Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Realistic Draft Day Trade Possibilities for the BucsBy Luke Easterling May 1st 2014
The wheeling and dealing on draft day is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the NFL draft. This year should be no exception.Under former general manager Mark Dominik, the Bucs showed a willingness to move either up or down with some notable success to show for it. With a first-time GM in Jason Licht now calling the shots along with new head coach Lovie Smith, it's hard to peg whether or not this new regime will be trigger-happy traders or more conservative when it comes to draft-day movement.Should the Bucs decide to explore trade options early on in the draft, here are a few scenarios that could make sense.Trade Down to No. 10 Overall (Lions)If the Bucs want to move back from the seventh overall pick but don't want to drop down too far, the Detroit Lions could be a possible match at No. 10 overall. Detroit has needs to address in the secondary, but the Lions probably wouldn't need to move up for a safety like Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix or a corner like Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert. They could, however, be targeting another weapon in the passing game to join Calvin Johnson and the newly acquired Golden Tate. If that's the direction they want to go in, Texas A&M WR Mike Evans would likely be their target.A dark-horse candidate for the Lions in a trade-up could be Pittsburgh DT Aaron Donald. Detroit might not be able to afford extensions for both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, so they might look at Donald as a younger, cheaper alternative to retaining either of those players, especially if they're able to get some value in trading one of them.If the Bucs end up at No. 10 overall, their best bet could end up being North Carolina TE Eric Ebron, if he's still on the board. While the bigger need for Tampa Bay is at receiver, Ebron is the kind of athlete who will create mismatches for opposing defenses and could be just as effective as any receiver they could draft at that point.Per the trade value chart, the Bucs could command either a second-round pick or Detroit's picks in both the third and fourth roundsTrade Down to No. 16 Overall (Cowboys)Dallas owner Jerry Jones has proven that he's willing to move up into the top 10, and the Bucs might just be the perfect trade partner if he has a target player in mind this year.Much like the Lions, the Cowboys could also be targeting Pittsburgh DT Aaron Donald, as they continue to add personnel that fit their 4-3 scheme under defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. They could also use a pass-rusher on the edge, and it's possible that UCLA's Anthony Barr could remind Kiffin a bit of Simeon Rice, whom he coached in Tampa Bay.For the Bucs, this could be the perfect spot to move back to if they're targeting a No. 2 receiver with the speed that new offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford covets. LSU's Odell Beckham Jr. should still be on the board, and the Bucs would just stay barely ahead of teams like the Baltimore Ravens (No. 17 overall) and New York Jets (No. 18 overall), which are sensible landing spots for him. Tampa Bay could move back, acquire the Cowboys' picks in both the second and fourth rounds and still end up with a playmaker at their biggest position of need.
Deal Glennon for a Late-RounderIf they take a quarterback early, it would make sense for Tampa Bay to explore a trade for Mike Glennon.After showing some promise in his rookie season, Glennon might bring a decent draft pick in a potential trade scenario. The 2013 third-round selection threw 19 touchdowns and just nine interceptions after taking over the starting job three weeks into the season. The Bucs could take one of this year's top quarterbacks at the seventh overall pick. If that occurs, and I'm Jason Licht and another team offers me a decent pick for Glennon on the Day 3, I'm pulling the trigger. The Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars, who both have a need at quarterback and also own multiple selections in the fourth round, could make sense as possible trade partners.Trade Up to No. 32 Overall (Seahawks)Much like last year's class, 2014's crop of quarterbacks could go in any order. It's as unpredictable a group at the league's most important position as we've seen in recent memory.If the Bucs go elsewhere with their first pick, don't be surprised if they jump back into the first round if one of the quarterbacks on their radar is still on the board. Fresno State's Derek Carr has been linked to the Bucs due to his close relationship with offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford and would make sense as a potential target.This scenario would become even more possible if the Bucs are able to trade back from the seventh overall pick and acquire additional selections. They could then use those extra picks to swap spots with the Seattle Seahawks, who gave up a third-round pick in the Percy Harvin trade.
Trade Up to No. 62 Overall (Patriots)Receiver and guard are easily the two biggest needs for Tampa Bay, so it's vital that they address both early in the draft. If they grab a quarterback and a receiver with their first two picks, the Bucs' third-rounder could be used to address the interior of the offensive line. It might be in their best interest to move up a few spots from the No. 69 overall pick into the bottom of the second round if they have a particular target in mind. Such a move should cost the Bucs only a fifth-round pick.The New England Patriots always seem willing to move down and get extra picks, making Bill Belichick's team a sensible trade partner in this scenario. One possible target for the Bucs could be North Dakota State's Billy Turner, who was a dominant tackle in college but projects as a guard with Pro Bowl potential at the next level. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2042790-tampa-bay-buccaneers-realistic-draft-day-trade-possibilities-for-the-bucs#articles/2042790-tampa-bay-buccaneers-realistic-draft-day-trade-possibilities-for-the-bucs/page/3
