Rob Gronkowski is a Buccaneer & Final Pre-Draft Breakdown | Bucs Insider

the next week. We were finally in that period where we have been guessing at things and hypothetical things, and we are finally going to know something, hopefully, but unfortunately not quite as soon as we thought we would, just when we thought we were so close. Uh So, in case people haven't heard all the news, what has happened in terms of the timing of everything, you know of the franchise tag, the CBA voting and how all these affect each Other's a very fluid situation and usually this

you don't see this very often in the NFL. Generally you have specific dates and they don't ever change, so you know exactly what your deadlines are going to be. But it's a different landscape right now because deciding upon whether or not to reach agreement on the c b A obviously is the most important thing then that's going to affect the next decade of this league, so you just kind of have to wait. Uh, they pushed the the NFL p A pushed their deadline for players to

get their votes in back to Saturday. So subsequently, the NFL pushed the deadline for putting franchise or transition tags to Monday, which makes sense because the way it was laid out before where you had to get the transition that you had to have those tags in by four o'clock on Thursday, but players were still voting till Thursday,

didn't really make a lot of sense. It was. It was kind of a messed up timeline because if the new c b A and everybody, I think most people already know this, but if there's a new cb A, it will likely change the rules for this season on how you can use tags. This is sort of an unusual season in that the last year of the c b A, by rule, you can use both the franchise

and transition tags in the same year. So there's there's not a lot of teams that would need to do that anyway, but there's a couple that are probably considering it. We could possibly be one of them, and you know, maybe Dallas like that. So the timeline is different, but the decisions are still the same. We're trying to give you the chance to make the decisions with all the available information rather than guessing. Which is good and helpful. It makes sense, it does. It kills us because we've

been dying to know things. But there's another deadline coming because the eighteen, which is a week from today, I believe for is the start free agency. So you know, we better know by then. We got to know things by that point. Um and I saw another piece of news that came out. We had a question already about a Gilbert asked, what does the compensatory pick mean for us? Well,

it means we get another pick. We got a fourth round pick, number one thirty nine overall, which is the highest compensatory pick we have gotten since two thousand and three. I believe that one didn't really work out. We picked now. While I applaud the Buccaneers anytime they pick a player from Northwestern, Northwestern Center, Austin King didn't work didn't really work out for us, But a fourth round pick is pretty valuable. I mean what's a recent fourth round pick?

Jordan whit Kwan Alexander Right, Yeah, starters. So, um, it can be very valuable, not only for the fact that you might grab another valuable player, but it also since two thousand seventeen, you can trade those picks. Before you were not allowed to, but now gives Jason had a little more ammunition for moving up and down around around the board if he wants to. But uh, it's good. It's it's the highest pick we've had in a long time.

Generally when we've gotten them, they've been seventh rounders, and and no offense to the seventh rounders we've taken, but not many of them really pan out. So this is a much more significant one. And the most significant player we've ever taken with a compensory pick compensatory pick was a linebacker Al Shremand Singleton. He ended up being a starter on the Super Bowl team, So it can happen. Uh. It also finalizes the draft order, so we know where all our picks are exactly like one seen in the

fourth round and so on. So I got a story about that up on Buccaneers here on Bucaneers dot com or on buckaneers dot com. If you want to go check it out. Okay, perfect, I thought this question was funny. David said, how many people do you think we'll ask about Teddy Bridgewater and Tom Brady today? Well at least

one already. So yeah, basically, why don't we just talk about overall, uh, those two guys, what you know, what we've kind of heard in general, how they might fit um within this system or the likelihood and just you know, we know that this is this is what everyone's talking about, not just for the Buccaneers but around the league, that

the quarterback carousel is the story right now. By the way, I think in previous years when we've been confronted with questions such as this before the start of fredency, we usually declined because we were afraid that we'd be violating tampering policy as NFL employees. But we have since learned that it's okay for us to do it right. Yes, because I think they finally realized we actually have no authority,

no power, no influence whatsoever. And I think that it was probably too big of a compliment that they thought that us saying something on this show would probably have an effect. So Teddy Bridgewater and Tom Brady. Um. I don't think you really look at Tom Brady and go, wow, is he a fit for this offense? You look on and go, he's maybe the greatest quarterback of all time, still playing at a high level. So um, if that's an option, it's hard to feel bad about that, right.

