With all the attention going to obvious needs like receiver, safety, running back and kick returner, several other positions of need for the Buccaneers have been left out of the discussion.
Here at the Pewter Plank we like to be as inclusive as possible, so when I noticed that three specific positions for the Buccaneers were being ignored I knew I had to speak (write) up. Since the clock ticked zero in week 17 against Carolina, the focus among all Buccaneer observers has been squarely aimed on wide receiver, and understandably so. Safety comes in at a close second, followed by some mix of running back, kick returner and offensive line. Almost every mock out there paints a similar picture. However, bubbling under the surface are other issues that need attending to in the near future.
These probably aren’t the positions that the Bucs will be spending first round picks on (though there are a few exceptions that we’ll discuss), or veterans that will be given substantial contracts. Heck, the Buccaneers may even decide that they simply don’t have the resources to address them this off-season. Still, they’re issues that could become suddenly apparent in the event of an injury and the Bucs would do well to be aware of them.
We’ll go over these potential quiet killers and look at some cheap ways that the Buccaneers could fix them or band-aid them for the 2017 season.