What Positions Will the Bucs Pick in the 2021 Draft? | Bucs Insider

it's it's I will I love a free agency. There's not really this you know, date that we're like you ever done, but it feels like we've at least got a lot more information now, a lot to talk about.

So I'm sure you guys have plenty questions. You can submit those under our live video on Facebook and the comment section for me to be able to find them, and as we get people chance to do that, I figured we'd start with the news that we have brought back and Dominican Sue, and I know it also feels a little bit longer ago, but Leonard four Nett had not technically been signed by our last one of these shows, so we didn't get to dive into it tons. So if we'd start with both of those and just your

initial thoughts on on both of those signings. Well, the great phrase right now was all twenty two Bucconers, the first team since nineteen seventies seven to bring back all twenty two of their starters, I mean, the first Super Bowl champion since nineteen seventy seven to bring back all their starters from that Super Bowl. And you know, you can judge it either way, or we're talking about the starters that were there on Day one last year or the stars in the Super Bowl because it wasn't the

exact same one up. But in either case, the answer is yes. So everybody is back, including most of the key reserves as well. So, um, it's it's it's exciting. It's a little hard to believe that that Jason Letton and Mike Greenberger and Jackie Davidson and everybody were able to get it all done, because back when Bruce arians was telling everybody at the boat parade that that they weren't going anywhere, so to speak, Uh, it's sounded good, but it also sounded like, well, that's a lot of

promises it's gonna be hard to keep. But they managed to do it. And I think it probably comes down a little bit um of the bond. They keep talking about how closely knit this team is, and that's easy to say after you've had a successful season that helps build that bond, But everybody's tends seems to think that this has a particularly tightly knit team. And you know is usually you see one or two guys when you

win a championship. Obviously that's a big incentive to come back and try to do it again, but you'll also get that bit of a super Bowl balance if you're a free agent, like, hey, this is my chance. I'm high profile right now, this is my chance to go get a big contract somewhere. So that generally happens avoted two players on the need championship team, and the fact that didn't with the Buccaneers is almost amazing. Yeah, I

completely agree. Uh. And in terms of like we talked about free agency not technically being done, even though we did bring back all those starters, one person that we keep getting lots of questions about, of course, is Antonio Brown. So what do you think the odds are bringing him back? And if we didn't bring him back, what would that mean? Just kind of the larger implications of his role on

the team. Or not on the team. Yeah, it would make sense that the news is and all the rumors and the reports now are focused on Antonio Brown because he's really the only significant contributor that has not that is not under contract now. So um, it makes sense to keep asking about that and all the reports I see, um, you know, and the things that we hear that it's

not particularly close. So that sounds like a team that would you know, the Buccaneers quite frankly, I have been scraping up against the top of the cap during all of this process, so they probably are in a position where they can't really break the bank. And maybe on the other side, the players looking for specific number and if they're not there, then then he's gonna keep looking for the bucks and elsewhere. We'll see what happens with that.

But um, it's hard to get too upset about possibly not getting one of all those guys back when you got all of them back. I mean, you know, we really can't complain at this point. Yes, And if there's into the rest of your question, if you don't have a B which was the case for the first half of the season last year, anyway, you just probably see more of Scotty Miller and probably development of Tyler Johnson. And you know, I think some of Buck fans will

probably be excited about seeing more of those guys. Yeah, yeah, that's a great point. All right. I love this question. Mike said, do you think the league will keep the i R rules from last year? It seemed to help a lot of teams, especially in the playoffs. I know that the play the teams wanted, that's for sure, absolutely, And that is a very good question, and I hope

that they do. Um. If anybody doesn't know the history of this, that used to be the way injured reserve was, you could put guys, You could put any number of guys on and bring them back off. Uh. The problem of the reason they finally changed that and made injured reserve, um, you know once you went on a final for the season, was that there were teams that kind of played a little fast and loose with that, and it was it was a way to stash some players, some extra players

