed.

Jadeveon Clowney & J.J. Watt – Photo by Getty Images

You can never have too many dynamic pass rushers, and Shaq Barrett, JPP, Clowney and Vita Vea would be a horrifying sight for opposing offensive lines. Not to mention how much that kind of pressure up front would alleviate expectation on a young, developing secondary.

“It’ll never happen.”

Yeah, you might be right, but maybe it should, no? If the Bucs go out and spend $25 million a year on 42 year-old Tom Brady, they better be ready to put all their cards on the table. Signing guys like wide receiver Bryant Mitchell, offensive lineman Joe Haeg and linebacker Kevin Minter isn’t gonna cut it. Tampa Bay has a good roster, but the Bucs have the money, the means and the current situation to maximize this two-year window. Don’t leave any stone unturned in maximizing Brady’s remaining years.

Licht landed the big fish in Brady, but now he needs to keep his foot on the gas, keep being aggressive and close out another difference maker for this team. There are other options beyond Clowney, but the versatile defensive lineman would be a perfect fit in Todd Bowles’ system and another havoc-wreaking weapon for one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.

NFC South Bullets

As the dust settles on free agency, here is where I see the existing holes on the Bucs’ NFC South opponents:

Atlanta Falcons

Despite signing Laquon Treadwell, Atlanta will be looking for a third receiver in the upcoming draft. That may be the extent of their offensive concerns outside of not having a feature running back on the roster. Signing Todd Gurley could help, but he hasn’t been ready for that kind of role since 2018 and has an arthritic knee.

On defense, the Falcons are hurting at almost every position, but the signing of Dante Fowler gives them two capable edge defenders in the former Florida Gator and former first-round pick Takk McKinley. Getting help for Grady Jarrett on the inside is crucial, as is depth at linebacker where the team lost De’Vondre Campbell to free agency.

Where the Falcons are really hurting is at cornerback, where Desmond Trufant was released and nobody was brought into replace him. Isaiah Oliver, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Jordan Miller and Kendall Sheffield are the teams current top options. Brady might throw for 500 on this group if they don’t find some quality starters in the draft.

Carolina Panthers

Former Panthers QB Cam Newton – Photo by: Getty Images

Cam Newton is moving on, and the Panthers will try to compete with a quarterback room of Teddy Bridgewater, Phillip Walker and Will Grier. Meanwhile, their offensive holes are plentiful, from offensive guard to tight end to a third wide receiver. There are players in place at all of those spots, but no reason to feel confident in their ability to man those roles at a high level moving forward.

Defensively, the Panthers have been absolutely ravaged. Since January of 2019, cornerback James Bradberry, safety Eric Reid, outside linebacker Thomas Davis, middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, defensive tackle Vernon Butler, nose tackle Star Lotulelei, defensive end Mario Addison, nose tackle Dontari Poe, defensive end Julius Peppers, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, saftey Mike Adams and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn have all moved on, and the team is now left with edge rusher Brian Burns, defensive tackle Kawann Short and outside linebacker Shaq Thompson leading their front seven units, with almost no one else to speak of in any of those groups.

Every position on defense is a huge need for Carolina, but especially strong safety and cornerback. Cornerback Donte Jackson figures to start on one side with Tre Boston at free safety, but beyond that the team could look for starters at every other spot in the secondary. It’s that thin in Carolina.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints and Bucs are clearly the best two rosters in the NFC, but New Orleans is still the top dog … for now. The Saints additions of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and safety Malcolm Jenkins are significant upgrades over Ted Ginn, Jr. and Vonn Bell, respectively. Re-signing Andrus Peat ensures one of the top five offensive lines in the NFL will stay together as well.

Saints WR Michael Thomas and Bucs CB Sean Murphy-Bunting – Photo by: Getty Images

The Saints don’t really have any crying needs on offense, but another wide receiver to complement Sanders and Michael Thomas, preferably a vertical threat, would be welcome. On defense the team is again loaded across the board, but some improvement could be made on the interior defensive line and linebacker (outside of Demario Davis).

The team’s biggest question mark comes at cornerback, where 31 year-old Janoris Jenkins is currently slated to start opposite Marshon Lattimore. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson will play some in the slot, but clearly infusing some youth through the draft at the outside cornerback position would be a welcome addition for the Saints defense in 2020.