Predicting the positions the Bucs will target in the 2022 NFL Draft

Defense will likely be the top priority for the Bucs in this year's NFL draft.

On the first day of March, Jason Licht told Peter Schrager of Good Morning Football that he would “leave the light on” for Tom Brady, should he decide to return for another season as the quarterback of the Buccaneers – despite Brady announcing his retirement from the NFL on February 1st.

.@Buccaneers fans, get over here!

GM @jasonrlicht joined @PSchrags at the #NFLCombine.

"You always leave the light on for a guy like @TomBrady." pic.twitter.com/3nclaP6fsa

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) March 1, 2022

A statement that surely felt like hopeless optimism to many at the time, has since proven to be a wise decision by the Bucs GM.

Fast forward one month, and as of today, not only has the greatest quarterback of all time committed to another season as a Buc, but his decision immediately sparked the interest of some of his old running mates to re-up and join him for his curtain call in Tampa. Key players from the Bucs Super Bowl run such as: Ryan Jensen, Carlton Davis, Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, William Gholston and Gio Bernard have all since agreed to terms to return to Tampa.

It didn’t take long for Brady’s reach to extend beyond the confines of One Buc Place, either, as two of Brady’s former teammates from New England, right guard Shaq Mason [via trade] and well respected veteran safety, Logan Ryan [free agent], both joined the team. Furthermore, ascending NFC South wide receiver, Russell Gage – who has torched the Buccaneers on numerous occasions as a member of the Atlanta Falcons – also jumped at the opportunity to team up with Brady and the Bucs.

READ MORE: Tom Brady reacts to Bruce Arians stepping down as Buccaneers' head coach

So Jason Licht’s patience paid off, there’s no denying that. He had a plan in place. And once Brady decided to un-retire, Licht and his staff were quick to pick up the pieces and put that plan into action. So after what has already been a whirlwind of an offseason, what’s next for Jason Licht and the rest of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers front office?

It seems pretty clear that the Bucs top priorities in free agency are to try and retain Ndamukong Suh and Rob Gronkowski. Both players would immediately bolster the strength of Tampa’s roster even further. Unfortunately, there’s currently no progress to report in terms of either player nearing a new contract. So until there is, it’s time to start looking at the next path that Jason Licht and his staff can take in order to add even more talent to this already impressive roster: The 2022 NFL draft.

As it stands, the Buccaneers have a total of six selections, including four in the first four rounds, which is more than enough ammunition to add some talent and depth to this team.

Bucs 2022 Draft Picks: Round 1 (27), Round 2 (60), Round 3 (91), Round 4 (133) Round 7 (248), Round 7 (261) 

Similar to last year, the Bucs don’t necessarily have any glaring weaknesses entering the draft. That said, there are several position groups that could still benefit from some added reinforcements. I project the majority of prospects selected by the Bucs in this year's draft to be on the defensive side. A lot can change between now and April 28th, especially with a number of quality free agents still without teams, but let’s take a look at some of the position groups that could be a priority for the Bucs come draft night, at least based on the roster as currently constructed.

Defensive Tackle

After signing a contract shortly after last season, Vita Vea is locked in as a core member of the Bucs defensive line moving forward. As it stands, he won’t be a free agent until 2027. William Gholston, the second longest serving Buccaneer, and a reliable interior force – especially defending the run – is back on a 1-year deal. Rakeem Nunez-Rochez, another important rotational player under contract, has proven to be an efficient, serviceable defensive tackle within his role. He's also developed a reputation from coaches and teammates for the valuable presence he brings to the locker room. Regardless of whether or not the Bucs are able to retain Ndamukong Suh on another short term contract, it’s obvious that Vita Vea will need support along the interior in order to continue to be the game wrecker he has become. Not to mention, at almost 350 pounds, Vea isn’t best utilized as a 3-down lineman anyway.

It’s important the Buccaneers try to bring back Suh to reinforce the stout defensive line that has been a staple of Todd Bowles’ defense in Tampa. I do however think it’s equally as important that the team makes this position a priority in the draft, as well. If they’re able to bring in a quality defensive tackle prospect, ideally one with pass rushing ability, to play alongside Vita Vea, it could go a long way towards ensuring the Bucs defensive line remains one of the more potent units in the entire league for years to come.

