Question: Scott, how much do you think the Bucks’ run defense will suffer with Shaq Barrett being cut? He’s always been a high-end run defender.
answer: That’s a good question. It’s certainly possible that Tampa Bay’s run defense will decline a bit next year without Shaq Barrett. Barrett was a very good run defender for the Bucs for many years despite being only 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds. He played with great stand-up and leverage, which helped him catch blocks and get behind, as well as initiate contact with tight ends and offensive tackles.
Despite coming back from a torn Achilles tendon at age 31, Barrett’s Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 68.9 was the best among Bucs defenders at the line of scrimmage, defensive backs and outside linebackers. That was just ahead of nose tackle Vita Vea (67.9), who weighs more than 100 pounds than Barrett.
UCLA EDGE Laiatu Ratu – Photo courtesy of USA Today
In his return to the Buccaneers, outside linebacker Marquise Watts had the next-best grade at 66.9 points, but played very few snaps in run defense, with only seven. Yaya Diaby, who will start at outside linebacker, has a run defense grade of 66.5 PFF, and Joe Tryon-Soyinka, who is likely the current front-runner to replace Barrett, has a run defense grade of 60.2. was. Anthony Nelson, who also competes with JTS, earned a 53.4 PFF run defense grade.
The Bucs are expected to select another edge rusher in this year’s NFL Draft, as he did not mention the position in free agency. UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, who would be considered at No. 26 if still on the board, earned a run defense grade of 82.1 PFF last year. Latu officially met with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland also held official talks with Tampa Bay in Indianapolis and is projected to be in the top 30, averaging 83.4 points per game. Penn State’s Adisa Isaac, who also formally met with the Bucs at the combine, posted a similar defensive rating of 82.4 runs. Nyland and Isaac are considered second-round options for Tampa Bay.
question: Similar to the Jason Pierre-Paul trade, which edge rushers should the Bucs target in a trade? How much will each target cost?
answer: Other than Philadelphia’s Haason Reddick, I don’t know of any edge rushers who are definitely tradeable right now. The Eagles considered trading defensive end Josh Sweat, but decided to extend his contract for salary cap reasons. Carolina used the franchise tag on outside linebacker Brian Burns and then traded him to the New York Giants for a second-round pick in 2024 and a fifth-round pick in 2025. This could be the current rate for Redick, or it could be a little lower since he’s where he is now. An older player who will soon turn 30.
Two of Washington’s better-known edge rushers, Chase Young and Montez Sweat, were traded last year to the 49ers and Bears, respectively. Sweat signed a contract extension with Chicago, while San Francisco moved on from Young, who signed a one-year deal with New Orleans.
Eagles OLB Haason Reddick – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Other than Reddick, I don’t know of any other outside linebacker candidates that Bucs general manager Jason Richt could trade at this point.in Last week’s Bucs mailbag I discussed several reasons why teams likely wouldn’t be interested in trading Redick. I won’t go into details here other than to say he turns 30 this year and is entering the final year of a $15 million-a-year contract.
After back-to-back Pro Bowls, it’s hard to imagine Redick wanting to reduce his grades. As such, any team that trades Redick would need to take his $6.9 million salary in 2024 and would likely have to come up with an extension to justify giving up a draft pick. If not, that team would likely rent Reddick for just one year.
Redick has four consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks, including 11 sacks last year against Philadelphia, but he played twice with the Bucs last year and will suit up for two games in 2021. Despite appearing in the game, he did not record a sack against Tampa Bay. For Carolina. So we don’t know if he made the biggest impression on Richt and the Bucs brass.
At 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, Redick isn’t the biggest edge rusher either. In fact, he’s an inch shorter and 10 pounds lighter than Bucks Shaq Barrett. The Bucks might be interested if he were younger, but Jason Pierre-Paul was 29 years old when Tampa Bay acquired him in a trade with the New York Giants. The Falcons desperately need a pass rusher. Atlanta is rumored to be interested in trading Redick. Along with Arizona, the team that drafted him in the first round in 2017.
Question: I’m nNot sold on Bucs running backs. Is there a chance he will be drafted in the early rounds?
A: I don’t think the Bucs are looking to draft a running back before the third round this year. That seems to be the sweet spot for Jason Richt, who has drafted three running backs in the third round since taking over as general manager in 2014. In his first draft with Tampa Bay, Richt selected running back Charles Sims in the third round, then two years later, Richt selected current starter Rashard White in the third round of the 2022 draft.
Wisconsin RB Braeron Allen – Photo courtesy of USA Today
The Bucs need another rusher, as Chase Edmonds is the only proven player next to White on the depth chart. The Bucks wisely cut Vaughn, but he ended up being a bad draft pick. Sean Tucker was a highly touted signing as an undrafted free agent last year, but he was underwhelming and often inactive. Patrick Laird isn’t that talented and was on the practice squad last year, but he could be back there again.
