Buccaneers have tough cut option they need to explore

Roster cuts are coming up for the Buccaneers, and while the first five guys won’t be anything to worry about, the team does need to look ahead.

The roster is about to get a little smaller for the Buccaneers. The Bucs are going to need to trim some fat before Tuesday, and it makes sense that tomorrow should be the start of this difficult process.

The first five guys that get cut will be no big deal. The ones that follow them will be a bit more significant.

One way or another, hard decisions are coming. The Bucs are going to have to spend a long time making sure that the guys on the roster give the team the best chance of winning, and the team should starting wrapping its head about making a difficult cut.

Ko Kieft is not a make or break player for this team in 2022. A lot of fans love the idea of having a blocking tight end/fullback back on the roster, but the position just doesn’t bring enough value to justify keeping four tight ends over seven wide receivers or four running backs.

The Bucs have proven over the years that they rely on tight ends very little; only really using two for the entire 2021 campaign, they run poorly out of heavy sets, and they always need depth at receiver when all four of their top guys are struggling with injuries at the moment or have a history of dealing with injuries.

Cameron Brate, Kyle Rudolph, and Cade Otton are more than enough to keep the tight end room running smoothly. Can we say the same thing about a wide receiver room that only has Julio Jones, Tyler Johnson, and Jaelon Darden at 100% right now?

The Bucs could also cut a running back to make room for Kieft, but a blocking tight end just isn’t a commodity in the modern NFL. The power run game is becoming antiquated, and the Bucs should never invest enough in their run game that they need a fullback on the field.

This team lives and dies by the pass. They need to do everything in their power to keep the pass as their focal point offensively. If they can keep Ko Kieft on their practice squad, great. If they can’t, this still doesn’t hurt the team.

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