The Buccaneers might have the worst rushing attack in the NFL right now, but that doesn’t mean that a draft pick at the position will help.
The season might not be over for the Buccaneers just yet, but that doesn’t mean that some people won’t start looking ahead at the offseason and the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bucs fans have spent a lot of their history looking at the draft by this point in the season. There might be a bit more hope surrounding the next few weeks than during a normal year, but where is the fault in looking ahead?
There are going to be a lot of needs for Tampa in the draft and the free agent market. Some big names are going to depart. No one should really count on that many big names coming in with Tom Brady likely to leave.
The draft is going to go back to being one of the most important ways for the Bucs to find talent. To this end, it might help to know where the Buccaneers should, and perhaps more importantly, should not, look.
Running back is the best place to start.
Tampa has the worst rushing attack in the NFL and has for a while now. The past few years have seen their moments of greatness after the passing offense is able to open up the box and create easy running lanes, but that dream has died on an offense that has lost its spark and willingness to use analytics in the passing game.
Still, even if the run game is one of the worst in the league, the Bucs would be silly to invest yet another priority pick at the position. A flyer in one of the late rounds is one thing, but going after the position early would be even sillier than the prospect normally is with the value of the position being so low.
Rachaad White is a beast, Leonard Fournette will still be under contract, and even Ke’Shawn Vaughn will be in a position to stay if the team wants to keep him.
The players aren’t the issue. Byron Leftwich, Todd Bowles, and their silly scheme are the issue. Drafting a running back will just keep the team in the same position its in now.
If the Buccaneers really want to get better at running the ball, they’ll need to look deeper than just new faces.
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