Wanting, Not Needing
April 22nd, 2021
Fun with draft for a change.
It’s not hyperbole to suggest in the Year of the Bucs 2021, we may never see anything like this again.
Never.
First, the Bucs won the Super Bowl in their home crib, a first in NFL history.
Two months later, the Bucs brought back all 22 starters. The last time that happened was the Steelers in 1979, 42 years ago.
So how is Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht supposed to tackle the draft? It sounds as if he will have fun for a change.
The team has no immediate needs, maybe for the first time in franchise history. Still, Licht said it is unwise to expect a rookie draft pick to just ride the pine.
“There are opportunities for us to get better, in terms of our depth,” Licht said. “You never know how these players come in. They could challenge for a starting spot somewhere.
“We are excited about the fact that in a lot of drafts where you have a lot of needs. Now, we have a lot of wants. It’s exciting to go into a draft like that.”
Licht said he and his staff are trying to project future roster holes by way of attrition. Once that is identified, it’s not crazy to expect Licht to target those positions.
Licht did not elaborate but Joe is going to guess that could mean two things:
The first is looking to replace older players. Springing to mind are Jason Pierre-Paul, Lavonte David and park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.
Chris Godwin? Carlton Davis? Ryan Jensen? O.J. Howard? Ronald Jones, Playoff Lenny and/or Giovani Bernard? All seven of those studs have contracts expiring after the 2021 season. Godwin and Davis surely will command monster financial commitments, and maybe Jensen, too.
So if someone is trying to read the smoke signals of what positions Licht may draft, it wouldn’t be nuts if Licht targeted receiver, corner or center next week.
April 22nd, 2021 at 8:30 am
Human nature is mysterious… The song The Gambler comes to mind.
Stay cool Jason!
Temptation is a powerful emotion.
Never know how the draft board unfolds, best case is that surprising picks fill up the board and push a player to or near 32 …
April 22nd, 2021 at 8:36 am
1st: edge/pass rush (Alujari or Ossai)
2nd: IOL (Quinn Meinerz or Landon Dickerson)
April 22nd, 2021 at 8:38 am
Pass rush in 1st. (Ajulari or Ossai)
Interior offensive lineman in 2nd. (Meinerz or Dickerson)
April 22nd, 2021 at 8:58 am
Pretty sure Cappa enters the final year of his contract and would probably command large dollars in FA.
April 22nd, 2021 at 9:13 am
We have a few needs.
Kick and punt returner
Backup Center
Another pass rusher
A developmental tackle.
But not a QB.
If you think the team will accept going from Tom Brady, to a QB who hasnt played a game, then you arent thinking it thru.
This Offense??
When Brady retires( not for many years!!!), you better have a decent, experienced QB to take the reins.
This is a veteran team of allstars. Not gonna want to watch a young QB go thru growing pains.
But plenty of players available, that can help the team, and give the older guys a few plays off.
April 22nd, 2021 at 9:17 am
Agree with pass rusher in 1st.
Bc of a comment in a recent post, I will also say it would not at all surprise me if Licht trades up. Why trade down as many of you suggest? The Bucs don’t need “more” players, they need studs who will eventually contribute now and in the future.
First, theoretically, you are going to get a better player moving up. In addition, how is a rookie drafted in the 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th round (used in trading up) going to make the team? Better off to move up to get that BPA edge rusher (or whatever BPA position) then to let those lower round picks be thrown away.
April 22nd, 2021 at 9:29 am
I believe for the first time in Buc history the first round draft pick will not start…..think about that!!!
April 22nd, 2021 at 9:43 am
^^^^Exactly TBBF. So what the Bucs ‘need’ is a player who can contribute to keep the others fresh, and likely start in ’22. To me, that would be a pass rusher or maybe a interior OL (center for Jensen or guard for Capa if they leave).
But interior linemen are lacking in this draft, so ‘they’ say. CBs and WRs are said to be deep, so maybe take one in the 1st to replace Godwin/Davis if you think one of them might leave.
So nice to be in this position. Licht & BA get all the credit.
April 22nd, 2021 at 10:22 am
we should target DT and C with our first 2 picks after a trade down
C.Baremore and Q.meinerz would be great picks in the 2nd…
DE/OLB like Jordan Smith from UAB would be great in the 3rd…
QB Kyle Trask in the 4th…
pick BPA at DB and LB the rest of the way…
GO BUCS!!!!
April 22nd, 2021 at 11:29 am
I still don’t know why some of yall think Brady is going to play 5 more years . He’s 44 years old and he is year to year and we don’t know how he’s going to play this year. So why not draft a quarterback and learn behind Brady even if it’s 2 years to sit behind Brady .
April 22nd, 2021 at 12:17 pm
Take best player available at every pick. Or draft linemen, and a QB if one is there. You can always use line depth.
April 22nd, 2021 at 12:30 pm
^^^scares me when I agree with Oneilbuc…🤪
April 22nd, 2021 at 2:11 pm
Edge rusher, please God, an edge rusher with one of the picks in the first 3 rounds.
April 22nd, 2021 at 7:10 pm
Aaron Rodgers sat behind Fabre for a few years. We have a young base that will be hitting their prime right about the time when Brady is ready to hang it up. It would be better to have a young QB over a rookie to take over. Great teams like great countries have smooth transitions. The Packers stayed competitive. The Bucs can too if they plan ahead a little bit.