Names to watch: Devonte Wyatt (Georgia), Travis Jones (Connecticut), Phidarian Mathis (Alabama), Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma), DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M), Mathew Butler (Tennessee) 

Cornerback

Re-signing Carlton Davis for another three seasons was a crucial development for the quality and continuity of the team’s secondary. Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting will both be playing out the final years of their respective rookie deals this season, and ultimately, trying to prove to Todd Bowles and Jason Licht that they belong as core pieces of the group moving forward. When healthy, Jamel Dean has proven to be a very capable corner in the NFL, and a player I may be higher on than most. Murphy-Bunting on the other hand, despite his affinity for splash plays in big moments, has been far more volatile in his role – often alternating between outside corner and nickel – depending on matchups, injuries etc.

Jason Licht has already built a super bowl caliber defense once. Not only that, he achieved this while having each of his starters at the cornerback position playing under their rookie deals when they hoisted the Lombardi trophy. Additionally, each of the projected starting corners coming into this season were drafted in the second round or later. Combine these facts with the reality that two of them are impending free agents, and it doesn’t take a genius to assume that Licht may try and replenish that well once again this year.

Despite certain flaws in this draft class, the cornerback position is not one of them. There are a ton of corners with length, speed and agility – all traits coveted by the Bucs player personnel department. Adding one of them in the first few rounds would not only provide the team with an affordable, longer-term option than what they currently have in place opposite Carlton Davis, but it would also put pressure on Dean and Murphy-Bunting to perform this season in order to earn themselves a second contract in Tampa.

Names to watch: Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson), Kaiir Elam (Florida), Roger McCreary (Auburn), Kyler Gordon (Washington), Tariq Woolen (UTSA), Coby Bryant (Cincinnati), Cam Taylor-Britt (Nebraska) 

Safety

The Bucs safety room is in a good place. Just two years into his career, Antoine Winfield Jr. already has a Super Bowl ring and a Pro Bowl appearance on his resume. Losing Jordan Whitehead in free agency wasn’t ideal, but it felt like something the Bucs brass deemed a necessary sacrifice in order to give Mike Edwards more of an opportunity to show what he’s capable of in the last year of his rookie deal. To further reinforce the stability of this group, the front office brought in a veteran they had long coveted, signing a versatile player with great experience, Brady’s former teammate from New England, Logan Ryan.

The fact that two of the three safeties mentioned above are going to be free agents following this season, combined with the impressive crop of safeties that make up this year’s draft class, leads me to believe that Jason Licht and co. may just have their hearts set on drafting one. There’s a variety of dynamic, multi-faceted safety prospects with great scheme versatility available in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Bucs are well set up to take one should the opportunity present itself.

Names to watch: Lewis Cine (Georgia), Daxton Hill (Michigan), Jaquan Brisker (Penn State), Jalen Pitre (Baylor), Verone McKinley III (Oregon), Kerby Joseph (Illinois), Bryan Cook (Cincinnati)

 Tight End

The tight end position is one of the biggest question marks on the Buccaneers roster at this point in time. Rob Gronkowski is the elephant in the room. If he is to return to the NFL for another season, it would be shocking to see him do so for another team, as opposed to rejoining his career quarterback and good friend, Tom Brady. Alternatively, if Gronk were to retire, it would put the Bucs in a significant bind at the tight end position. One they would be obligated to not only address in free agency, but in the draft as well. Cameron Brate is back after restructuring his contract [again], but his best years are behind him. Brate’s lack of effectiveness as a blocker would be magnified significantly without Gronkowski in the fold.

Although there isn’t necessarily a surefire NFL stud tight end in this draft, there are a number of quality prospects with the potential to become number one options eventually. There is a strong possibility, whether Gronk returns to Tampa or not, that Jason Licht looks to add a player to this position group on draft night.

READ MORE: A look at the text message Bruce Arians sent to Tampa Bay Buccaneers players

Names to watch: Trey McBride (Colorado State), Cade Otton (Washington), Jeremy Ruckert (Ohio State), Greg Dulcich (UCLA), Jelani Woods (Virginia), Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina) 

The other positions with the highest likelihood of being drafted by the Bucs include: Offensive guard, inside linebacker, and running back. That said, I don’t view these position groups as high of a priority as those listed above. 

It's also important to take these predicted draft priorities with a grain of salt. Why? Because Jason Licht is a smart, savvy GM with an impressive track record of finding value in the draft. He won't allow positional preference to cloud his judgement should the highest player on his board, regardless of position, fall into his lap at any point of the draft.

Stay tuned to BucsGameday for all of your Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Draft coverage throughout the month of April.