TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t making any daring predictions.
The four-time defending NFC South champions are assured, although, that they’ve a great probability to be higher due to the gamers they took within the NFL draft from Thursday via Saturday. Basic supervisor Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles count on their draft class to assist the workforce’s protection regain a few of the swagger it misplaced over the previous two seasons.
After taking Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka within the first spherical, Licht and Bowles shifted their consideration to bolstering the cross rush and secondary with the choice of two edge rushers and a pair of cornerbacks on the final two days of the draft.
Egbuka was the workforce’s high choose regardless of quarterback Baker Mayfield already having a stellar group of receivers at his disposal, together with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and 2024 third-round choose Jalen McMillan, who had seven landing receptions over his last 5 video games as a rookie.
With Evans — the franchise chief in receptions, receiving yards, TDs and scoring — coming into his twelfth 12 months and Godwin coming off a extreme ankle damage that sidelined him most of final season, although, the Bucs are banking on Egbuka serving to the workforce’s potent offense rating much more factors whereas not directly serving to a protection that hasn’t been as reliable as traditional.
“There’s lots to love about him,” Licht mentioned after choosing Egbuka, who helped Ohio State win the nationwide championship in January.
“It is also superior as a GM to have a head coach who’s a defensive-minded one who is operating up the hill together with his identify saying, ‘We’ve received to draft this man,’” Licht mentioned. “So it made it lots simpler.”
The Bucs re-signed Godwin to a three-year, $66 million deal this offseason and say the 29-year-old, who groups with Evans to present Tampa Bay one of the productive receiver tandems within the league, is making good progress in his restoration from the dislocated ankle that sidelined him after seven video games final fall.
“We’re fortunate to have all of them proper now,” Licht mentioned.
The GM additionally has a greater feeling in regards to the cross rush after signing free agent Haason Reddick to a one-year, $14 million contract this winter and drafting Central Arkansas linebacker David Walker and SMU defensive lineman Elijah Roberts on Saturday. A priority about depth at cornerback was addressed with the choices of Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison and Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish within the second and third rounds.
No hesitation
The Buccaneers took Egbuka with the nineteenth total choose regardless of not bringing him to city for a pre-draft go to, saying they have been acquainted sufficient with the Ohio State receiver as a participant and potential workforce chief that they did not have questions for — or about — him.
“We met him on the mix and we all know lots about him through the years,” Licht mentioned. “He is a real professional. Mature past his years. He is a perfectionist.”
Egbuka had 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns final season, when he helped the Buckeyes win the nationwide championship. He relishes the chance to play with Mayfield and a extremely productive group of receivers.
“I am a scholar of the sport,” Egbuka mentioned. “I really like studying about it.”
Third-day additions
The Bucs added three gamers on Saturday, taking a few edge rushers — Walker and Roberts — within the fourth and fifth rounds. Seventh-round choice Tez Johnson, an undersized however elusive broad receiver from Oregon, was Tampa Bay’s last choose.
Johnson can be reunited with a former faculty teammate, operating again Bucky Irving, who was a fourth-round choose in 2024 and rushed for 1,122 yards and eight TDs as a rookie.
Engaged on the protection
Tampa Bay ranked third behind Baltimore and Detroit in whole offense (399.5 yards per recreation) and fourth in scoring (29.5). Enhancing the protection was the highest precedence this offseason after the Bucs had issue producing a constant cross rush and forcing turnovers a 12 months in the past. The secondary completed with seven interceptions, tied for fourth-fewest within the NFL.
Along with relying on Reddick to rebound from a subpar 12 months with the New York Jets to rejuvenate their cross rush, the Bucs imagine linebacker Chris Braswell, a second-round draft choose in 2024, is poised to take a step ahead after having two sacks as a rookie. Third-year professional Yaya Diaby may make a distinction, too, if he can revert to the type of his rookie 12 months, when led the Bucs with 7 1/2 sacks.
Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum are the incumbent starters at cornerback, however Morrison and Parrish will get an opportunity to compete for taking part in time.
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