that you didn't have room for. Just oh he's you know, his his his knees acting up a little bit for three weeks, and then he's back when you need him. But then after years and years of realizing that you know, once you're on I are you're finished, was a little too restrictive. They started to chip away at a little bit and giving those options of you could have one guy that you brought back from injury as long as he was there for eight weeks, and then they made

it two, and then they made it three. And then of course last year, driven by the pandemic and try to give teams roster flexibility, they did the thing where you could bring back an unlimited number of guys and I think they only had to be on there for three weeks if I remember correctly. Um, I think that's the where we are as a league now. You know, I don't think you need to worry about teams going back and you know, stashing players with that, I think

legitimately you need that option. It really does help the flexibility. I mean, it certainly worked out for the Buccaneers that when Vida veya surprising was able to come back, we were able to bring him back. So I'm in favorite of it. I think, if not exactly the same rules, at least more in that direction of being more flexible

will be the case going forward. Yeah, I agree, and I think especially with now they're being the seventeen game season, that feels like an even bigger reason to have something like that in a good sort of concession, when you're talking about the health potential you know of your guys and injuries being one of the big concerns of it. If you know you can bring everybody back that that that could really help your team if you haven't even

you know, one more week to worry about. Um. We also Dustin asked about the status of O. J. Howard, which we can take multiple ways to be a let's talk both about his health and about whatever his contract situations are and what you think the role on this team be now that especially we know that Gronk is back. Okay, so o j Um. Last time that I think it was Bruce arians was talking, he said, oh j looks great. He's coming along perfectly. Hasn't had no setbacks in his

recovery from his injury. And as we remember, that was a week four injury, so you know, it sucked that he missed most of the season, but on the other side of that coin, he's had a lot longer to rehabilitate, so um, apparently he's coming along fine and Bruce Arians does expect him to be on the field at some point in the off season program, if, of course there is on field work in the off season program. We still don't know the answer to that. So that's the

good news on that front. I don't think there's any doubt that he'll be ready to go for training camp barring some such some setback. As for his contract status, the Bucks elected last year to pick up right around this time of the year is when you have to do it and when we will be doing it shortly with Vita Vea pick up the fifth year option that every first year or first round player gets on their contract.

It's a team option, so it's every first round player gets a four year contract with a team option for a fifth year. But you have to decide if you're gonna pick that team up that option up before his fourth season, and the buckeyer said yes with o J, so they have that and now, um, since the new cb A, that contract is fully guaranteed. And also it goes up quite a bit. You know, if it was a quarterback, he'd probably be like seventeen or eighteen million.

I'm not sure exactly what it is thinks about eight million for a tight end. So his contract went up a big amount, and so he's getting paid a lot more this year, but it's also guaranteed. And uh, you know, and I know they've talked a lot about how well they think how you know, Bruce Arian said, this guy's limit for o J in this offense. So all things pointing out for o J. How hard. He just needs to have a season when he doesn't have some freaky

bad luck with an injury. Right, Absolutely, we will be hoping for that because man, I do want to see him fully healthy, fully ready to go that that in that arsenal, and with Tom Brady loving his tight ends, I think that's gonna be really fun to watch. Um. All right, Kyle asked who's going to be the backup quarterback? And I'm gonna add onto this of why don't we not just talk about this year, but uh, just the

quarterback situation moving forward? When you know, do you draft somebody, do you keep the group that you've had, Let's just look at the quarterback position overall. You know, you don't have to take these questions and raise the level of difficulty. Yes, that's exactly what I do. That's what I'm here for everybody else is being too nice to you. I gotta make your earn your money. You know, well, there is

no backup quarterback right now. There there isn't one. So the answer to the question right now is there nobody. But obviously that has to change. Um. Probably I applied for the position. It hasn't called me back yet. I'm very frustrated. You know, did you have a drill? Did you show him how you can throw? Yeah? I mean obviously he just Ye, he's a little busy right now, he's been he's got some things going on. But I'm

convinced he's going to recognize my potential. Well, you know, I think I still continue to think that the most likely option is the resigning of Blaine Gabbert. And um, obviously you needed to get through a lot of other free agency stuff first. Uh, that's not guarantee, but it seems like the best option to me because I think Bruce arians wants a veteran backup and one that has experienced as a starter in the NFL, and in his case, has experienced starter of in this offense back in Arizona

