Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Needs & Mock Draft for 2024

As a lead-up to the 2024 NFL draft, we’ve broken down the current depth chart of every NFL team and identified the biggest draft and team needs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

You can find additional team-by-team draft needs articles and other draft content on our 2024 NFL Draft Hub.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2024

Offensive Line
EDGE
Linebacker

What Picks Do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have in 2024?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have 7 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, including:

Round 1 (26)
Round 2 (57)
Round 3 (89)
Round 3 (92)
Round 4 (125)
Round 6 (220)
Round 7 (246)

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Capital Stats

Our Sharp Draft Value Rank is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.

This is based on two public models: performance delivered based on draft slot (the AV model created by Chase Stuart) and contractual earnings in non-rookie deals based upon draft slot (the OTC model created by Brad Spielberger and Jason Fitzgerald).

Buccaneers Sharp Draft Value Rank: 24 of 32 teams
Buccaneers AV Model Draft Value Rank: 21 of 32 teams
Buccaneers OTC Model Draft Value Rank: 25 of 32 teams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Value vs. Other Teams:

The Buccaneers’ draft value is 14% lower than the league average of all 32 teams. 23 other teams have more draft value entering the 2024 NFL Draft.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Prediction:

Brendan Donahue has the Buccaneers selecting Chop Robinson (EDGE, Penn State) with the 26th overall pick in his most recent 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

Mock draft expert Ryan McCrystal believes the Buccaneers could target a pass rusher like Jared Verse (EDGE, Florida State) with their top pick at No. 26 overall in the first round.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Strength of Schedule, 2024

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the 11th-easiest NFL strength of schedule for the 2024 NFL season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.

Quarterback Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Baker Mayfield
Kyle Trask
John Wolford

Baker Mayfield had a career season with Tampa Bay in 2023.

Mayfield set career highs in completion percentage (64.3%), passing yards (4,044), and passing touchdowns (28).

As a result, Tampa Bay rewarded Mayfield with a three-year contract this offseason worth up to $100 million.

Mayfield will only carry a $6.9 million cap hit in 2024 but then spike up to $35.8 million and $45.8 million over the next two seasons.

The loss of Dave Canales could have rippling effects here.

Geno Smith immediately took a step back after Canales left Seattle.

The loss of Canales also keeps a streak Mayfield wishes were not true.

Mayfield has had the same offensive coordinator in back-to-back seasons just once in his career.

The positive news is that Mayfield did work with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen a couple of years ago when Coen was the coordinator for the Rams in 2022.

Mayfield made a pit stop there to close that season, starting four games and completing 63.6% of his passes for 6.6 yards per pass attempt with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

Given that Mayfield still has a larger track record in the NFL playing near baseline levels, Tampa Bay may want added insurance behind him since this is one of the weakest backup quarterback rooms in the league.

Both Kyle Trask and John Wolford are only under contract for 2024.

Running Back Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Rachaad White
Chase Edmonds
Sean Tucker
Patrick Laird

The Tampa Bay run game was an area of weakness in 2023.

Tampa Bay running backs finished dead last in the NFL last season with 3.4 yards per carry.

They also were last in the NFL with a 25.6% success rate (league average was 36.5%).

This offensive line did not help matters in that area, either.

Rachaad White turned in a solid season in his second year, amassing 1,539 yards and nine touchdowns on 336 touches.

He accumulated those top-down counting stats through receiving efficiency and a lack of competition in the backfield.

Receiving ability was a calling card for White as a prospect, and he did not disappoint in that area in 2023.

White was fourth among all running backs with 64 receptions and third in receiving yards (549).

His 8.6 yards per reception were 11th among all running backs with double-digit catches on the season and higher than both backs that had more receptions than him (Breece Hall and Christian McCaffrey).

White accounted for 76.0% of the Tampa Bay backfield touches, which was the third-highest rate for back last season.

White had 75.6% of the backfield rushes, which was second in the NFL behind Joe Mixon.

As noted to open, the run game is where White found marginal success in his second season.

