As the NFL Draft nears, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of reasons to feel good about where things stand. Free agency was a relative success, as some much-needed breathing room in the salary cap allowed for Jason Licht to work his magic and add to a roster that is set to try and win a fifth straight NFC South title.
Not that the Bucs had many to begin with, but most of the glaring holes on the roster were addressed. Cornerback is an outstanding issue that needs to be taken care of, but all indications are that the team will do that perhaps multiple times in the NFL Draft next week.
A big reason why that's part of the strategy is thanks to how well the team did in navigating free agency, and it's something folks around the league are celebrating.
Buccaneers have plenty of reasons to 'feel good' heading into NFL Draft
PFF did a pulse check on where teams are heading into the draft, and the Bucs are sitting pretty. The ability to potentially double-dip on a position like cornerback, or splurge on a skill position like wide receiver, is thanks to the Bucs securing key pieces in free agency.
Chris Godwin stands out as the biggest player the team landed, but it goes well beyond just him.
"Having retained Chris Godwin, Lavonte David, and Ben Bredeson while adding Haason Reddick, the Buccaneers should feel good heading into the draft," Pro Football Focus writes.
It's not hard to sell Godwin as the crown jewel of Tampa Bay's free agency haul, but Haason Reddick arriving to help fix the pass rush is also huge. Ben Bredeson was the first signing the Bucs made on the first day of the free agency tampering period, and the deal he got is a reminder of how well the front office has been able to mind for gold in unsuspecting places.
Not many thought Bredeson filled the type of need Tampa Bay had on the offensive line last year, but here he is with a starting role and a decent sized bag secured. That's why there's so much confidence heading into the draft that Licht will cook up another fantastic class, and it's why the vibes are hard to ignore.
This is a new feeling, too. Typically this time of year the Bucs are getting dunked on for not doing enough, so hearing some praise is a nice change of pace.
As far as how this all applies, Tampa Bay now has the luxury of not needing to lock into one position at No. 19 or even on Day 2. Edge rush, cornerback, and linebacker are all positions that the team will likely use draft picks to replenish but there's no real order that they need to go in.
That's a testament to how well the front office did leading into the draft, and is another reason to get excited about what this class might look like for Tampa Bay.
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