Buccaneers: Cheap outside free agents Jason Licht needs to offer now
By Rob Leeds
Another pass-catcher for the Buccaneers
Let’s say the Buccaneers make the wrong move and draft a Najee Harris, Javonte Williams type with their first-round pick. The roster shakeup would be almost immediate. Harris and Williams are not third-down specialists, nor should they be, and the Bucs would likely have to part with Ronald Jones or Leonard Fournette before the season begins with this pick.
No one wants to move on from either part of the duo that ran Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl, but a backfield of Jones, Fournette, Vaughn, and Williams/Harris doesn’t cut it. There is a painfully obvious lack of a third-down option, which is why the best decision is to draft a better fit.
If the worst comes to pass, Duke Johnson is a more than capable pass-catcher that could become Brady’s new James White.
Johnson hasn’t ever popped as a fringe player on several bad teams over the years, but the consistency is there. During six seasons in the NFL, Johnson has never had a catch rate lower than 70% and totals 2,829 receiving yards on 307 receptions.
Johnson is far from a flashy pick, but he would be an immediate improvement for the Buccaneers and their desperate need for a pass-catching running back. At 27 years old and with a proven track record, Johnson should be an obvious target for the Buccaneers. The reverse is also true for Johnson with the opportunity to play for a good team for the first time in his career.