4 Buccaneers who could be in danger ahead of NFL Draft

WIth the NFL Draft nearly here, more than just future rookies and front office executives are keeping a close eye on how things are shaking out.

As players enter the picture, ones who are already there are in dangers of getting cropped out. Each new draft class puts pressure on some of the fringe guys on the roster, and not all of the players in that group are obvious candidates.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, part of having a deep roster of talent means rookies will push guys already here to the edge. That doesn’t mean they’ll completely bump them off, but there are a handful of Bucs players who will be keeping a close eye on the draft to see how the new guys might impact their future with the team.

4 Buccaneers who could be in danger ahead of NFL Draft

Trey Palmer, WR

This might be the most surprising name to consider, but Trey Palmer is still new and unproven enough that the Bucs adding some receiving talent might not put him in the best position. He’s in line to be the WR3 behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but if Tampa Bay take a dip in the premium pool, then that could spell trouble for Palmer.

Someone like Keon Coleman, Adonai Mitchell, or Xavier Worthy getting drafted would be bad news for Palmer in terms of his share of the offense. Don’t expect him to be a surprise casualty in training camp, but he’d get firmly bumped back into WR4 territory and would need to battle for playing time.

It doesn’t even have to be a top guy who could bump Palmer back. Tampa Bay drafting Luke McCaffrey or Brendan Rice would also put some pressure on the position battle and create some training camp drama.

The good news is that Palmer still has a role on the team even if someone is brought in. A little competition might bring out the best in him, and could give the Bucs four really good receivers to work with next season. He’s in the picture, but the question is how out of focus is he when all is said and done?

Joe Tryon-Soyinka, OLB

It’s hard to call this upcoming season a prove-it year for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka because that’s what last year already felt like. Time is running out for JTS to carve out his place in the Bucs defense and there’s a chance he’s already blown his opportunity.

Edge rusher is a clear and obvious need for the Bucs, which is the role everyone was hoping Tryon-Shoyinka would fill after being drafted in 2021. He lost his starting job to Yaya Diaby last year and the hype train has switched tracks and is officially backing the second-year Louisville product.

Tampa Bay also went out and signed Randy Gregory to what could be a sneaky steal of a deal in free agency. It’s a move that not only puts pressure on JTS but also crowds a room that is going to get even more busy after the draft.

We don’t know much about what Jason Licht is going to do but it feels like a certainty that the Bucs will walk away from the draft with at least one more edge rusher if not more. Keep in mind that it’s a contract year for JTS after the Bucs declined to pick up his fifth-year option, which means the clock is ticking even louder than it has before.

That’s a bad sign for Tryon-Shoyinka who might be in an even dicier spot this time next week.