Buccaneers' Team Needs to Fill in 2022 NFL Draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' roster is in much better shape than it was a month ago.

Tom Brady's return from his short retirement played a major role in that change. The Bucs head into draft season with fewer flaws on their roster than they had before the quarterback reversed his plans.

Tampa Bay will be the favorite to win the NFC South, but it needs to add some pieces in the 2022 NFL draft to contend for a Super Bowl title.

Bruce Arians and his staff need to find extra protection for Brady, who will be 45 by the time the campaign starts. The departures of Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa were covered with a trade for Shaq Mason, but one more starting-caliber offensive guard is required.

Tampa Bay could also use some help in two defensive spots. Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh are still free agents, and that should lead to the Buccaneers getting younger on the defensive line.

The Bucs should utilize April's draft to plan for the future at defensive back. They re-signed Carlton Davis, but they could lose Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting in free agency next offseason.

Offensive Guard

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The Buccaneers need an interior lineman to partner with Ryan Jensen and Shaq Mason.

The NFC South side did its best to keep the offensive line in front of Tom Brady in place for the 2022 season, but Ali Marpet retired and Alex Cappa signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mason's acquisition in a trade with the New England Patriots helped the situation, but the Bucs still need another starting-caliber offensive guard.

Tampa Bay succeeded the last time it picked an offensive lineman in the first round. Tristan Wirfs was chosen with the No. 13 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, and he is getting ready for his third season as a starter.

Bleacher Report's NFL scouting staff listed Boston College's Zion Johnson and Texas A&M's Kenyon Green as the No. 2 and No. 3 offensive linemen in the draft class, respectively.

They should be the realistic top targets for the Buccaneers with the No. 27 overall pick. Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum may be off the board by then.

The Bucs could wait until the second round to land an offensive guard. A handful of the second-tier prospects at the position could be available at No. 60. But Tampa Bay should look to take Green or Johnson in the first round to provide the best possible protection for its soon-to-be-45-year-old quarterback.

Defensive Line

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Tampa Bay has a chance to get younger on the defensive line through the draft.

Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh are still free agents, and the Bucs may not need their services for the 2022 season if they make the right moves in April.

Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt and Travon Walker are among the players at the position ranked between Nos. 21 and 28 overall, per B/R's scouting staff.

They could be two of the Buccaneers' targets if the franchise opts to go with a defensive pick in the first round.

The lack of high-qualify offensive guards and depth of pass-rushers could lead the Buccaneers to wait until the 60th pick to add help on the defensive interior.

Texas A&M's DeMarvin Leal and Kentucky's Josh Paschal could be among the candidates at No. 60. Both SEC players were rated between Nos. 61 and 70 by the B/R scouting staff.

An addition or two on the defensive line through the draft would help the Bucs get younger around Vita Vea and William Gholston. And those picks could give the Bucs a more complete defensive unit depending on how quickly they adapt to the NFL.

Cornerback

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Tampa Bay should prepare for the 2023 season by targeting a cornerback with one of its six draft picks.

Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean will hit the free-agent market after the coming season, and the Bucs may not have salary-cap space to keep both of them after re-signing Carlton Davis.

Cornerback should be a Day 2 or 3 target for the Buccaneers because it is not the team's most pressing roster spot to fill.

Alabama's Josh Jobe, Clemson's Mario Goodrich and Kyler Gordon out of Washington are among the corners the Bucs should look at in the second or third round.

Tampa Bay could wait until Day 3 to land a corner, but that prospect may come with a greater need of development to make it at the NFL level.

The second and third rounds have been the sweet spots for the Bucs and defensive backs in the past three drafts. Murphy-Bunting, Dean and Antoine Winfield Jr. were all second-day picks.