NFL.com's latest mock draft has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulling off a trade with the Packers and moving back to the mid-20s in the first round. In this scenario, Tampa Bay ends up with Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart, which would be a steal for a number of different reasons.
As Chad Reuter points out, the Bucs would be landing one of the top pass rushers in the draft while giving themselves some Logan Hall insurance in the event he ends up not taking the step forward he needs to next season. There's also the chance that he does step up, but parlays that into a bigger free agent deal next offseason.
Stewart would be right in line with what Jason Licht has tried to do over the last few years in replenishing depth at the edge. Calijah Kancey was the team's first round pick two years ago and looks like a steal, and the same swings were taken with guys like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Hall -- although they didn't work out.
The hope here is that the Bucs would land someone in Stewart who is closer to Kancey and Yaya Diaby than those other two.
Buccaneers trading back with Packers would be gift that keeps on giving on Day 2
Don't let the shine of a first round trade blind you from the fact that this is bigger than just moving back a few picks. Tampa Bay would pick up an extra third rounder in Reuter's mock trade -- No. 87 overall, to be exact -- which would give the Bucs a chance to double up on defensive prospects.
In this scenario, Tampa Bay takes Virginia Tech defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles, which feels like the kind of underrated move Licht likes to make that ends up paying off nicely. So much attention is focused on cornerback and edge rusher that finding someone to play behind Vita Vea is getting lost in the shuffle a bit.
Given how much Todd Bowles loved to rotate Vea out during games last season, landing Peebles becomes even more of a potential steal.
For what it's worth, the Bucs take Kansas State safety Marques Sigle with their own pick at No. 84 overall. Doubling up on defense feels like the move no matter what ends up happening as far as trades are concerned, but adding Sigle to the room with Antoine Winfield Jr. feels like a win.
None of this is real, so it's more of a thought exercise than anything else, but it does highlight how the Bucs have more than a few options with the No. 19 pick. Trading out isn't usually something the team does, but if that ends up being on the table it could become a blessing that allows Licht to work his draft magic and add more young talent to the depth chart.
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