Teddy Bridgewater obviously less of a body of work, but really played well last year for New Orleans. And I know there's a lot of people out there to say Teddy Bridgewater isn't a perfect fit proce Arians for Bruce Arians his offense, And they apply the same logic to any quarterback, like say a quarterback in the draft, like Jacob Eeson who has a big, strong arm, Like, well,

there's there's a Bruce Arians quarterback. Teddy Bridgewater maybe not as powerful of an arm quarterback, so therefore not a fit. But I think that's a little bit overblown. I think Teddy Bridgewater could easily command uh Bruce Arianss offense. Uh. Certainly, what you'd have is an accurate passer and one who has done a real good job throughout his career and last year of keeping the interception right down. And that's

obviously would be a big change from what we've been experiencing. Right, Um, and back to the c b A a a little bit to Kwan had asked, what are the rules of cb A voting? Is it a majority rule? Yeah, it's just a simple majority of whoever votes. And I know that's a big deal. It's like a microcosm of you know, the country when we're having these elections. The big deal for a lot of people is just trying to urge as many people as possible to actually exercise the right

to vote. So I know there's people, there's players in the like on the executive committee or or more involved in the union who, um are really involved in this and know all the ins and outs of the proposal. But what they really want is for as many of the players in the rank and file to actually look at it and to vote, because not everybody's going to vote, but they like to get as many as possible to do so. Um And so yeah, once they do, it'll

be a simple majority of that vote. Yeah. And they have made the rule that guys can't change their vote, which I don't know if I feel good about that. Yeah, I have. I have mixed reviews, but I mean, I guess if you think about it. You don't get to change your presidential vote. You know, just most times, once you vote, you vote. That's just typically how it works. Now they do it. Seems like with technology that wouldn't

be that hard. But yeah, I mean I get what they said, where if you voted, that meant you felt like you had enough information to do the vote. Yeah, So procedurally I understand, and it's hard to argue with. But if you're a person who's rooting for the CBIA to pass, and you know, I don't, I'm not picking a side here between owners and players, but I want a new CBA in place. Person. Yeah whatever, we're not going to say anything about what's in it. We have no you know, dog in that type, but just we

there to be well. I hope the players get what they want and the teams get what they want. Um. You know, it's obviously you have to meet in the middle somewhere. And the classic line is if neither side

is happy, then it's probably a good deal. But the back to the changing the votes, I understand procedurally why they would say no, and I get it, but if your person rooting for this to pass, you kind of probably wish they would because from what what I understand, the thought is that the majority of the players who want to change their votes want to change from a no to a yes because it's more of your rank and file type, the ones who are not going to

command the biggest salaries, and um, maybe some of them were lad to believe. Uh, we're convinced by some of the more star power players, the ones with the who are going to get the huge contracts, that this was not a good deal for them, and now they're starting to feel with more information, hey, this is a good deal for me. Maybe I should have voted yes. Interesting, Yeah,

that'll be interesting to see. Um. Garrett asked, do you see Sue stain Um and just in general as far as the front seven goes, He said, we could use that again this season. Number one run defense. Absolutely, we want that. I know you could. Every time they talk about it Bruce arians and Jason Light, which they did most recently at the Combine, there's no hesitation in what

they want. They want to bring all of those guys back, and Bruce or Jason was asked specifically about the three of Shack Barrett and Dominican Sioux and Jason Pierre Paul and that's why I'm I'm telling you he was asked that specifically, because I don't want to act like I'm ignoring like Karl Massum or somebody like that. But he was specifically asked, can you keep all three of those?

And he said, I hope so, I think so. So they want to and we all want to because it was the thing that worked the best on defense from beginning to end, you know, the secondary kind of turning things around. Devin White kind of developed, went through some injuries, but from the beginning of the league the year to the end, the defensive front was really good. And and Bruce arians has said, we need to keep that intact and it won't matter who we have a quarterback if

we can't keep that defense. So um Patrick asked, what is the front office looking to handle in free agency and raft positions? First? So I guess essentially the top priorities and is it the same in both or or maybe different. Well, what we were just talking about, I think would be their priority priority and free agency and um at the combine again, they were talking about this and they said, yes, there's some there's some really good

prospects that could be available. Some big guys on the interior line and some pass rushers at pick number fourteen, and if you look at mock drafts, you'll see a lot of them. Give us guys like Calevan Chason an edge rusher or Javon kin law Uh, you know, an interior lineman who can put on some pressure, and those would be good picks in those areas. But Bruce said, you know, let's or maybe it's Jason Cameron, which one.

