The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may still address running back before the draft and Chris Thompson would be a perfect addition due to his catching prowess.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a sure bet to add running back depth in the 2020 NFL Draft. If they decide to also search in free agency, Chris Thompson would be a perfect and proven fit.
Chris Thompson has been one of the better third-down backs in the league since 2015, and his skills would translate well to an offense that has Tom Brady.
Thompson is not much of a runner, but his career average is 8.4 yards per reception and he was never fully utilized by the Redskins. If he was brought in, Chris Thompson would likely see his numbers jump up based on Tom Brady’s prior usage of running backs.
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While Tom Brady loved throwing passes to players like Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, running back James White also got a ton of targets in the New England offense. White had 95 targets in 2019 alone, and one must think that Chris Thompson could have a career year with Tom Brady throwing the ball to him.
The current third-down back for the Buccaneers, Dare Ogunbowale, was a fun story to follow, but Chris Thompson would be an immediate improvement and is affordable given the current cap space.
Thompson could easily post 60-70 receptions in a season with the Buccaneers and would be a reliable check down for Tom Brady.
This move would give the Bucs a proven running back with sure hands without having to give up a higher draft pick. Many people want the Buccaneers to take one of the talented backs that will be available early on in the draft, but investing that much in a running back there is a dangerous game.
Tampa Bay would immediately improve with the addition of Chris Thompson and he would get the opportunity to shine in a system that will rely heavily on a running back in the passing game. All of this would rely on Thompson fighting off the injuries that have plagued him for his career, but that is a gamble worth making.