FAB 2. Bucs Pre-Draft Roster Analysis

After signing six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady and re-signing a good chunk of the team’s front seven on defense, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head into the 2020 NFL Draft without a lot of pressing needs. With much of the team’s efforts in free agency centering around the defense, expect the Bucs’ focus to be on offense when the draft rolls around in three weeks.

The Bucs are expected to draft two or three offensive linemen, including a right tackle early, one or two running backs and a wide receiver. Tampa Bay could use another run-stuffing defensive tackle for depth, and perhaps depth at outside linebacker, inside linebacker and safety, too. Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, let’s take a look at the current Bucs roster and how many players are at each position, and offer some analysis.

Quarterback – 3

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs currently have three QBs on the roster in Brady, Ryan Griffin and the newly re-signed Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert and Griffin will battle for the backup job, but that won’t rule out the Bucs from drafting a young QB, which would occur on Day 3 if it was going to happen.

With the Bucs going all in and making a push for the playoffs and a Super Bowl this year, the team wouldn’t want a rookie quarterback playing a single down in 2020 if something were to happen to Brady. During the Bucs’ Super Bowl run in 2002, Jon Gruden turned to veteran Rob Johnson first instead of the younger Shaun King when Brad Johnson injured his back and missed three starts that season. Having a solid backup QB is crucial for Tampa Bay, especially with a 42-year old starter in Brady, and both Gabbert and Griffin, who led the NFL in preseason passing yards, know the offense.

Running Back – 4

Bucs RB Ronald Jones II – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs have just four running backs on their current roster, as the team let Peyton Barber head to Washington in free agency. Ronald Jones II enters the 2020 season as the starter, but Tampa Bay wants to get another starting-caliber running back for competition, and that will likely come in the draft. In fact, the Bucs might draft two running backs this year – one for the backup/rotational job, and one to compete with Dare Ogunbowale for the third down back spot.

There are some veteran free agents still available, including former Falcons running back Devonta Freeman, Carlos Hyde and Chris Thompson, but don’t expect the Bucs to make a run at any of these backs until after the draft if they do at all. Like it or not, it’s doubtful that Tampa Bay will sign a veteran running back. If the team does, it will come this summer when the Bucs have all the leverage and the price tag comes down for veterans. Regardless of what the Bucs do, they need more talent in a backfield that also includes return man T.J. Logan and Aca’Cedric Ware.

Wide Receiver – 8

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Getty Images

The Bucs lost Breshad Perriman in free agency to the New York Jets, but the reality is that they weren’t going to pay him much more than they did last year, which was $4 million on a one-year deal. Arians said that the team won’t address it in free agency, and that makes sense with such a ridiculously talented class of receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Tampa Bay already has two of the best in Pro Bowlers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, as well as some seldom-used reserves in Scotty Miller and Justin Watson. Bryant Mitchell, Cyril Grayson, Jaydon Mickens and Spencer Schnell are far from givens to make the roster in a depth capacity. Look for the Bucs to take a receiver – perhaps even early before Day 3 – and then sign a couple of undrafted free agent wide receivers. This year’s draft is so deep at receiver that the team could get a fifth-round talent in an undrafted player this year.

Tight End – 6

Bucs TE Cameron Brate – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, the Bucs have two good targets for Brady at tight end. With Antony Auclair back as the chief run blocker, Tampa Bay is set at tight end. The team will likely carry four tight ends on the roster again, and that will leave Tanner Hudson, Jordan Leggett and promising prospect Codey McElroy to battle for that spot. Don’t expect the Bucs to make any more moves at tight end outside of a possible undrafted free agent signing for training camp depth.

Offensive Line – 9

Bucs C Ryan Jensen – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay’s starting offensive line is nearly complete with left tackle Donovan Smith, left guard Ali Marpet and center Ryan Jensen all making at least $10 million and entrenched as starters. Alex Cappa, who is entering his third season in the league, made strides last year as a first-year starter, but could use some competition. Long-time starter Demar Dotson hasn’t been re-signed and might not be with the acquisition of Joe Haeg, who is penciled in as the starter at right tackle.

Look for the Bucs to draft at least two offensive linemen this year – a right tackle candidate to challenge Haeg, and an interior lineman to challenge Cappa and provide depth. The team likes the young talent they have in tackle Brad Seaton, guards Zack Bailey, Aaron Stinnie and center Anthony Fabiano, but will be looking for upgrades in the draft. If the Bucs are going to add veteran offensive linemen for depth or competition it would likely come after the draft in the form of Dotson or Earl Watford, who was a backup last year.

