Bucs Nation
Let’s check the thermostat on more time before draft weekend.
The Buccaneers took their usual approach to free agency again, focusing on retaining their own guys while making strategic outside additions.
It’s largely led them to success this decade, so it’s hard to fault them for maintaining the status quo. With the biggest additions being the retention of Chris Godwin and the requisition of pass rusher Haason Reddick, Tampa largely stuck to filling in the margins with small contracts.
Do their free agency moves move our thermometer much with less than 3 weeks until the 2025 NFL Draft? Let’s do a quick re-check.
Quarterback
Temperature: Cool (unchanged)
Retaining Kyle Trask as their backup cements the team’s quarterback room for the upcoming season. Trask will duke it out with second-year practice squad inhabitant Michael Pratt for backup duties behind Baker Mayfield.
A draft pick here in an incredibly shallow class feels all but ruled out at this point.
Running Back
Temperature: Cool (previously cold)
What is going on with Rachaad White?
In late February, news broke that the FBI reportedly launched an investigation into an alleged extortion attempt against White. Serious business for sure, but word about that, and White himself, has been practically mum since then.
It doesn’t seem like he’s in the wrong at this moment, but between that and this being his contract year, I’m going to bump the thermostat up slightly to Cool to account for the unknowns. It’s a deep class with some intriguing names on Day 3, including Southern California’s Woody Marks, who’s a fantastic receiving option.
Wide Receiver
Temperature: Lukewarm (previously warm)
Chris Godwin is back to likely ride out the last of his prime years in red and pewter, undoubtedly a celebratory occasion. The 29-year-old reportedly turned down a Brinks truck’s worth of cash from other parties to stick with the team that drafted him and his long-standing teammates, which says a lot about him and the culture the franchise has built.
As long as he’s all clear from his ankle injury, he should return to being the highly productive 1b to Mike Evans’s 1a. That drastically drops receiver down the needs list with a top 3 of those two and the promising sophomore Jalen McMillan. Sterling Shepard also returned so that’s another valuable bit of veteran depth.
Day 3 remains the spot to look for here. Illinois’s Pat Bryant, Maryland’s Tai Felton, or Jaylin Lane from Virginia Tech are all options.
Tight End
Temperature: Lukewarm (unchanged)
This room remained the same and so has the outlook. If the board really falls unfavorably in Round 1 defensively, could Michigan’s Colston Loveland be an option? Seems unlikely but we shall see.
Offensive Tackle
Temperature: Cold (unchanged)
This one briefly spiked when Justin Skule unexpectedly departed for the Minnesota Vikings, but it returned to nominal when the team quickly replaced him with veteran Charlie Heck.
Heck isn’t very good, but the 28-year-old has a decent amount of experience (23 starts over 5 seasons) and will...
