While some aspects of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster seem pretty secure at this point in the offseason, such as QB, running backs, and wide receivers, general manager Jason Licht has made it clear in what he looks to improve upon in the upcoming NFL draft.
In a press conference this week, Licht said that he was placing his focus on the tight end, defensive tackle, and offensive guard positions.
Bucs fans have to be glad that the front office is putting their focus where it should be this draft. Football fans know that no team wins Super Bowls without above average offensive and defensive lines.
Talent at those positions is always at a premium, but unlike positions such as wide receiver, they are nearly always worth the cost.
Drafting players at those positions this year will also hopefully provide the team with a solid foundation to build upon after this coming year and the “Brady era” of Bucs history has ended.
After next year, the Bucs will undoubtedly have to rebuild, and building around a strong offensive and defensive line will make that process far less painful or time-consuming.
As for tight end, the Bucs are stuck in a tough position, given that Rob Gronkowski still has yet to make any decision about if he will return to the team this coming season or remain retired. As a result, Licht is trying to look ahead and will surely take a tight end.
There are no standouts at the position this year, but there are some decent options with good upside that could probably be acquired with the team’s second pick of Licht were to go that route.
A lot of Licht’s draft selections will undoubtedly be based on what’s available given the team’s late first round draft pick, but Bucs fans should rest a little easier knowing that their GM is pursuing players in positions that should set the team up for future success.
Now, all fans can do is sit back and hope Licht picks the right guys.
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