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Buccaneers Rumors: TB Has Done 'Quite a Bit of Work' on QBs in 2021 Draft Class
April 29, 2021
The defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers may still have NFL legend Tom Brady at the helm, but don't be shocked if they look to draft a young quarterback to groom behind him at this year's draft.
According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the Bucs have "done quite a bit of work on the quarterback class, and not just the back-end guys—so it's certainly possible that they could come out of the weekend with an heir to Brady."
It's a bit hard to imagine using the No. 32 overall pick in the first round on the position, with the Bucs looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions. A more immediate, impact player in the first and second rounds would make sense.
Peter King of Pro Football Talk projects them to take Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. picked Barmore for the Bucs as well. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports likes Wake Forest edge-rusher Carlos Basham Jr. for Tampa Bay. Breer projected Tampa to go with Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome in his latest mock.
When you return all 22 starters from your Super Bowl winning team, you can afford to go with the best player on your board. And when you are loaded with talented offensive talent, you can afford to stock up on the defensive side of the ball.
That also means that eventually it will make sense for Tampa to roll the dice on a young quarterback. But while the top names—Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Mac Jones—will be well off the board at No. 32, the Bucs could jump on a player like Kellen Mond or Kyle Trask with a second- or third-round selection.
And hey, who better to learn under than Brady for a year or two? (Or three? Four? Five? Will he ever retire?) Most young quarterbacks, understandably, want to play right away.
But being groomed behind the G.O.A.T. is pretty sweet, too. And it sounds like the Bucs will go that route this weekend.