Defensive Line – 6

Bucs NT Vita Vea – Photo by: Getty Images

Nose tackle Vita Vea and defensive end William Gholston thrived last year in the switch to Todd Bowles’ 3-4 scheme. The Bucs re-signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and key reserve Rakeem Nunez-Roches in March, but will need a backup nose tackle to replace Beau Allen. That could come in the draft as the team’s other defensive linemen – Patrick O’Connor and Jeremiah Ledbetter – are better suited to play defensive end.

The Bucs could use another young defensive tackle and nose tackle to compete for depth and that could come in the draft. Tampa Bay isn’t opposed to bringing Allen back, but it would likely have to come after the draft and at the right price.

Outside Linebacker – 5

Bucs OLB Anthony Nelson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs used the franchise tag on Shaquil Barrett, the NFL’s leading sacker last year, and re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul to a two-year deal this offseason. The two combined to record 28 sacks last year with Barrett’s 19.5 QB captures leading the league and setting a new Tampa Bay single-season record. Due to the big pay raises for Barrett and Pierre-Paul, the team couldn’t re-sign Carl Nassib, who left for a big payday in Las Vegas.

Replacing Nassib, who had six sacks last season, will be Anthony Nelson, last year’s fourth-round pick. Nelson played sparingly as a rookie due to multiple injuries, and is a bit of an unknown. The only other outside linebackers the Bucs have on their roster are Kahzin Daniels and Quinton Bell, who are unproven reserves and not locks to make the team. Tampa Bay could attempt to upgrade the talent by drafting another edge rusher after addressing more pressing needs on offense, but this is not a deep class at the position.

Inside Linebacker – 5

Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay has a pair of dynamite inside linebackers in former Pro Bowler Lavonte David and Devin White, last year’s first-round pick. The Bucs shored up the team’s depth with the re-signing of veteran Kevin Minter, who filled in for White for a few games and was a star on special teams.

The Bucs have a pair of young talents in Jack Cichy and Noah Dawkins, who played on special teams last year, but could be looking for an upgrade here, as well as more bodies for training camp. Cichy has a good deal of promise, but has durability concerns as he has seen each of his past two seasons end on injured reserve. While it’s not a pressing need, don’t rule out the Bucs drafting an inside linebacker on Day 3.

Cornerback – 8

Bucs CB Sean Murphy-Bunting – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Conventional wisdom suggests that the Bucs could use a veteran cornerback to provide some experience and depth to a unit whose oldest player is Ryan Smith, who enters his fifth year at age 26. But Tampa Bay likes its young trio of third-year pro Carlton Davis, and last year’s draft picks, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean so much that the team won’t sign a veteran because it doesn’t want to impede the development of any of those three. It’s a risky move, and if an injury hits or if Murphy-Bunting or Dean suffers a sophomore slump, it could backfire.

The re-signing of Smith, who will mostly star on special teams, means that there is only room for one or two more cornerbacks. The Bucs like the potential of Mazzi Wilkins and John Franklin, who were signed up from the practice squad late last year, and also have Herb Miller, a big, 6-foot-2, 190-pound prospect on the roster. M.J. Stewart, a former second-round pick from 2018, is also in the mix, but needs to show improvement or he might not make the cut this year. Don’t expect the Bucs to draft a cornerback unless a player slides to the point where he becomes too good of a value to pass up.

Safety – 6

Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

Licht drafted six cornerbacks from 2016-19, and the only other position he’s drafted nearly as much in that time frame is safety. The Bucs drafted Justin Evans in the second round in 2017, Jordan Whitehead in the fourth round in 2018 and Mike Edwards in the third round last year. Evans hasn’t played since November of 2018 due to foot injuries that required surgery last year and caused him to miss the 2019 campaign. The Bucs are hopeful he returns in 2020, but aren’t counting on him.

The Bucs are also very high on D’Cota Dixon, an undrafted free agent that the team was high on last year in training camp and were considering starting him until a season-ending shoulder surgery occurred in training camp. Veteran Andrew Adams was re-signed and Deiondre Hall. Right or wrong, the Bucs like their young group of safeties and probably won’t draft one unless the right player is there in the right round.

Special Teams – 3

Bucs P Bradley Pinion and K Matt Gay – Photo by: Getty Images

The Bucs’ battery of kicker Matt Gay, punter Bradley Pinion and long snapper Zach Triner will return intact in 2020. Pinion is an elite kickoff guy, a great holder and a very good punter. Triner is a good, underrated snapper, and Gay had a solid rookie season despite some critical misses against New York and Atlanta that occurred in the tricky south end zone of Raymond James Stadium where the winds can really swirl.

If Gay had made the four field goals in those two games the Bucs would be 9-7 and he would have made 88.6 percent of his kicks instead of 77.1 percent. Tampa Bay will bring in an undrafted rookie kicker to compete with Gay in training camp, but that will only be to sharpen Gay’s focus – not necessarily to replace him.