The Pewter Plank
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Buccaneers: Jason Licht with Many Options in Round One

By Alan Schechter

Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jason Licht and the Buccaneers could go a lot of different ways when the first round of the draft rolls around.

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The Buccaneers are in an interesting position. It’s an exciting time for the Bucs. Finishing the year 9-7, they come into the new year as a team that is close to something big. They are at 35-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, and NFL Network host Elliot Harrison believes the Bucs will participate in the next Super Bowl.

It’s a stretch, but anything is possible.

It creates a great deal of options for Jason Licht and company. There are distinct needs, we know that. They need help at wide receiver. Someone needs to play opposite Mike Evans. Some have made the case that they need to draft a running back, due to the unraveling situation at the position. Some have even suggested getting an edge pass rusher, someone that could bookend themselves with Noah Spence.

Clearly they have many choices. They also have choices with their current pick. The Bucs have to decide how much talent will be available when the round hits number 19. The most recent NFL.com mocks have the Bucs selecting Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, Charles Harris and Derek Barnett. Two edge guys and two running backs. Is this where they go? Maybe they take a tight end down here and take a wide receiver later in the draft. Juju Smith-Schuster is a second day player that comes to mind, talked about on our website by James Yarcho.

But what if they covet a guy like Mike Williams? Imagine a guy like him opposite Evans. Corey Davis could mean the same thing. Maybe they covet a David Njoku. Could Licht come up with a package to move up in the draft? It’s not impossible. Take a look at the draft chart (from Draftek):

PK/TMPK/TMPK/TMPK/TM      PK/TMPK/TMPK/TM
130003358065265971121284415927.419015.0
  2  SF2600  34  SF560  66  SF260  98  SF108  129  SF43  160  SF27  191  SF14.6
  3  CHI2200  35  JAX550  67  CHI255  99  JAX104  130  CHI42  161  JAX26.6  192  CHI14.2
  4  JAX1800  36  CHI540  68  JAX250  100  CHI100  131  JAXC 41  162  HOU26.2  193  JAX13.8
  5  TEN1700  37  LAR530  69  TEN245  101  LAR96  132  LARC 40  163  LAR25.8  194  LAR13.4
  6  NYJ1600  38  NYJ520  70  NYJ240  102  WAS92  133  NYJC 39  164  NYJ25.4  195  NYJ13.0
  7  LAC1500  39  LAC510  71  LAC235  103  LAC88  134  LACC 38.5  165  LAC25  196  LAC12.6
  8  CAR1400  40  CAR500  72  CAR230  104  CAR86  135  CARC 38.5  166  CAR24.6  197  SEA12.2
  9  CIN1350  41  CIN490  73  CIN225  105  CIN84  136  CINC 37.5  167  CIN24.2  198  CIN11.8
  10  BUF1300  42  NO480  74  PHI220  106  CHI82  137  WASC 37  168  PHI23.8  199  DAL11.4
  11  NO1250  43  PHI470  75  BUF215  107  NO80  138  PHIC 36.5  169  BUF23.4  200  NO11.0
  12  CLE1200  44  BUF460  76  NO210  108  PHI78  139  BUFC 36  170  NOC 23  201  PHI10.6
  13  ARI1150  45  ARI450  77  ARI205  109  ARI76  140  ARI35.5  171  ARIC 22.6  202  ARI10.2
  14  IND1100  46  MIN440  78  BAL200  110  IND74  141  MIN35  172  BALC 22.2  203  CAR9.8
  15  PHI1050  47  BAL430  79  IND195  111  MIN72  142  BAL34.5  173  INDC 21.8  204  MIN9.4
  16  BAL1000  48  IND420  80  MIN190  112  BAL70  143  IND34  174  MINC 21.4  205  BAL9.0
  17  WAS950  49  WAS410  81  WAS185  113  WAS68  144  WAS33.5  175  WASC 21  206  WAS8.6
  18  TEN900  50  TB400  82  DEN180  114  TEN66  145  TB33  176  SF20.6  207  TEN8.2
  19  TB875  51  DEN390  83  TEN175  115  TB64  146  NE32.6  177  DEN20.2  208  TB7.8
  20  DEN850  52  CLE380  84  TB170  116  DEN62  147  TEN32.2  178  TB19.8  209  DEN7.4
  21  DET800  53  DET370  85  DET165  117  DET60  148  CET31.8  179  DET19.4  210  NE7.0
  22  MIA780  54  MIA360  86  MIN160  118  MIN58  149  MIA31.4  180  MIA19  211  MIA6.6
  23  NYG760  55  NYG350  87  NYG155  119  NYG56  150  NYG31  181  NYG18.6  212  NYG6.2
  24  OAK740  56  OAK340  88  OAK150  120  OAK54  151  OAK30.6  182  OAK18.2  213  OAK5.8
  25  HOU720  57  HOU330  89  HOU145  121  HOU52  152  HOU30.2  183  WAS17.8  214  HOU5.4
  26  SEA700  58  SEA320  90  SEA140  122  NE50  153  KC29.8  184  SEA17.4  215  SEA5.0
  27  KC680  59  KC310  91  KC136  123  KC49  154  BUF29.4  185  DAL17  216  KC4.6
  28  DAL660  60  DAL300  92  DAL132  124  DAL48  155  GB29  186  GB16.6  217  DAL4.2
  29  GB640  61  GB292  93  GB128  125  GB47  156  PIT28.6  187  PIT16.2  218  GB3.8
  30  PIT620  62  PIT284  94  PIT124  126  PIT46  157  ATL28.2  188  ATL15.8  219  PIT3.4
  31  ATL600  63  ATL276  95  ATL120  127  ATL45  158  CLE27.8  189  DET15.4  220  ATL3.0
  32  NE590  64  NE270  96  NE116              221  NE2.8

For anyone who doesn’t know, this chart represents a value for each pick of the draft. Each pick gets a point value, indicated next to the team name. The Bucs pick is worth 900 points. They could jump to 11 or 12 by only moving a couple of picks. If they want someone that badly, it could happen.

Or, if all of the guys they like fall off the board quickly, they could trade back for more picks. Remember, the salary structure is based on the draft selection, so Licht won’t overvalue someone in his eyes just to stay at 19. 19 is a decent position, that might get interest from teams that want to move up or down. Licht could dangle it to obtain more picks and fill more holes.

Next: Draft Profile: D'Onta Foreman

It could go a lot of ways, but for the Bucs, we know it will be interesting.

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