The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can still sneak into the playoffs with a win in Week 18, but fans would probably be lying if they said they weren't already looking ahead to the draft.
It's been a hot minute since the Bucs have had a pick in the first half of round one, but if the draft order was locked in after Week 17's slate of games, they'd be in that position.
Here's the updated draft order, according to Tankathon:
Number | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Las Vegas Raiders | 2-14 |
2 | New York Giants | 3-13 |
3 | New York Jets | 3-13 |
4 | Tennessee Titans | 3-13 |
5 | Arizona Cardinals | 3-13 |
6 | Cleveland Browns | 4-12 |
7 | Washington Commanders | 4-12 |
8 | New Orleans Saints | 6-10 |
9 | Kansas City Chiefs | 6-10 |
10 | Cincinnati Bengals | 6-10 |
11 | Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons) | 6-9* |
12 | Miami Dolphins | 7-9 |
13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7-9 |
14 | Dallas Cowboys | 7-8-1 |
15 | Detroit Lions | 8-8 |
16 | Baltimore Ravens | 8-8 |
17 | Minnesota Vikings | 8-8 |
18 | New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts) | 8-8 |
Buccaneers face brutal Week 18 reality that could reshape their draft fate
If this was the draft order we had locked in for April, the Bucs would hold the 13th pick in the first round. There's obviously a lot that can happen between now and even next week, as the Bucs could end up as a playoff team, meaning the best pick they'd end up with would be 19th overall.
If, however, the Bucs miss out on the playoffs by losing to the Panthers next week, they'll be able to use a better draft pick to help improve their roster for the 2026 season and beyond. Injuries played a massive role in why this season has spiraled the way it has but the fact of the matter is that this team simply hasn't been good enough. The draft will be a great way to fix that.
One mock draft floating around has the Bucs going with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles to replace Lavonte David, which fans probably wouldn't hate. Styles would be available around when Tampa would be on the clock and would fit a position of need for sure.
Jason Licht will have to make sure that whoever this team takes in the first round can get this team back to running the NFC South. This year has been a disappointment but even still, the Bucs have a chance to win the division and go to the playoffs for the sixth straight year. That's quite telling.
Where will the Buccaneers end up in the draft order? If they make the playoffs, we might have to wait a few weeks to know the answer to that question. If they don't, we'll know by this time next week.