This year’s running back class is not blessed with quality talent. In the past, there weren’t any great first-round backs like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, or Bijan Robinson. Florida State’s Trey Benson could be the first to come off the board this year, somewhere in the second round. Texas’ Jonathon Brooks, the most talented runner, is out with a torn ACL. He still has a chance to advance to the second round, but an injury could drop him to the third round.
With the interior offensive line and the urgent need for an edge rusher, the Bucs will likely tackle running back sometime in Day 3. Tampa Bay only formally interviewed two running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine, with Pewter Report reporting USC’s Marshawn Lloyd and Kentucky’s Ray Davis. Lloyd is an elusive and explosive back with great hands out of the backfield. He could be one of the team’s two third-round picks.
Wisconsin’s Braylon Allen is interesting in that he is a big back at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds and will only be 20 years old come draft weekend. Allen and Trojan Kimani Vidal run with quickness and power and could be fourth-round options. If Tampa Bay intends to select a running back late in the draft, Louisville’s Jawar Johnson and Georgia’s Kendall Milton could be options. All four of those runners interviewed privately with the Bucs in Indy.
question: Will Tampa end up drafting Texas A&M’s Rayden Robinson if he’s still available in the second round?
answer: I don’t think Texas A&M guard Rayden Robinson warrants a second-round rating. In fact, he may not be selected at all on Day 2. Robinson struggled at times at the Senior Bowl and didn’t do much at the NFL Scouting Combine. That doesn’t give him much momentum heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.
Robinson could be a third-round pick, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being a day-three pick. At that point, he could be an option for the Bucks if they don’t address the guard in the first two days of the draft, or if the Bucks want to hedge their bets and double up on the position to add depth to the position. there is.
Boston College G Christian Mahogany – Photo Credit: USA Today
Robinson is a pretty good athlete, but at 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds, he doesn’t have great size. Consistency in pass protection is a big issue for Robinson, and he will likely be left out of the starting lineup at the next level until his skills improve significantly in that area. To Pewter Report’s knowledge, the Bucks did not interview Robinson at the combine, officially or unofficially.
There are several other guard prospects that I like much more than Robinson. First up is Duke University’s Graham Burton, who will be drafted in the first round. If he gets picked No. 26 or if general manager Jason Richt trades up, he’ll likely be picked by Tampa Bay. To get him. UW’s Christian Haynes and Boston College’s Christian Mahogany are potential second-round options. Burton and Haynes formally met with the Bucs at the combine, and Mahogany had an informal interview.
It was also in Bucks Official interview Arizona left tackle Jordan Morgan, Oklahoma right tackle Tyler Guyton, Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe and Notre Dame right tackle Blake Fisher. All four have the potential to play guard at the next level, with Morgan and Guyton likely late first-round or early second-round selections, and Beebe and Fisher likely third-round candidates. Remember, Richt has had success drafting offensive tackles and moving them inside, and he did it with left tackle Cody Mauch last year and center Robert Hainsey four years ago.
question: What has surprised you the most about the Bucks’ offseason situation so far?
answer: I can’t think of anything very surprising. Pewter Report accurately predicted the release of outside linebacker Shaq Barrett and the trade of Carlton Davis III, so we were ahead of the news. I’m Bucs general manager Jason Licht and assistant GM Mike Greenberg have announced that the team’s four key free agents, Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield, Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans, and legendary I fully expected them to re-sign linebacker Lavonte David and kicker Chase McLaughlin.
Bucks WR Mike Evans and GM Jason Licht – Photo by Scott Reynolds/PR
And Pewter Report accurately predicted that All-Pro free safety Antwon Winfield Jr. would receive the franchise tag. Even re-signing former Bucs strong safety Jordan Whitehead, who played the past two seasons with the New York Jets, made a lot of sense and didn’t catch us off guard.
I think the fact that they signed wide receiver Mike Evans to just a two-year deal was a little surprising. I thought he would sign a three-year contract. In my opinion, a two-year contract works in the team’s favor. And the fact that Evans only averaged $21 million a year instead of $25 million was a bit of a surprise. Still, Evans has several incentives that could earn him up to $29 million.
If I had to choose which contract was the most surprising, I would say Jets cornerback Bryce Hall. I didn’t see such a move coming, but I think it’s great. Hall is a great fit for Todd Bowles’ defense, bringing his experience and length to the outside cornerback position. He will compete with Zion McCollum for the starting spot, but will likely fill the role of No. 3 cornerback on the depth chart.
