QUESTION: Scott, how a lot do you anticipate the Bucs run protection to undergo with Shaq Barrett being lower? He’s at all times been a high-end run defender.
ANSWER: That’s a very good query. There actually might be some drop off in run protection subsequent yr with out Shaq Barrett in Tampa Bay. Regardless of being simply 6-foot-2, 250 kilos, Barrett was an excellent run defender for years with the Bucs. He performed with nice get off and leverage, and that helped him provoke contact with tight ends and offensive tackles slightly than simply catching blocks and getting pushed backwards.
Even at age 31 and coming off a torn Achilles, Barrett’s 68.9 Professional Soccer Focus run protection grade was the most effective amongst all Bucs defenders on the line of scrimmage – defensive backs and out of doors linebackers. That was barely forward of nostril deal with Vita Vea (67.9), who weighs over 100 kilos greater than Barrett.
UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu – Photograph by: USA In the present day
Of the returning Buccaneers, exterior linebacker Markees Watts had the subsequent finest grade at 66.9, though he has a particularly small pattern dimension of simply seven snaps in run protection. YaYa Diaby, who’s slated to start out at one exterior linebacker spot, had a 66.5 PFF run protection grade, whereas Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who is probably going the present front-runner to switch Barrett, had a 60.2 run protection grade. Anthony Nelson, who can also be in rivalry with JTS, earned a 53.4 PFF run protection grade.
After not addressing the place in free company, the Bucs are anticipated to pick one other edge rusher on this yr’s NFL Draft. UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, who would get consideration at No. 26 if he was nonetheless on the board, earned an 82.1 PFF run protection grade final yr. Latu formally met with the Bucs on the NFL Scouting Mix.
Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland, who additionally had a proper assembly with Tampa Bay in Indianapolis and is scheduled for a High 30 go to, had an 83.4 run protection grade. Penn State’s Adisa Isaac, who additionally formally met with the Bucs on the Mix, had an identical 82.4 run protection grade. Kneeland and Isaac are thought of to be second-round choices for Tampa Bay.
QUESTION: Which edge rushers ought to the Bucs goal for commerce equally to the Jason Pierre-Paul commerce, and what would the associated fee be for every goal?
ANSWER: I don’t know of any edge rushers which can be essentially obtainable for commerce proper now exterior of Philadelphia’s Haason Reddick. The Eagles had been considering buying and selling defensive finish Josh Sweat, however determined to increase his contract as an alternative for wage cap causes. Carolina used the franchise tag on exterior linebacker Brian Burns after which traded him to the New York Giants for a second-round choose in 2024 and a fifth-rounder in 2025. That is likely to be the going price for Reddick, or maybe barely much less since he’s an older participant who’s about to show 30.
Two of the extra larger title edge rushers – Washington’s Chase Younger and Montez Sweat – had been traded to the 49ers and Bears, respectively, final yr. Sweat inked an extension with Chicago, whereas San Francisco moved on from Younger, who signed a one-year take care of New Orleans.
Eagles OLB Haason Reddick – Photograph by: USA In the present day
Exterior of Reddick, I’m unaware of every other exterior linebacker candidate that Bucs normal supervisor Jason Licht may commerce for proper now. In final week’s Bucs Mailbag I mentioned a number of the explanation why the group would unlikely be enthusiastic about buying and selling for Reddick. I received’t go into nice element right here aside from saying he’s going to show 30 this yr and is within the closing yr of his contract price $15 million per yr.
Coming off back-to-back Professional Bowls, it’s unlikely Reddick would wish to take much less. So any group buying and selling for Reddick must tackle his $6.9 million wage for 2024 and would probably must work out an extension to justify surrendering a draft choose. In any other case that group would solely be renting Reddick for a yr.
Whereas Reddick has had 4 straight seasons with double-digit sacks, together with final yr in Philadelphia the place he notched 11, he has by no means recorded a sack towards Tampa Bay regardless of enjoying the Bucs twice final yr and two video games within the 2021 season when he suited up for Carolina. So I’m undecided he’s made the best impression for Licht and the Bucs’ brass.
At 6-foot-1, 240 kilos, Reddick just isn’t the largest edge rusher, both. Actually, he’s an inch shorter and 10 kilos lighter than the Bucs had with Shaq Barrett. If he was youthful the Bucs is likely to be , though Jason Pierre-Paul was 29 when Tampa Bay acquired him in a commerce with the New York Giants. The Falcons desperately want a cross rusher and Atlanta has been rumored to be enthusiastic about buying and selling for Reddick together with Arizona, which is the group that drafted him within the first spherical in 2017.
QUESTION: I’m not offered on the Bucs operating backs. Any probability we draft one within the early rounds?
ANSWER: I don’t assume the Bucs would contemplate drafting a operating again previous to the third spherical this yr. That looks like the candy spot for Jason Licht, who has drafted three operating backs within the third spherical since taking on as normal supervisor in 2014. In his first draft in Tampa Bay, Licht chosen operating again Charles Sims within the third spherical, and later made Ke’Shawn Vaughn a third-round choose in 2020. Two years later, Licht drafted present starter Rachaad White within the third spherical in 2022.
Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen – Photograph by: USA In the present day
The Bucs do want one other rusher as Chase Edmonds is the one confirmed commodity behind White on the depth chart. The Bucs correctly lower Vaughn, who wound up being a nasty draft choose. Sean Tucker was hyped as an undrafted free agent signing final yr, however underwhelmed and was typically inactive. Patrick Laird isn’t overly gifted and spent final yr on the apply squad and may wind up there once more.
The operating again class just isn’t sturdy on high quality expertise this yr. There are not any first-round caliber backs like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson in years previous. Florida State’s Trey Benson is likely to be the primary again off the board this yr someplace within the second spherical. Texas’ Jonathon Brooks is essentially the most gifted runner, however is coming off a torn ACL. He may nonetheless go within the second spherical, however the harm may trigger him to slide into the third spherical.
With extra urgent wants at inside offensive line and edge rusher, the Bucs will probably tackle operating again someplace on Day 3. Tampa Bay solely had formal interviews with two operating backs on the NFL Scouting Mix that Pewter Report is conscious of in USC’s MarShawn Lloyd and Kentucky’s Ray Davis. Lloyd is an explosive again with good arms out of the backfield with nice elusiveness. He might be an choice with one of many group’s two third-round picks.
Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen is intriguing in that he’s a giant again at 6-foot-1, 235 pound, and can solely be 20 on draft weekend. Allen and Troy’s Kimani Vidal run with nimble ft and energy, and might be choices within the fourth spherical. If Tampa Bay was going to pick a operating again late within the draft Louisville’s Jahwar Johnson and Georgia’s Kendall Milton might be choices. All 4 of those runners interviewed with the Bucs informally in Indy.
QUESTION: If he’s nonetheless obtainable in Spherical 2, will Tampa draft Texas A&M’s Layden Robinson?
ANSWER: I don’t assume Texas A&M guard Layden Robinson warrants a second-round grade. Actually, he will not be chosen on Day 2 in any respect. Robinson struggled at instances on the Senior Bowl and at didn’t do a lot on the NFL Scouting Mix. That doesn’t give him loads of momentum heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.
Robinson might be a third-round choose, however I wouldn’t be shocked to see him final till Day 3 choose. At that time, he might be an choice for the Bucs in the event that they don’t tackle guard on the primary two days of the draft, or if the Bucs wish to double up on the place to hedge their bets and add depth on the place.
Boston Faculty G Christian Mahogany – Photograph by: USA In the present day
Robinson is a fairly good athlete, however at 6-foot-3, 303 kilos, he doesn’t provide loads of dimension. Go safety consistency is a giant difficulty for Robinson, and it’s one thing that’s going to maintain him out of the beginning lineup on the subsequent stage till he makes vital strides in method in that space. To Pewter Report’s information, the Bucs didn’t interview Robinson on the Mix – both formally or informally.
There are a number of different guard candidates I like rather a lot higher than Robinson, beginning with Duke’s Graham Barton, who shall be a first-round draft choose, probably by Tampa Bay if he’s there at No. 26, or if normal supervisor Jason Licht trades as much as get him. UConn’s Christian Haynes and Boston Faculty’s Christian Mahogany might be choices within the second spherical. Barton and Haynes met formally with the Bucs on the Mix, whereas Mahogany had a casual interview.
The Bucs additionally had formal interviews with Arizona left deal with Jordan Morgan, Oklahoma proper deal with Tyler Guyton, Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe and Notre Dame proper deal with Blake Fisher. All 4 may play guard on the subsequent stage with Morgan and Guyton being late first-rounders or early second-rounders, and Beebe and Fisher probably candidates for the third spherical. Keep in mind, Licht has had success drafting offensive tackles and transferring them inside, doing that with left deal with Cody Mauch final yr and middle Robert Hainsey 4 years in the past.
QUESTION: What Bucs offseason state of affairs thus far has been essentially the most stunning?
ANSWER: I can’t actually consider something that was terribly stunning. Pewter Report precisely forecast the discharge of outdoor linebacker Shaq Barrett and the buying and selling of Carlton Davis III, so we had been forward of that information. I absolutely anticipated Bucs normal supervisor Jason Licht and assistant G.M. Mike Greenberg to re-sign all 4 of the group’s large free brokers – Professional Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield, Professional Bowl extensive receiver Mike Evans, legendary linebacker Lavonte David and kicker Chase McLaughlin.
Bucs WR Mike Evans and GM Jason Licht – Photograph by: Scott Reynolds/PR
And Pewter Report precisely predicted that All-Professional free security Antoine Winfield Jr. would get the franchise tag. Even the re-signing of former Bucs sturdy security Jordan Whitehead, who performed the final two seasons with the New York Jets, made a ton of sense and didn’t catch us off guard.
I suppose the truth that extensive receiver Mike Evans was signed for simply two years was a little bit of a shock. I assumed he would get a three-year deal. The 2-year deal works to the group’s benefit for my part. And the truth that Evans didn’t make $25 million per yr, and solely averaged $21 million as an alternative was a bit stunning. But Evans has some incentives the place he can earn as much as $29 million.
If I’ve to supply up which signing was essentially the most stunning I might say Jets cornerback Bryce Corridor. I didn’t see that transfer coming, and I believe it’s an amazing one. Corridor is a good match for Todd Bowles’ protection and brings expertise and size to the skin cornerback place. He’ll compete with Zyon McCollum to start out, however will probably fill the No. 3 cornerback position on the depth chart.
