Challenge.
The Bucs have so many holes on defense, a screenshot from an All-22 video of the Bucs defense looks like the surface of the moon.
The Bucs need defensive help in such a way that on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was encouraged to draft defense only no matter the position.
In a Bucs discussion heard on “Movin’ the Chains” last week, co-host David Moulton suggested that on the first two days of the draft, Licht shouldn’t go by the outdated philosophy of “best player available,” but instead go best defensive player available.
“Thursday and Friday should just, every time they’re on the clock, they should take the best defensive player on the board,” Moulton said. “Seriously. I mean, if by chance you can get a [pass] rusher, and if by chance you can maneuver up a couple spots in the first round and get a pass rusher, well then by all means, do it.
“But I would have no problem if the first four picks for Tampa Bay are just the four best defensive players on the board.”
That’s probably a pretty smart move if you ask Joe. What’s the only position on defense where the Bucs don’t need help? Joe would suggest safety.
And really, if a defensive coordinator is savvy enough and creative enough, he could concoct a defense using three safeties or at least use a safety at nickel and move Jacob Parrish to full-time corner.
Sure, the Bucs have two decent tackles but there are asterisks by both names. Vita Vea is pushing 32 and he wasn’t exactly dominant last year. Joe loves Calijah Kancey, but let’s be real: He’s never been healthy for a full year. So it’s not like adding a tackle would be an outrageous move.
So yeah, Joe likes Moulton’s thinking here: First four picks? The four best available defensive players on the board, regardless of position, when the Bucs are on the clock, isn’t a bad move.