The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have attacked the 2025 offseason thus far, assessing the gaps on their roster in a timely fashion while maintaining some critical foundational pieces.
Tampa Bay retained Chris Godwin and Lavonte David after free agency opened. They also reeled in linebacker Haason Reddick, strengthening their pass rush in the process.
Such aggression on the market and on the foundation of last year's strong draft class, the Bucs enter the 2025 NFL Draft poised to focus on the best available talent, not locking down a specific need.
As general manager Jason Licht describes, they will target the best player when they are on the clock at No. 19.
"We've got a handful of players like we do every year that we think could be there at 19, including edge rushers," Licht said this week.
That freedom also gives Tampa Bay the capacity to become a trade parter for teams looking to move up. There are no indications that the Bucs want to move out of No. 19 but ESPN's Bill Barnwell matched them up with the Green Bay Packers in his all-trades mock draft.
In his projection, Tampa Bay moves out of the No. 19 spot back to No. 23 and gives up their fourth-round pick. However, the Bucs land a second third-round pick and an additional sixth-rounder.
The third one has the more intrigue, giving the Bucs another Day 2 talent. Altogether, that makes for a 34-spot jump to make what would be their fourth pick in the draft. An extra sixth-rounder is merely sweetener on the deal.
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This of course is a moot point if the Bucs lock in on a target for the No. 19 pick. If not, this projection lays out a realistic scenario where they can be a benefactor of other teams jockeying for position on their own prized targets.
Licht and his team have options to consider in their position. Frankly, there are fewer wrong answers than right ones for the Bucs in this case.
Assuming they do not proceed with any reckless abandon, the Bucs have an opportunity to come away from Day 1 as a winner.
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This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 10:54 AM.