Pewter Report’s PR Roundtablepresented by PrizePicks
Join PrizePicks day by day fantasy gaming with code: HMA and get $50 in lineups immediately whenever you play your first $5+ lineup by clicking HERE.
A brand new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts each Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Every week, the Pewter Reporters sort out one other powerful Bucs query. What Place Will The Bucs Will Draft In The First Spherical In 2027?
Scott Reynolds: Bucs Will Want To Bolster Their Ageing Defensive Line
It is a difficult PR Roundtable subject as a result of it requires the utilization of a crystal ball with a purpose to venture what the crew’s greatest want is following a 2026 season that hasn’t been performed but. In fact, it’s not at all times nice to draft want within the first spherical. Groups that choose the perfect participant out there appear to overlook much less usually on first-round picks. But when want intersects with greatest participant out there that’s the best-case state of affairs.
Texas Tech A.J. Holmes Jr. – Photograph by USA At this time Community through Reuters Join
After I take a look at the defensive sort out place, I see the truth that former Buccaneer Logan Corridor, the crew’s high choose in 2022, wasn’t re-signed in free company. And I see that Tampa Bay added a pair of growing older veteran defensive tackles in A’Shawn Robinson, 31, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who simply turned 33. Throw in the truth that Vita Vea will flip 32 subsequent offseason and that the oft-injured Calijah Kancey shall be coming into his fifth-year possibility in 2027, and this place stands out as one that may should be addressed early in subsequent yr’s draft.
Jason Licht has drafted a pair of fifth-round defensive tackles over the past two years in Elijah Roberts and DeMonte Capehart, however it’s method too early to inform if both has starter potential or if they’re merely simply going to be reserves throughout their Tampa Bay profession. What we do know is that Licht has put a premium on the defensive sort out place in years previous by deciding on Vea (2018) and Kancey (2023) within the first spherical, and drafting Corridor with the primary choose on the high of the second spherical at No. 33 general. Profitable within the trenches is considered one of Licht’s core beliefs and that reveals up on draft day.
It’s early, however the defensive sort out place seems fairly promising for subsequent yr. Professional Soccer Focus at present has 4 defensive tackles within the first spherical and a complete of six probably going within the high 50. In fact quite a bit can – and can – change between now and subsequent April. However with three growing older defensive linemen at or close to the highest of the depth chart, Licht and head coach Todd Bowles might want to deal with this place in 2027, inject some wanted youth, and discover a stud to finally – or instantly – substitute Robinson, Vea or Kancey, relying on how the 2026 marketing campaign really performs out.
Matt Matera: Bucs Nonetheless Want One other ILB For The Future
The Bucs addressed their want for an inside linebacker within the brief time period, however they nonetheless want one other reply for the long run. There’s a brand new take a look at inside linebacker in Tampa Bay. The legendary Lavonte David is retired, however the Bucs signed Alex Anzalone to be a pacesetter together with Christian Rozeboom to be a veteran presence whereas additionally drafting Josiah Trotter within the second spherical. Add in SirVocea Dennis going into yr 4 and the depth was higher than it was a season in the past.
Whereas the hope is for Trotter to be a starter for years to come back on this crew, they’ll want one other younger and up and coming participant to finally fill Anzalone’s spot. Having Anazalone as a direct alternative for David is implausible and he ought to thrive in Todd Bowles’ protection. However Anzalone is 31-years outdated and on a two-year contract. The percentages are after his two seasons in Tampa Bay he’s both retiring, discovering a brand new crew, or relegated to much less cash and fewer enjoying time. That’s how the NFL enterprise works.
Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
In addition to that, Rozeboom is on a one-year deal and Dennis is ending up the final yr of his contract. Neither is assured for the next season, no less than definitely not as a starter. So trying method too far down the street in 2027, Tampa Bay is Trotter iin yr two and Anzalone on the ultimate yr of his contract, plus some undrafted free brokers.
Positive, the Bucs may signal a participant in free company, however they need to develop gamers. A younger core of Trotter and an inside linebacker within the first spherical could arrange the muse of Tampa Bay’s protection transferring forward. It’s labored for them earlier than resulting in a championship and hopefully can achieve this once more.
Adam Slivon: Bucs Should Deal with The Future Of The Defensive Line
The Bucs addressed lots of the crew’s wants this previous offseason, and proper now in July, the crew has quite a lot of gamers locked into place. Forecasting what’s going to occur in 2027 is determined by loads of variables, however barring something drastic, the offense will look largely the identical, particularly if Baker Mayfield and Cody Mauch are re-signed on new contracts. Which means investing a first-round choose on the defensive facet of the soccer. With each security spots presumably locked up and inside linebacker not usually being probably the most precious space to take a position a high choice in, my focus is on the line of defense and the place’s future.
