The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some important decisions to make this week. Here are five bold predictions heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter NFL Draft week looking to continue their winning during this 2020 offseason.
The Buccaneers added QB Tom Brady during the free-agency period and then made a trade for TE Rob Gronkowski. In addition to those big additions on the offensive side of the ball, the Buccaneers made moves to bring back all of the major pieces from the front-seven last season.
As we approach the big event, here are five bold predictions for the Bucs during the 2020 NFL Draft.
5. Bucs go running back early
There are two schools of thought when it comes to addressing the running back position: One is to wait until at least the fourth round to draft a running back (potentially the third if it’s the right player), the other is to go ahead and address the position early.
My first prediction is that we’ll see Tampa Bay do the latter.
The Buccaneers could have the opportunity to draft a name like Clyde Edwards-Helaire or J.K. Dobbins with that No. 45 overall pick.
While there are plenty of needs, look for them to address the running back position with that selection.
4. Tampa doesn’t trade up in the first-round
You’ve heard the rumors over the past week that Tampa Bay is interested in making a trade in the first-round.
There have been many NFL Insiders who almost expect it to happen and I thought it would be a big possibility. Why? Well, the Bucs are in dire need for addressing the offensive tackle position and the top-four offensive tackles could be gone by pick No. 14.
While it all sounds great and many Tampa fans are seemingly anticipating it, don’t expect it to happen. One of the four offensive tackles are going to fall to No. 14 and the Bucs won’t even have to make a trade to do it.
3. Only one OL is taken
Even though the Bucs need to shore up the offensive line, we will only see Tampa Bay take one lineman in the draft.
The Buccaneers have plenty of other needs to address and that includes running back, wide receiver, defensive back, defensive line and maybe even linebacker.
With all of those other needs, we’re going to see Tampa draft an offensive tackle in the first-round and then move on to other positions for the remainder of the draft. It may or may not be the right move, but that’s the prediction here nonetheless.
2. QB is addressed in Round 7
Here’s yet another prediction that you can take or leave.
The Buccaneers have so many other needs to address in the draft, they aren’t going to waste a pick on a guy like Jacob Eason, Jake Fromm or Jalen Hurts in the mid-rounds.
Instead, they’re going to wait until the late-rounds and, for those playing along at home, I’m prediction that it’s the Round 7 pick given to the Bucs through the Rob Gronkowski trade.
Who’s the selection? How about Oregon State’s Jake Luton? Luton has the measurables and the skill set to become a franchise QB at the next level and he would have the opportunity to learn under the very best.
If not Luton, James Morgan (Florida International) or Steven Montez (Colorado) both check a lot of boxes and would certainly be interesting pick-ups for the Bucs as a project piece.
1. O.J. Howard is gone by Day 2
The Buccaneers just traded for Rob Gronkowski and they have another great TE in Cameron Brate. That’s going to lead to O.J. Howard- who has been on the trading block for a while- to be traded.
And he’ll be gone by Day 2.
The Bucs are going to market Howard to the highest bidder and it won’t be long before his $1.9 million contract hit is with another organization- for better or worse.
Tampa Bay wants a second-round pick for Howard, but it may very well be a third-round pick when it’s all said and done.
Either way you look at it, Howard won’t be a part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by the end of this work week and, instead, the organization will elect to add another draft piece after trading away their second pick in the fourth round to the Patriots with the Gronkowski trade.