U Ryan Griffin also unsigned. He's a guy that knows the system. It's been around a long time, and we've talked a few times about the draft and quarterbacks because Bruce Arians and Jason light A Bull said, yeah, they would like to draft a quarterback. In fact, they felt that way last year and said they were waiting to see if it worked out right. If the if a player and his value and the pick came together, then they would do it. They didn't end up doing it

last year. Tried an undrafted freation and read Senate that didn't work out here, although he is still with the Dolphins. UM, I think it's even more likely that they would do that this year a few rounds in. Tom Brady is probably going to play the next two seasons, and so it would make sense to take a second, third, fourth round player if there's one that's a good value there

and really has some potential. And I think there are some quarterbacks like this in this class because it's so top heavy with five of them, that that means five teams probably in the first round, are going to get their quarterbacks. And then there's other teams that aren't going

to be interested in quarterback. So some guys that could have been a little higher on the board in other years might last a little bit longer because there's fewer teams that are looking for a quarterback as you go along. So it's's It seems to make a lot of sense to me that somewhere in the middle of the draft of Bucks will pick up a quarterback and and probably

that would be your third guy behind a veteran. Yeah, and I know that after the show, Scott and I are going to be shooting our Road to the Draft segment and I'm sure we'll get into this a little bit more with that. So if you want more draft specific talk, definitely stay tuned for the next edition of The Road to the Draft, because that's definitely a topic we'll get into. Shann As you asked, do you think we trade back with our first pick at thirty two?

Every time you ask Jason light a question like this, uh, he says, Hey, we can do anything. I'm not saying we're definitely gonna trade back. I'm not saying we're definitely gonna trade up. We're really flexible. Um. The one thing to keep in mind when you trade back from thirty two, that means you're trading out of the first round and whatever player you pick you then only have a four

year contract. The advantage of that first you know the advantage of the thirty second pick over the thirty third pick pick as you get a contract where you would have that fifth year option. I don't think that's enough to keep the Bucks from trading back at the value is there, And certainly that seems like it could work out well for the Buccaneers if there's somebody that wants to move up and get that last pick in the

first round, because again, the need isn't strong there. And if you get the thirty two and you've got three ed dressers and three corners and two tackles and a running back and you like all of them, um, and you'd be happy with any one of them, then it makes a lot of sense to try to get some more assets and end up with one of them seven

or eight picks later. I like this questions. I asked, how many of the players from this last year's team do you think will eventually make the Bucks Ring of honor? M hm, Oh, that's a good one. I feel like that could be a whole article for you. Yeah, good idea. They're looking for some content. Levante David is a lock obviously. Mike Evans is an absolute stone cold lock. Those two for sure. Um, those two could retire right now when I would be sure they will be in the Ring

of on Um, Well, there's a lot of possibilities. I mean, if Tom Brady plays three seasons for US and we win two Super Bowls, is he in the Ring of Honor? I mean I almost feel like he is, even just with one super Bowl, like you know, like I just it's it's I mean, and don't tell me that wouldn't be a draw for the game that he's getting inducted to the Ring of Honor. But Brad Johnson won one Super Bowl and he's not in the ring about It's true. That's a good point. Those two are the obvious ones.

It's probably little too early on any of the others to know for sure. Allan Mark pett is the one that would come to mind. Um, I think Chris Godwin, if he is here long term, definitely he could be one. Yeah, we'll have to see because right now, you know, he's only playing on a one year contract, so hopefully he's around for a long time. I think you gotta just say Lavante and Mike are sure things and after that, we need a few more years to have a better idea.

I like that, all right, Well that's gonna do it for us on this edition of Buccaneers Inside are Live presented by Miller Lyte. Thanks for being with us, and we'll see you next week.