The 2024 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching and thanks to free agency in the middle of March, we can narrow down some of the Bucs’ draft needs this year.

Although the Bucs spent most of the offseason either re-signing their top free agents or bringing in players to positions of need, it shouldn’t preclude them from drafting a player at the same position. A specific example for this is at wide receiver.

Tampa Bay should feel much more comfortable about the wide receiver position after getting Mike Evans back, however, they have some questions about WR3 and also the future of the position beyond this season.

Florida State WR Keon Coleman – Photo by: USA Today

In a recent article that we also discussed on the Pewter Report Podcast, Scott Reynolds came up with a Bucs All-Offense 7-Round Mock Draft. The first two picks were Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman and Malachi Corley, a wide receiver out of Western Kentucky. While it’s unlikely that they will go with an entirely offensive draft this April, what if they drafted two wide receivers in order to truly bolster the position?

General manager Jason Licht is no stranger to doubling up on a position. In 2018 he drafted cornerbacks M.J. Stewart and Carlton Davis III in the second round. A year later he took cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting in round two followed by current Jamel Dean in round three.

In 2020 Licht took two linebackers late with K.J. Britt in round five and Grant Stuard in round seven. And in 2022 Licht didn’t hesitate to select two tight ends with Cade Otton as a fourth-rounder and Ko Kieft in the sixth.

Giving The Bucs Competition

Drafting two wide receivers would really round out the wide receiver room and especially push second-year player Trey Palmer. With Liam Coen as the new offensive coordinator, Tampa Bay is expected to play in more three-wide receiver, one-tight end personnel groupings. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are well established as a pair of 1,000-yard receivers, but the third wide receiver in Tampa Bay becomes much more important than in recent seasons due to Coen’s propensity to use three-receiver sets.

Bucs WR Trey Palmer – Photo by: USA Today

The team released veteran Russell Gage this offseason, so that leaves Palmer along with Deven Thompkins and Rakim Jarrett as the next players on the depth chart. Palmer showed flashes as a rookie with 39 catches for 385 yards and three touchdowns. He added another three catches for 88 yards and a score in the postseason.

Moments like Palmer’s four-catch, 84-yard and one touchdown performance in Week 17 against New Orleans, or his 56-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in the Wild Card win over Philadelphia reveals his potentials.

But Palmer also had some drops and fumbling issues late in the season. At times the offense was more reliant on veteran David Moore than it was with Palmer.

By taking two wide receivers in this year’s draft, which is flush at the position, particularly one in an earlier round, it sets the Bucs up to have a plan ready if Palmer doesn’t play up to expectations. One receiver could step in as a No. 3, while the other rookie receiver can compete with Thompkins and Jarrett for room on the depth chart.

Thompkins has been the Bucs’ primary returner and has only provided assistance on end-arounds on offense. A quadriceps injury really limited Jarrett, who made four catches for 60 yards during his rookie season.

What’s The Plan After This Year?

There is another reason why the Bucs should consider flooding the receiver position in this year’s draft class. Unfortunately the NFL can be a nasty business at times and this could be Chris Godwin’s last season in red and pewter. Godwin is a free agent after this year and it’s difficult to pay two wide receivers over $20 million per season, as the Bucs are doing with Evans and Godwin in 2024.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

There used to be a time when some would argue whether Evans or Godwin was the best receiver on the Bucs. There’s no discussion anymore, as it’s obviously Evans. That’s not to say that Godwin has been bad by any means, it’s just apparent who the top target has been. Godwin’s numbers have been down over the last two seasons, especially in receiving touchdown production (five), and that makes some sense considering he came back from a torn ACL injury.

If the Bucs were getting the Chris Godwin from the 2019 or 2020 season, and even 2021 right before his injury, Tampa Bay wouldn’t think twice about re-signing him. But he’s scored just five touchdowns over the last two seasons as Evans has been the focal point.

Godwin, who just turned 28, still produces, as he’s topped 1,000 yards over the last three years. But Godwin has averaged $20 million per year, and that might be too much going forward considering he’ll be 29 next year.

The good news is that it sounds like the Bucs are moving Godwin back to the slot where he thrived in Bruce Arians’ offense. This could set him up for his best year in a couple of seasons and could force the organization to reconsider its plans.

Tampa Bay has to think about WR2 if it intends to move on from Godwin for the 2025 season. The Bucs shouldn’t wait to draft another receiver next year when they can already have a good player in this offense this season learning the ropes and playing with Baker Mayfield. Why wait when Tampa Bay can get ahead of the curve?

Whether or not Godwin is back after this year, bringing in two new wide receivers should only make the Bucs better for the future while safeguarding the team against injuries at that position.

Greg Cosell Likes This College WR As A Bucs’ Fit

Georgia WR Ladd McConkey – Photo by: USA Today

Pewter Report has talked a lot about the likes of Keon Coleman and Malachi Corley – both of whom met with the Bucs as Top 30 visits – among others. When we spoke with NFL Films’ senior producer Greg Cosell on a recent Pewter Report Podcast, he really liked Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey as a fit.

“I think he’d be great in this offense,” Cosell said. “That guy knows how to run routes. McConkey really knows how to use his vertical stem. What I mean by that is, he understands how different routes have different pace and tempo. You don’t run at the same speed. He understands how you use your head and your body. To me, McConkey would fit this offense to a T.”

The Bucs surely have done their homework on McConkey, as new wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon coached McConkey at Georgia as his position coach and the Bulldogs’ passing game coordinator.