Those are good prospects and that that's an option for us, but let's see what we can get back first and

then see what we have to fill in. So I think free agency in terms of the defensive front is the priority when it comes to things like maybe you need another safety, that might be another thing you address, and free agency, Um, when it comes to something like offensive line, that seems like something you probably try to do in the draft, you know, because you already have three really highly paid starters on your offensive line and it's kind of hard to imagine putting another big contract

on a free agent on that unit, whereas if you draft a guy, you get a pretty cost controlled asset. Right, Yeah, that's a good point. Um, This is an initesting question. We haven't actually had it at we've we've been asked about Jamis. I thought every which way possible. I think we finally have a new way, So I figured I'd use this one. Carlos said, since Winston has had LASIX fixed his knee and his thumb, would that make you

give him more likely to give him another chance? So does that change things now that you know that those things have been to me? No, Um, the knee and the thumb things, those were obviously going to be done. You were and it was it was impressive that he played through those things. Let's for that. His toughness has

never been never been a question. And um, and he's still there were too many picks obviously in the last month, but he still also was putting up some big numbers, you know, in terms of yards and touchdowns and and to do all that with the two injuries, that was impressive. But there was never any doubt that those things are going to be fixed. And they weren't injuries. There weren't

procedures that were going to be long term deals. Like it wasn't like a replacement of a N A. C. L. It's just I think it was a meniscus, the lasing thing. I'm glad for him as a human that he got. You know, somebody who's um, let's see was near set right the as you trouble seeing farce, So we had trouble reading the boards. It would squint. Um. We knew this already. I mean, Bruce has answered a question about it at his last press conference at the end of

the season. He says, yeah, he has to squint to see the board, but doesn't have any problem seeing his receivers. So it's if it could possibly help him play quarterback. But I don't think it necessarily will and I don't think it was holding him back, you see what I'm saying. So I don't think you took Jamison. You made him a much better quarterback by getting lace. I think it's good that he got it for him, and I'm glad for him. And if he thinks that will help him

play football, he would know better than I know. To me, that doesn't really change the price tame. Okay. And then we were talking about also the new potential rules being put forward that the owners meetings are in a couple of weeks, and that's always something that they debate there every year if they want to implement any of these new rules. So what are some of the ones that if people haven't heard yet, that um, you find interesting

or that could really impact the games. So like, in addition to the Competition Committee being able to come up with ideas to put out for a vote, teams can submit ideas and teams, various teams I think Philadelphia was involved in four of them have put together seven rule proposals that will now be discussed at the league meetings. And I think the couple that I find most interesting are one they want to have another option for on site kicks, and this is one that's been discussed before,

so it's not a new idea. But as you know, UM kicks have dropped in percentage of how many are successful. I mean it's seven points last year, I think. But um, that's because they have the rules where you can only have so many guys on each side of the kicker. And that's good because it was it was just another safety thing and so pretty much when you pass safety rules, you don't go backwards. So I don't think they're going to change that. So the onsite kick is not a

high percentage play at all. And I guess teams want to have an option where hey, it doesn't feel like we're just going through the motions. It's never gonna work right. When you see an honest like kick nowadays, you you

don't think it's gonna work right. So I think it was Philadelphia proposed that one that's been bandied about the last couple of years of you, after you score, if you want this option for an onside kick, you get the ball your own twenty five facing fourth and fifteen and if you can convert that and then you keep it. If not, the obviously you're giving the ball in your territory. So it's kind of the same two possible outcomes a little more punitive in this case because you're giving them

ball you're five or thirty or something like that. Um, but it's the same idea. You get it's a tough play, but if you get it, you get possession. If not, then you're getting the ball in in your own territory. So it's an interesting idea. And then the other one that I thought was significant was a proposal to move over time back from timids to fifteen, which I don't think will asked because again it's another player's safety. But I thought that rule of changing to ten was dumb.

I don't think it's had good consequences, and I wish they would change it back to fifteen. The ten minute period. If one team has a relatively lengthy drive but doesn't score or scores a field goal, you know, then the other team gets shot. There's often not a whole lot of time left. Yeah, I wish they would change that back, but I doubt it will happen. All right, Well, that's gonna do it for us on this edition of Buccaneers

Insider Live, presented by Miller Lyte. Thinks, as always to everyone who's submitted questions, will be back here next week, hopefully with some answers, and if not, it's at least the beginning of what tampering periods by the yes, we will. All right, Well, thanks again and we'll see you next week.