Bucs after Dark: Deone Bucannon gives Buccaneers flexibility in the Draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed hybrid linebacker/safety Deone Bucannon to a one-year deal last month, and it is already paying off for the front office.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be getting a bigger bargain with Deone Bucannon than they originally signed him to a one-year, $2.5 million deal at the start of free agency. A major reason that Bucannon chose to sign in Tampa Bay was to reunited with his former coaches Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles in order to rebuild his image around the league after being benched and misutilized by former Arizona Cardinals coach Steve Wilks in 2018.

However, as the Buccaneers continue to prep for the NFL Draft, now just one week away, having Bucannon on their roster gives the team some much-needed flexibility in their approach. Due to Bucannon’s flexibility to play a hybrid linebacker/safety role for the Buccaneers’ defense, his presence on the roster allows general manager to approach the draft with one less need, focusing on either a safety or a linebacker.

While it is possible that the Bucs could add both positions in the draft, in fact it is likely, Licht can afford to take a day-three flier on either a safety or linebacker instead of feeling the pressure to draft an instant starter at each position. Especially in a year that could be Licht’s last if he does not get it right, any decrease in stress is an added bonus.

Given the pre-draft visits that have been coming through Tampa Bay, it would seem to indicate that the Buccaneers envision Bucannon playing at the second level. The majority of the visits, outside of the two top linebackers Devin White and Devin Bush, have been safeties that are expected to fall on day-two.

It remains a possibility that the Buccaneers add a linebacker in the first, then a safety on day-two. The addition of Bucannon frees up the ability for Tampa Bay to add a talented pass rusher, such as Brian Burns, Josh Allen, or Montez Sweat with the fifth overall pick in the draft instead of forcing it to select a linebacker. Whether they knew it when they signed him or not, Bucannon’s flexibility has been an added gift to the Buccaneers’ front office.