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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Round one draft picks to win now

By Rob Leeds

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 03: Defensive lineman Montez Sweat of Mississippi State runs the 40-yard dash during day four of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 03: Defensive lineman Montez Sweat of Mississippi State runs the 40-yard dash during day four of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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As the 2019 NFL Draft approaches, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to make an immediate improvement on defense with their first round draft pick.

For a team that has been “rebuilding” for several years now, the front office for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is starting to feel the heat after yet another 5-11 season.  The Bucs will show promise and win games like the first of last season against the New Orleans Saints, and then turn around and get blown out of the water only a few weeks later against the Chicago Bears.

With no cap space remaining and no big offseason free agent moves (other than losing several players), Bucs management is sending a clear signal that this is their team that they believe will be competitive in the NFC South. For the sake of their jobs, general manager Jason Licht and company had better hope head coach Bruce Arians can right the ship with the tools that he has.

The Draft will prove crucial in filling the holes that could keep the Bucs from being competitive this year as free agency only scratched the surface. The offensive side of the ball is basically already locked in other than at right guard meaning a first round pick here would likely not be efficient for winning now. To say the Bucs defense has been porous as of late would be an understatement, and the pick here could go a long way.

Related Story. Buccaneers: 7-round mock draft to start the week. light

Bowles does utilize a scheme that will be full of blitzes and require players to have consistent rest, but having to split reps with McCoy, Vea, and Beau Allen will not translate to developing a rookie and winning more games now.

On either side of Vea is likely where a new draft pick at tackle would play, but this would take away snaps from defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Carl Nassib. These two combined for 19 sacks last season and Nassib is still improving and seems as though he possesses a high ceiling when given the playing time. With no clear best secondary player to take at the fifth overall pick and with Kwon Alexander’s departure this summer, a linebacker makes the most sense for an immediate impact.

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