3 positions Buccaneers have to address in 2022 NFL Draft

The Buccaneers aren’t the type of team to hide their plan ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft.

This has never really been the case for a team that seemed married to the idea of a tackle in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and Devin White in the first round of 2019.

Tampa recognizes needs, allocated an appropriate amount of picks to wide receivers and defensive backs, and then goes after guys that are a mixture of need and value.

Hiding your draft plan isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it should make draft night much easier for Bucs fans as they know what positions are going to get called.

Here are the three that should be no-brainers:

1. Defensive tackle 

The Bucs have a great duo of Vita Vea and William Gholston on their line right now. These two have emerged as extremely valuable pieces of this defensive unit over the years, and having both back will help Todd Bowles greatly in his defense of the run.

The only big name that isn’t back with the group just yet is Ndamukong Suh. Suh could come back prior to the draft, but it seems extremely likely that Tampa will invest some decent capital in the position either way, whether it is to find a new starter or to round out depth.

2. Tight end 

Whether Rob Gronkowski re-signs with the Bucs or not, the Bucs need another talented tight end outside of Cameron Brate. The departure of O.J. Howard leaves a void that needs to be filled by someone with more upside, and the only place that is going to come from right now is the draft.

3. Guard 

While the Buccaneers don’t need a new guard as bad as most mock drafts would suggest, it is almost worth betting your house on the fact that Tampa takes a guard in the first round.

This is generally a position where you can get great value in one of the later rounds, but the Bucs likely see this as the only area where they need an immediate improvement.

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