Bucs DTs Elijah Roberts and Vita Vea – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
This was a subject that Scott Reynolds and I mentioned in in depth element on a current Pewter Insider, and it’s exhausting to foretell what future iterations of the line of defense will seem like. The unit shall be fantastic — and initiatives to be fairly deep — coming into 2026. Led by Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, with A’Shawn Robinson becoming a member of the ranks, the beginning lineup is presumably set. Elijah Roberts, DeMonte Capehart, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches are the highest choices behind them, together with Jayson Jones.
Trying forward, there could possibly be quite a lot of transferring elements. Vea, Robinson, and Nunez-Roches are all of their 30s and can every be a free agent subsequent offseason. Kancey is locked in on his fifth-year possibility for 2027, however he has to remain wholesome to have a long-term function in Tampa Bay. Even when he does, he must be complemented by a bigger defensive sort out subsequent to him.
Even when No. 50 is re-signed for an additional yr or two, the Bucs should deeply think about the way forward for the defensive trenches. Given Jason Licht’s draft philosophy, one can anticipate him to shore up the defensive sort out spot once more subsequent yr. It’s an intriguing mixture of veterans and developmental gamers proper now, however the veterans are usually not getting any youthful and it’s not practical to anticipate each Day 3 choose and undrafted participant to emerge and turn out to be a starter. With turnover alongside the line of defense within the not-too-distant future, that might be the realm to take a position a first-round choose in come 2027.
Bailey Adams: The Bucs Might Want To Retool Their CB Room In 2027
Whenever you take a look at the Bucs’ roster proper now, which space feels prefer it’s missing probably the most? For me, it’s the cornerback place. I believe there’s actual potential for nook to be a weak point for Tampa Bay this yr, which is why that place is my early forecast for the crew’s first-round focus in subsequent yr’s draft.
Proper now, the Bucs have Zyon McCollum, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish as their essential choices at outdoors cornerback. Parrish starred because the beginning nickel nook for Tampa Bay in his rookie yr, however a transfer to the skin has just about turn out to be a necessity this yr given Morrison’s damage issues and the dearth of depth on the place.
Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs did properly to retool their go rush this offseason. They even addressed the within linebacker place in a significant method by signing Alex Anzalone and drafting Josiah Trotter within the second spherical. One other younger inside ‘backer may be an early-round priority in 2027, but I wouldn’t go so far as focusing there within the first spherical.
As an alternative, it seems like cornerback is the correct focus. McCollum disenchanted in 2025 after signing a long-term extension previous to the season. He must bounce again in 2026. However what if he doesn’t? Morrison has loads of potential, however he can’t keep wholesome. What if that continues into 2026?
I’ve a tough time envisioning Jason Licht and Co. going out and signing a big-name free agent nook, particularly contemplating the entire inner free brokers the crew will need to get squared away first. So finally, I believe beginning to get conversant in a few of the potential first-round corners makes a complete lot of sense given what we all know now.
Josh Queipo: Don’t Be Shocked if One other Receiver Goes within the First
It might come as a shock to some, however let’s not neglect that Jason Licht is very adherent to taking the perfect participant on the board. He confirmed that in 2023 when he chosen Calijah Kancey out of left subject.
He confirmed positional worth shouldn’t be particularly necessary to him when he picked Graham Barton in 2024. Definitely when everybody anticipated him to zag in 2025, he took Emeka Egbuka regardless of clear wants at different positions.
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka Photograph by: USA At this time
With all of that in thoughts, I’m making this prediction based mostly purely on present projections of the 2027 draft class. And broad receiver appears to be particularly stacked on the high.
Let’s not neglect that the Bucs’ broad receiver room can also be considerably in flux. Chris Godwin Jr. could also be gone subsequent yr after his assured cash expires in 2026. Jalen McMillan has definitely flashed, but additionally but to place collectively a full season of sturdy play. And I’m as excessive as anybody on rookie Ted Hurst. However he’s nonetheless a 3rd spherical receiver from a small faculty with a large spectrum of potential outcomes.
There’s a actuality the place the Bucks head into the 2027 draft down on all three of these gamers that’s feeling like they should bolster the room. Mix that with a Probably sturdy receiver class and you’ve got the making of one other day one shock.
