The PewterReport.com Roundtable features the opinions of the PR staff as it tackles a topic each week that involves the Bucs. This week’s topic: What Is The Bucs’ Biggest Non-QB Offseason Need?

Scott Reynolds: Who The Hell Is Going To Play Running Back?

The Bucs definitely need to address the wide receiver position this offseason. Re-signing franchise player Chris Godwin and finding a legit, starting-caliber No. 3 wide receiver is a must. Bruce Arians’ offense is quarterback- and wide receiver-driven. I get that, but I’ll leave other that topic for other Pewter Reporters. Let’s talk about a position that is near and dear to my heart: running backs. I know the NFL has become a passing league. That’s fine. Running backs in Arians’ system are still super valuable, especially ones that can play on third down. The Bucs need to find running backs who can catch and pass protect, as well as carry the rock, either in free agency and/or the draft.

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As it stands right now, Ke’Shawn Vaughn and recently re-signed Kenjon Barner are the only running backs on the roster. Starter Leonard Fournette, Giovani Bernard and Ronald Jones II are all slated to be free agents. Jones and the Bucs will part ways. There’s a chance Fournette returns if the price is right, perhaps at no more than $6 million per season. He proved he could run, catch and pass protect. Fournette totaled 1,266 yards (812 yards rushing, 454 yards receiving) and 10 touchdowns despite missing three and a half games. There’s a chance either Fournette or Bernard come back to Tampa Bay. But there’s also a chance neither comes back, leaving the Bucs to find three more runners to round out the depth chart and compete with Vaughn.

Some names to keep in mind in free agency include Kansas City’s Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon, Washington’s J.D. McKissic and Arizona’s Chase Edmonds. All are good receivers. The draft is full of players that can run and catch, too. Pewter Report had Arizona State’s Rachaad White in our first 2022 Bucs 7-Round Mock Draft and BYU’s Tyler Allegier in the most recent Mock Draft. Don’t think that running backs aren’t important to Arians and the Bucs. Last year’s group of backs carried the ball 337 times for 1,496 yards and scored 14 rushing TDs. Then the running backs contributed 110 catches for 698 yards and six TDs in the passing game. And keep in mind that the backs scored four of the Bucs’ seven touchdowns in the two playoff games. It will be interesting to see which running backs the Bucs land in 2022.

Jon Ledyard: Load Up On Talent At WR

Few offenses in the NFL rely more on having premier talent at quarterback and wide receiver than the Bucs. So, if you’re asking me the team’s top non-quarterback offseason need, it’s easily improving their talent at wideout. The first step is re-signing Chris Godwin. As long as his health checks out, you cannot allow a player that important to the offense to leave. Godwin is a critical part of Tampa Bay’s passing attack. If they want to attract another top-tier quarterback, they need to keep him around.

Chiefs WR Byron Pringle – Photo by: USA Today

The next step is being active for quality, affordable options in free agency. If Tampa Bay feels like being aggressive, see if the Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster will come to town for a one-year prove-it deal. He’s a great fit for the offense, but would want to see a top quarterback in Tampa Bay before signing. If not Smith-Schuster, perhaps the Chiefs’ Byron Pringle or the Cowboys’ Cedrick Wilson would be upgrades at the No. 3 spot.

But I wouldn’t hand the third wide receiver spot to a lower-tier free agent signing. Instead, I would bring in a top draft pick to compete with them for the role. Or, even better, share the role. Last season, Tyler Johnson, Jaelon Darden, Breshad Perriman and Scotty Miller didn’t prove themselves worthy of being in the Bucs’ rotation. So G.M. Jason Licht should prioritize bringing in at least 2 options that could be upgrades, even if the Bucs re-sign Godwin. In a strong wide receiver draft, this strategy seems very plausible.

