Analyzing Buccaneers' Best Trade Options with 1st Pick in NFL DraftBy Luke Easterling Feb. 8, 2015 
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finally the center of attention in the NFL.Unfortunately, there aren't anymore games left to play in the 2014 season.The lone silver lining in its disappointing performance this past year, Tampa Bay currently owns the No. 1 overall pick after finishing the season 2-14 and securing the top selection over the Tennessee Titans due to strength of schedule.Poor quarterback play was one of the largest contributing factors in the Bucs' struggles in 2014, leading most to believe they'll be targeting a new signal-caller at No. 1 overall as the future face of their franchise. It looks like a two-horse race between Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota, with just as many arguments linking either of them to Tampa Bay's plans.But for a team with so many holes throughout the roster, trading down could be the Bucs' best course of action. Stockpiling picks to help fill multiple starting spots and build quality depth could be just as useful—or more so, depending on who you ask—as handing a struggling team to a rookie quarterback.It's not the most likely scenario thanks to the high price tag, but here are five potential trade partners that could make sense for the Bucs to move down from this year's top pick.Trade Down with Jets (No. 6 Overall)
Mark J. Terrill/Associated PressIf the Jets end up getting locked into one of the top quarterback prospects, this could be the Bucs' best bet for moving down from the No. 1 overall pick.Geno Smith might get another shot at proving himself in 2015, but if the Jets decide it's time to give up on him and move in a different direction, they could set their sights on either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. I doubt the Bucs would get a returning haul similar to what the Rams got from Washington in the RG3 deal, but it could still be enough to make general manager Jason Licht bite.The beauty of this deal for the Bucs is that they could get the No. 6 pick and still potentially end up with whichever of the top quarterbacks the Jets don't take with the first pick. A potential franchise quarterback and a package of additional premium picks? I doubt you'd find many Tampa Bay fans who would turn their nose up at that.Trade Down with Browns (Nos. 12 and 19 Overall)
Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesThe Browns make sense as a potential trade partner for the Bucs for a couple of reasons.First, it's a lot easier to make a big move up the board when you have two picks in the middle of the first round to bargain with. Both of Cleveland's current selections are in the middle of the round, which would be a strong starting point for any talks to move the Bucs down from the top overall pick.Second, it doesn't look like the Johnny Manziel experiment is going so well for the Browns. In limited action, Manziel struggled mightily, and his off-field concerns haven't exactly dissipated, either. Could they even include him in the deal, reuniting him with former Texas A&M teammate Mike Evans?Adding more fuel to this potential move, Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported last week the Browns could be considering a move up, with Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota as their target.Tampa Bay could then target either the best overall offensive lineman or pass-rusher with their two first-rounders, such as Florida's Dante Fowler or Pittsburgh's T.J. Clemmings, and possibly take a stab at UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley at the top of the second round.Trade Down with Eagles (No. 20 Overall)
Jeff Zelevansky/Getty ImagesThanks to a college connection between their head coach and one of this year's top quarterbacks, the Eagles have been talked about as a potential trade partner for the Bucs for quite some time already.Many believe that Oregon's Marcus Mariota will struggle in the NFL unless he's able to play in a system similar to the one he ran in college. If that's the case, there's no better landing spot for him than Philadelphia, where former Ducks head coach Chip Kelly is running the show.Mariota would be a perfect fit for the Eagles, who saw Nick Foles struggle early on last year before missing most of the season with an injury. But the biggest obstacle to this potential deal would be the price tag, which would be massive considering the Bucs would be moving all the way down from the top slot to No. 20 overall.The Eagles have far too many needs on defense to sell the farm for a rookie quarterback, but Kelly is anything but conventional, and he's now got full personnel control. It's a long shot, but there are plenty of breadcrumbs that could lead to this deal going down.Trade Down with Raiders (No. 4 Overall)
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesThis one hasn't been talked about much, but don't count Oakland out when it comes to moving up to the top overall pick.The Raiders hope they've already found their franchise quarterback in Derek Carr, but they could be targeting a game-changer on the other side of the ball. Even including the top quarterbacks, USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams is widely regarded as the top overall player in this year's draft, and by a large margin, depending on who you ask.The Raiders could definitely use a disruptive, versatile defender like Williams, but the Jaguars and Titans—both of whom pick between the Bucs and Raiders—are likely to take him if he's on the board. Tampa Bay could make a modest deal with Oakland to move down a few spots and would still be likely to get its potential franchise quarterback at No. 4 overall.Trade Down with Bears (No. 7 Overall)
Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesDon't look so shocked, Jay.I know it may not be a move Bucs fans want to think about, but it's worth considering: Would Lovie Smith swing a deal to bring his former quarterback down to Tampa Bay?Smith seems to prefers to have a veteran under center, and a change of scenery may be just what the doctor ordered for Jay Cutler. The John Fox era is underway in Chicago, and he could want to start fresh with his own handpicked quarterback.The biggest obstacles to this deal happening? Cutler's massive contract he signed last season, as well as a Bears team that can't afford to mortgage its future for a rookie quarterback who will need a supporting cast to develop. But again, it's worth keeping an eye on as the dark-horse option for the Bucs to move down from the top pick.link
