NFL teams use free agency to ensure they have starters this season, and the draft is for locking down starters for the following seasons. The Bucs have mostly stuck to this philosophy under general manager Jason Licht, building the majority of the roster through the draft while filling holes through free agency.
This year, the Bucs largely addressed their most pressing needs, apart from one or two starting jobs. Their main concern is filling out their depth, a hallmark of a perennial contender in the postseason.
Tampa Bay will also consider its needs after next season. Some Bucs poised to hit free agency will be given the opportunity to test the market, so the front office will begin laying the groundwork to maintain the roster against natural attrition.
These are the positions the Bucs will likely address in the upcoming NFL draft:
Inside linebacker
Lavonte David may seem ageless, but he will not be able to anchor the Bucs defense forever. He is also a little lonely in the middle of Tampa Bay's defense. Both of the linebackers who took most of the snaps next to him last year, K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell, are no longer on the roster. SirVocea Dennis should be back from a season-ending shoulder injury, and the Bucs signed Anthony Walker from the Miami Dolphins, but neither is an established starter, at least not yet.
One way or another, the Bucs have to address their long-term plan at inside linebacker. Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell remains the ideal pick to carry Tampa Bay's linebacker group into the future, but as the top consensus linebacker in the class, he may not be available when the Bucs make their first pick. South Carolina's Demetrius Knight Jr. and UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger are potential Day 2 targets if the Bucs don't land Campbell.
Safety/Nickel cornerback
The Bucs' plan at safety next to Antoine Winfield Jr. has not worked out the last two seasons with the additions of free agents like Ryan Neal, Jordan Whitehead, and Mike Edwards. This year, Todd Bowles appears to have designs on 2024 third-round pick Tykee Smith moving from the nickel corner spot to safety, and Christian Izien remains a valuable utility player. Still, the Bucs need to reinforce the secondary with more young talent.
Georgia S Malaki Starks is a popular pick for the Bucs, but given Tampa Bay's financial investment in Winfield Jr., using a premium pick on Starks may be too much of a luxury. Penn St.'s Kevin Winston Jr. and Notre Dame S Xavier Watts are both coming off injuries but have the talent to start in the NFL. If the Bucs opt to specifically ...
