Tampa Bay Buccaneers going BPA should scare the rest of the NFL

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head into the 2021 season with plenty of momentum. After dominating Super Bowl LV over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buccaneers were ready to run it back for the 2021 season. Head coach Bruce Arians went on a tirade at the parade, stating that everyone would be coming back.

Well, it’s so far, so good for the Buccaneers. They brought back pass rusher Shaquil Barrett on a four-year, $68 million deal to keep the front four together. The Bucs also franchise-tagged wide receiver Chris Godwin, and brought back linebacker Lavonte David on a two-year deal worth up to $25 million. Rob Gronkowski is back on a one-year deal as well.

This roster is completely back together and should be considered among the favorites to win the Super Bowl again in 2021. The best part for them?

The 2021 NFL Draft lies ahead, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the ability to go best player available, which should scare the league.

Yes, a lot of teams in the draft usually go by the “BPA” model. But, a lot of teams still draft for need at the right value. For the Buccaneers, they can truly add the best player in nearly every round of the 2021 NFL Draft, in order to beef up an already stacked roster.

Imagine a scenario where the Bucs feel strongly about the offensive skill positions in this draft. Believing that the defensive tackle class is weaker (which is the consensus), and they don’t get value on the edge that they like in the first couple of rounds.

The running back class has some talented players who could be available at the end of round one, and with two impending free agents after the 2021 season (Ronal Jones and Leonard Fournette, who is back on a one-year deal) they could make the offense even more explosive. Travis Etienne has the game-breaking speed and improving hands in the passing game to be a major factor as a rookie.

Now, after that, imagine that the Buccaneers love a player who’s available at the end of round two who can become a stud in the passing game. Mike Evans and Tyler Johnson are both in house for the long term, but Godwin could end up leaving after the 2021 season. Because Tom Brady looks good enough to play a few more seasons, perhaps another receiver could be selected on day two.

It depends on how the rest of the league feels about his size, but Rondale Moore could be a great fit in the slot in this offense. Schemed touches, combined with his explosiveness, would add another threat for defenses to think about. North Carolina’s Dyami Brown can become a fun vertical threat in a Bruce Arians offense.

Let’s flip things to the other side of the ball. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have an elite group on the defensive line, but as the saying goes, you can never have enough pass rushers.

With Jason Pierre-Paul and Barrett on the edge, rotating in a young player with upside could make the group even more lethal. Gregory Rousseau’s stock has taken a tumble in recent months, but he still has the length and physical stature to develop into a good pro. Jaelan Phillips put up outrageous numbers at his pro day, but medicals are still a question mark. If he falls, adding Phillips to Todd Bowles’ defense would be exciting.

As far as the interior goes, a lot of players have question marks in the 2020 NFL Draft. He didn’t put up much production in college, but Levi Onwuzurike would be a fun addition to the group. Adding his initial quicks and pass rush ability to a group with Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea would be a very good rotation.

It’s hard to know the direction the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will go in the first couple of rounds, but their ability to be flexible should scare the league. Add that to the reputation of Jason Licht and his scouting department in recent years, and the NFL could be staring down a juggernaut in 2021.