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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Koetter, Licht confident about draft

By James Yarcho

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks at his play card during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks at his play card during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter and general manager Jason Licht spoke at the owners’ meetings in Orlando about the upcoming draft and how they feel about where they are.

It’s a month away. The NFL draft will be here before we know it and NFL teams are looking forward to that moment where they get to turn in the name of a player they feel is a future star for their team. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s yet another top ten pick after their disappointing 5-11 finish in 2017.

Head coach Dirk Koetter and general manager Jason Licht have done what they felt was best for the team in terms of off-season upgrades. Signing Ryan Jensen to play center and sliding Ali Marpet to left guard upgrades the offensive line and with it, the run and pass games. A complete revamp of the defensive line – including trading for star defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul – will ideally improve the NFL’s worst pass rush.

Now, for the draft.

The Buccaneers are at the mercy of the six picks, five teams ahead of them. Ideally you hope four of the first six picks are quarterbacks, pushing Bradley Chubb, Quenton Nelson, or Saquon Barkley down to the seventh pick. If not, hopefully one of those quarterbacks slides and the Buccaneers have an opportunity to slide back while recouping not only the third rounder they gave to the Giants, but a few more picks to play with on days two and three.

For Jason Licht, he’s confident in sitting where they are and finding someone that will immediately help the team, but he isn’t afraid of making another trade;

"“We’re not ruling out moving up, we’re not ruling out moving back. But I do know…I feel confident that if we’re picking where we are that we’ll get a good football player.”"

As for Dirk Koetter, he feels the options are wide open – and he’s already hoping that some of the mock drafts he’s seeing are right and some top talent falls to their top pick on day two;

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have set themselves up in a good position come draft weekend to take the best player on their board and not be forced to reach for needs. With the most glaring holes left at running back and in the secondary, the options in the draft on all three days line up well for Koetter, Licht, and the Bucs.

Next: Buccaneers Draft Profile - RB Sony Michel

Be sure to stay up to date with some of these prospects as we focus on one prospect per day from now until the NFL draft, bringing you players that will go in any of the three days of NFL Draft weekend and that could come in and help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get to where they need to be.

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