Buccaneers are highly unlikely to make a trade before the deadline
By Josh Hill
We're just a few days away from the NFL trade deadline, but so far, all has been quiet with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The silence has caused some frustration with fans, who want the team to do something to try and fill some of the roster holes that have emerged through the first eight games of the year.
Perhaps the biggest area is at wide receiver, where the Bucs lost both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans last Monday night. Godwin is out for the season while Evans is expected to return in mid-November, but the lack of a sure-fire No. 1 option created a natural need that could theoretically be filled on the trade market.
Fans can't be blamed for wanting the Bucs to do something. Three top wideouts -- Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins, and Davante Adams -- were all traded. Diontae Johnson was dealt not long after, but none of those guys landed in Tampa Bay.
Linebacker and edge rush are two other, perhaps more glaring, needs the Bucs have and could use a trade to fill. Injuries have ravaged the starting lineup, but even with obvious needs it would be a surprise to see Tampa Bay make a move before the deadline passes.
Don't expect the Bucs to make much noise at the trade deadline this year
This isn't based off any specific report either, just history. Jason Licht simply does not make in-season trades and when he does they are low wattage at best. The last time the Bucs made a trade before the deadline during the season was back in 2020 when they acquired Steve McLendon from the Jets.
In total he ended up playing in nine games and was great depth, but he wasn't some game changing addition. Keep in mind that was a team with pressure to win a Super Bowl with Tom Brady, so if the moves that year were lowkey it's hard to believe any big splashes will happen now.
That isn't to say the team doesn't have a chance to compete for a Super Bowl, rather it further highlights how careful and intentional Licht is with the moves he makes.
Another thing to keep in mind is how much the Bucs value the sort of draft picks that get tossed around in midseason trades. Tampa Bay traded a 2022 sixth-round pick to get McLendon, which wasn't good for another year after the deal was made. For what it's worth, the Jets ended up flipping the pick to Philadelphia for Joe Flacco.
Licht loves to cook on the third day of the draft, and a big part of the Bucs' depth right now is a result of his ability to mind for Day 3 talent. Over the course of his time running things in Tampa Bay Licht has used late round picks on guys like Scotty Miller, Trey Palmer, Jose Ramirez, and Zyon McCollum.
Those types of moves, made with the long-term future in mind, have proven to be far more valuable to Licht and the Bucs than making a splashy midseason trade. It might be frustrating to see inactivity, but trades rarely pay off in football the way they do in baseball or basketball. We've seen trades work out, like when Von Miller was traded to the Rams the year they won the Super Bowl, but the success rate isn't very high.
If there's one thing we've learned about the Bucs over the years it's that the team doesn't like to take unnecessary risks. When it does stick its neck out, there's careful consideration
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