The Tampa Bay Buccaneers addressed every need during the 2026 NFL Draft in a near-perfect draft class.
The only thing they really could’ve done better was add a dynamic pass-catching tight end, and Sean Payton could be the reason they weren’t able to do that.
Broncos traded up ahead of Buccaneers to draft tight end Justin Joly
Tampa Bay held the No. 155 overall pick, and NC State tight end Justin Joly was beginning to fall into range.
The Bucs held an informal meeting with Joly at the NFL Combine and eventually brought him to the facility for a pre-draft top-30 visit.
The interest was real, and after an earlier run on tight ends, options were dwindling for Tampa Bay at the position.
It looked like by some miracle Joly would fall right into the Buccaneers’ laps, but Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos traded up just ahead of Tampa Bay and drafted him at No. 152 overall.
The Bucs selected Clemson defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart with their pick. As for the tight end position, they pivoted and traded up for LSU tight end Bauer Sharp in the sixth round.
Rather than an immediate impact receiving threat like Joly, Sharp looks more poised to compete for a spot at the bottom of the roster or practice squad. His path to the roster will depend on how he performs on special teams.
The Bucs did trade up for Sharp, so they clearly coveted him as a prospect, but he doesn’t seem poised to make the same impact Joly could’ve made on day one. The Bucs can thank Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos for that.
Add us as a preferred source on Google