TAMPA, Fla. \- It’s already been a busy offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They managed to hang onto veteran wide receiver Mike Evans while re-signing quarterback Baker Mayfield, answering the biggest question they faced at the start of the offseason. Defensively, they used the franchise tag on Antoine Winfield while adding safety Jordan Whitehead and cornerbacks Bryce Hall and Tavierre Thomas to further reinforce the secondary.
On the basis of those moves, the Bucs still aren’t considered favorites to win the NFC South. That means they still face an uphill battle to make the playoffs. However, Tampa could be considered a dark horse bet in the NFC. To bet on the Buccaneers during the 2024 season, using a betting site that accepts PayPal transactions can make everything easier.
To improve their chances in 2024, the Bucs will use the upcoming NFL Draft to fill some of the remaining holes on their roster. Specifically, these are some of the positions Tampa will look to address during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Outside Linebacker
In a move to reduce costs, the Bucs released outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, who has since signed with the Dolphins. Although the Bucs discovered a promising starter in 2023 third-round draft pick YaYa Diaby, who led the team with 7.5 sacks, there remains uncertainty about who will play opposite him. Tampa’s pass rush turned out to be a critical factor in its narrow loss to the Lions in the playoffs, helping to make outside linebacker a top priority. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, their 2021 first-round draft pick, has not shown much promise. Anthony Nelson has primarily been a rotational player and Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez are relatively unproven options. In other words, Tampa will be looking for an impactful player at outside linebacker in the draft.
Inside Linebacker
Devin White's departure was expected, especially with former fifth-round draft pick K.J. Britt stepping up in White's absence during the latter part of the season and in the playoffs. Britt has been praised by the front office and figures to anchor the middle of the Tampa defense. The Bucs also have Lavonte David, who is likely to start alongside Britt. However, David is 34 and heading toward the end of his career, so the Bucs needed to be thinking about the long run. SirVocea Dennis is still around but he could be viewed as more of a depth piece than a long-term replacement for David.
Center
The Bucs have Robert Hainsey, who filled in for retired Ryan Jensen during the past two seasons. Despite Hainsey's diligent work in the weight room, he lacks the natural lower body strength and body composition required to excel as a top-tier center. Despite the Bucs no longer needing to emphasize pass protection quite as much, Hainsey's run-blocking performance has been subpar. That means the Bucs need to upgrade at center. This year's draft is considered strong in terms of interior offensive linemen, offering the Bucs an opportunity to bolster their offensive line.
Guard
Sua Opeta was signed earlier this offseason and has the potential to contend for a starting role. Last season, he achieved a 90.9% pass block win rate at the guard position. However, that ranked just 44th among guards with 500 or more snaps in that position. The Bucs could bank on Opeta being the answer, but they will also be open to other options. Keep in mind Tampa’s offensive line is filled with early-round picks, so this position has been a priority in past drafts. Given the depth of talent in this year's interior offensive line class, it's conceivable that the Bucs may target two interior linemen in the draft, including a player who can compete with Opeta as the starter at left guard.
Wide Receiver
The Bucs decided against exercising Russell Gage's option, creating an opening for a legitimate No. 3 receiver behind Evans and Chris Godwin. While there are players like Trey Palmer and Ryan Miller on the roster, there is a considerable drop-off in talent when you get past Evans and Godwin. That creates the need to add talent to that position group via the draft. Godwin could potentially move to the slot, giving Tampa the flexibility to look for a bigger receiver or find a slot receiver who can potentially push Godwin outside if the Bucs find a keeper. Either way, Tampa will be scouring the wide receivers in this year’s draft class.
