With the NFL Draft just a few weeks away, teams are starting to lock in their strategy and set up some smokescreens to try and control the board as much as possible. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the strategy in recent years has been to stand pat and see what falls into their lap, something that has worked out tremendously the last two seasons.
Tampa Bay didn’t make a move at No. 19 two years ago and ended up with Calijah Kancey, a move that has aged wonderfully. Last year, rather than trade out of the No. 26 overall spot, the Bucs stayed put and were rewarded with Graham Barton falling into their lap.
Once again the Bucs are faced with a situation where they could trade up to take a top edge rusher or trade down to try and compile picks. It’s something fans are wondering about and general manager Jason Licht is already talking about.
Jason Licht talks about the potential for Buccaneers to trade up in NFL Draft
Speaking ahead of the NFL Draft later this month, Licht gave some insight into the team’s strategy when it comes to potentially making some trades. He commented on his mindset around this time of year, which is typically even-keeled but doesn’t mean he’s not thinking about a possible move.
"There have been years where I've thought about it more than others," Licht said. "It just kinda depends on how things fall. You can't walk into it and say, 'I am definitely looking to trade back,' because you don't know what's going to fall to you."
As far as whether or not the team is looking to trade up, Licht didn’t fully reveal his plan but gave some insight on the tea leaves he’s been reading elsewhere around the league.
"I do think this year — I could be wrong — you're gonna see maybe a little less people wanting to move up and offering enough to make it worth your while, just because I think the draft is pretty leveled out at a certain point," Licht said. "You might be able to get the same level of player in the second round as you can in the fourth round in certain positions."
If a trade happens it will likely be one that has the Bucs moving back in the draft order rather than up. Licht had moved down more than a few times during his tenure, but his trade ups have been notable. The last time Tampa Bay traded up in the draft was in 2020 when the team took Tristan Wirfs, which sets a nice precedent if we see them do it again.
The most likely outcome is, despite the rumors and speculation, the Bucs stand pat at No. 19. It worked out pretty well last time around and there’s no reason to doubt Licht knows what he’s doing.
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