Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3 steps necessary to win the draft
By Rob Leeds
Step Two: Add depth to the defensive side of the football
The second way for the Buccaneers to win in the Draft is to create depth on a defense that desperately needs it. The move from a 4-3 to a 3-4 is something that occurs often in the NFL when there is a coaching change, but this does not mean that it is a simple change.
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Personnel requirements change, as do the player’s positions. Players like Carl Nassib and Jason Pierre-Paul will move from being on the outside to more of an interior role as speed is a necessity on the outside. Lavonte David will move to the inside linebacker position as well. In addition, the likelihood of Gerald McCoy leaving increases by the day. While his role on the defense would be different, his loss would still be felt all the same.
The Buccaneers will require depth at all positions for Todd Bowles’ defense to work. Blitzes will be constant, the looks will be changed on the fly to better fit the opposing offenses, and players in the lower rungs of the depth chart will be called upon to make plays so that the starters can remain rested.
Because this draft is so deep, there are many players that have the capacity to be excellent backups, especially in the later rounds. The Bucs have struggled in the later rounds and free agency in the past, but drafting competent and consistent players in these rounds is imperative to allow this defense to run smoothly.