Kasey Hudson: Bucs Must Find Gronkowski’s Replacement

Initially I would state that the Bucs biggest need is at wide receiver. Better yet, I would argue that Tampa Bay needs to start trusting Scotty Miller and do whatever it takes to draft Christian Watson. But the Bucs biggest need is at tight end. O.J Howard’s future is elsewhere, Rob Gronkowski could retire and Cam Brate has been declining for years.

Without a reliable tight end in the Bucs offense, there is a lack of momentum in the run game and one less target in the passing game. Tight ends are significant targets in the red zone and on third downs. While Gronk is one of the best in the league, there were obvious struggles when he was not present in a game. Brate has been okay and had clutch moments, but suffered too many dropped passes this season. Plus, he is not a great blocking tight end.

Picking up a quality tight end helps out every position on the offense. It alleviates pressure in the run game, provides a big target in the middle and in the red zone and helps open up space for the team’s star wide receivers. Even if Gronk remains a Buccaneer, Tampa Bay still needs a pro-style tight end for the next few years. Unfortunately, I don’t think that player is in the draft. So fingers crossed for a gem in free agency.

J.C. Allen: Bucs Should Prioritize OL This Offseason

I tend to agree with Jon that wide receiver is a bigger need than once thought. And Kasey and Scott make great points as well. Though there is talent at the receiver position, especially if Godwin is back in the fold. While I do think running back is a need, they are a dime-a-dozen and the ground game is not featured heavily in this offense. As for tight end, Brate isn’t the guy he was earlier in his career. But he is still a player most teams in a tight end-needy NFL would love to have as a top option.

For me though, if a quarterback is in place, the biggest question is who’s going to snap and block for him. There is a very real chance center Ryan Jensen and/or guard Alex Cappa are poached in free agency this offseason. Sure, the Bucs still have three very good linemen, but is Robert Hainsey going to be ready to take over at center without much experience? Can you trust Aaron Stinnie over a 17-game season? Plus, Stinnie is also a free agent.

If the answer is no to either of those questions, you now have two big holes to fill on the offensive line. While general manager Jason Licht has done well identifying offensive linemen in the draft, it’s hard to exclusively bank on that process. Will he have the picks to address the position if he uses them to acquire a quarterback. There aren’t many free agent options at guard or center on the level of Cappa and Jensen. And while those positions are usually looked at as, “just plug someone in there”, this is a system and offense that likes to let plays develop and take shots down the field. If Cappa and Jensen leave, and for that matter Stinnie, the Bucs may find themselves scrambling to put a patchwork interior line together.

Matt Matera: The Bucs Don’t Just Need A WR, They Need At Least 2

Let’s face the facts. In today’s NFL you need a dynamic and successful offense if you want to win the Super Bowl. It’s an offensive driven league with rules shaped to encourage more scoring. Now add in that you have an offensive head coach in Bruce Arians that loves to go vertical with the ball and the emphasis to find a receiver is doubled. Not only do the Bucs need to find a wide receiver this offseason, they need to find two.

Above all else, the importance of re-signing Chris Godwin is why receiver is the answer. Godwin is instrumental in the offense for Tampa Bay, he’s the catalyst for many things that they do. He recorded 98 catches for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns in 14 games, but it’s the run that he was on before tearing his ACL that really stands out. In his last 3 games Godwin had 15 receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown, 10 receptions for 105 yards and then 6 catches for 49 yards in two quarters. Those are video game numbers. The Bucs must have Godwin back.

It’s a two-fold question here because along with hopefully re-signing Godwin, Tampa Bay also needs a number 3 receiver. The players currently on the roster include Tyler Johnson, Jaelon Darden, Scotty Miller and Cyril Grayson Jr. I’m interested to see what Grayson can do in training camp this year after a good run towards the end of the season, it seems like the number 3 wideout is not on the roster at the moment. It’s too early to throw the book out on Darden after his rookie year, but Johnson and Miller don’t look to be the top option.. The Bucs should find their fit in either the draft or free agency.