Buccaneers don’t need to worry about trade for Pro Bowler
By Rob Leeds
More often than not, a team like the Buccaneers wants to trade for as many quality players as possible. They don’t need to do this at running back right now.
After having a few days to sit on the thought of the Buccaneers going after Saquon Barkley to bolster their running back room in a proposal from Kristopher Knox, it is fair to say that this is not a move that the Bucs will end up making, and probably for the best.
As fun as it is to think about a running back room centered around two great backs that are both versatile options for Tom Brady in the passing game, trading for a guy that is in Barkley’s current position is a dangerous prospect.
Running backs are in a weird place in the NFL right now in terms of value. Teams value the run less as the league transitions to pass-heavy offenses for every franchise that actually wants to win games, and running back by committee is becoming the norm.
Investing so much money or value in one singular back is exactly how the Giants got in their current predicament. Can Saquon Barkley still play like a first-round pick? Can he stay healthy? Can he actually help this Giants team win? The answer to most of these questions is probably no.
These are all valid questions and stem from investing too much in a position that matters less and less every season.
While the thought of Saquon and Leonard Fournette turning the Buccaneer run game around is a fun one that harkens back to the golden years of the franchise, a bruising run game and great defense aren’t the best ways to win football games in the modern era.
The Bucs don’t need the money and picks invested in Barkley to be good on the ground. All Tampa has to do to make the run work is establish the pass and open up those run lanes for a scheme that will make far more out of each run.
Saquon Barkley is a fun name to throw out there as a pipe dream, but his injury history and the value he brings to the team relative to his question marks likely makes him too much to worry about for right now.
Tampa would be much better off investing their money in several other areas, although Todd Bowles trying to make the run game better by going after a guy like Barkley would be an on-brand move. It just isn’t one the Buccaneers need to make.
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