Edge rusher has long been a Bucs concern, even as the team has found more consistency at interior offensive line, offensive tackle, and wide receiver, making defense the area to address in this draft.
General manager Jason Licht acknowledged the defensive needs in a pre-draft press conference, saying, “We do see that there is a need for help there on the defensive side, for sure.”
Licht added that the process hasn’t fundamentally changed, but the team has “put a lot of energy into it” as they study rushers who didn’t pan out in past evaluations to improve their selection approach.
A recent mock draft projects the Buccaneers to target three defensive players in the first three rounds: cornerback Jermod McCoy at No. 15, edge rusher Mason Thomas at No. 46, and Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday at No. 77, with a quarterback option considered later in the draft.
With several veteran defenders departed, the organization aims to land foundational pieces in the draft to reshape the defense and support a longer-term framework for the roster.
