3 trade targets for the Buccaneers before the 2020 NFL Draft
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers still have some trades that they can make leading up to the draft that could be more sure options than taking a risk on a draft pick.
The Buccaneers have been going all-in on the 2020 season since the start of the legal tampering period last month.
The Bucs have brought in veteran options like Tom Brady, who have a consistent body of work and few question marks going into the next season. Bruce Arians’ window to win a Super Bowl is closing fast, and Tampa Bay needs as many positions locked down as soon as possible.
This creates an interesting dilemma for the team: should the Bucs use draft picks on rookies that could be starters with a massive ceiling, or should Tampa Bay make the safe move by trading away draft picks for proven players with a potentially lower ceiling?
This problem always arises going into the draft, and teams have to weigh the risk of draft picks versus the higher cost of veteran players before making any moves.
In the case of the Buccaneers, trading draft picks away for proven players is the best option for winning now.
It is heavily debatable as to who has the higher chance of being the better quarterback in 2020 between Jameis Winston and Tom Brady if the former can find a starting spot before the season kicks off.
What is not debatable, however, is who will be the better quarterback in three years. Brady will almost assuredly be out of the NFL by that point, and Jameis gets the nod based on his age. Thus the dilemma arises as to whether or not a team wants the proven option for the present or the option with a brighter future at the expense of right now.
Trading draft picks would be a tough pill to swallow for Bucs fans, but in the end, it would be the most beneficial for the team to make the playoffs and potentially make a deeper run.
The accusations will fly that the team is “mortgaging its future” if the Buccaneers were to trade any of their picks for a high-profile player. Regardless, with Arians and Brady at the helm of the team, the best chance for Tampa Bay to have a bright future is to win now.
With that being said, the Buccaneers can still make the following three trades to bolster their roster before the draft.