Out of 49 running backs with 100 or more rushes, White ranked:

40th in yards per rush (3.6 YPC)
45th in EPA per rush (-0.20)
47th in success rate (26.1%)
38th in the rate of runs to gain 10 or more yards (7.7%)
42nd in yards after contact per rush (2.53)

On a positive note, only 13.2% of his runs failed to gain yardage, which was the sixth-best among the same group.

The Bucs once again have little to challenge White as he looks to carry a high workload again in 2024, so they are looking for a spike in efficiency.

The team retained Chase Edmonds on a one-year deal this offseason.

After 63 touches last season, Edmonds has fewer than 100 touches in each of his past two seasons in the NFL.

Patrick Laird has 112 career touches in the NFL with his last touch coming in the 2021 season.

Sean Tucker played just 32 offensive snaps in 2023, averaging only 1.9 yards per touch on his 17 opportunities.

This is not an area of need with White at the top of the depth chart, but we should see Tampa Bay add another body here to compete for touches and provide contractual depth.

Wide Receiver Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Mike Evans
Chris Godwin
Trey Palmer
Deven Thompkins
Rakim Jarrett
Raleigh Webb
Cephus Johnson
Ryan Miller

Just when it looked like Mike Evans may be slowing down, he came back last season to catch 79 passes for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns.

His 15.9 yards per catch was his highest in a season since 2019.

His 2.34 yards per route run was his highest in a season since 2018.

Evans and Mayfield had a connection. He was targeted on 25.3% of his routes, his highest rate in a season since 2016.

Reeling off his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard campaign, Evans and the team worked out a two-year extension to keep him in Tampa Bay through his age-32 season.

Chris Godwin was not peppered with shallow targets from Mayfield in the same fashion that he was from Tom Brady, but Godwin still managed to catch 83 passes for 1,024 yards.

Godwin had a career-high 23.6% of the team targets, but his 4.9 receptions and 60.2 yards per game were his fewest in each department since 2018.

His two receiving touchdowns were his fewest in a season since his rookie year in 2017.

Godwin moved back outside in the offense last season, playing 65.9% of his snaps lined up out wide after rates of 36.8%, 36.8%, and 33.5% the previous three seasons.

Godwin is still only 28 but is in the final year of his contract.

Given that both Mayfield and Evans make significant jumps in cap space in 2025, retaining Godwin beyond this season could be tough.

Sixth-round rookie Trey Palmer had a handful of splash plays as a rookie but ultimately only caught 39 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns.

Out of 27 rookie wideouts to run 100 or more routes, Palmer ranked 19th in yards per route run (0.84) and 16th in target rate per route (14.9%).

The depth here leaves a lot to be desired beyond Palmer.

Wide receiver is not a dire need for the team, but that lack of depth paired with the potential that the team could lose Godwin after this season makes this position an area where the Bucs can add bodies.

They are internally aware, as they have already used visits on Keon Coleman and Malachi Corley.

Tight End Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Cade Otton
Ko Kieft
David Wells
Payne Durham
Tanner Taula

Cade Otton may not have shown the highest ceiling through two seasons, but he has been a reliable player.

Otton played the most snaps in the league at tight end last season, playing 96.5% of the plays.

He only made mild contributions as a pass catcher, however, catching 47 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns.

The Buccaneers were 29th in the NFL in target rate to their tight end last season at 14.7%.

Not only do the Bucs have Otton with multiple seasons remaining on his rookie contract, but they also have Ko Kieft and Payne Durham on rookie deals as well.

Otton and these young guys do not prevent Tampa from still looking to upgrade the position, but this is not a huge hole on the roster.

Offensive Line Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

LT: Tristan Wirfs, Justin Skule
LG: Sua Opeta, Luke Haggard, Lorenz Metz
C: Robert Hainsey, Ben Bredeson
RG: Cody Mauch, Logan Stenberg
RT: Luke Goedeke, Brandon Walton, Silas Dzansi

This is still one of the areas where the Bucs are trying to make up ground after losing multiple starters over the past three seasons.

In 2023, Tampa Bay was dead last in ESPN’s run block win rate and 22nd in pass block win rate.

At Pro Football Focus, they were 29th in overall run block grade but fared much better in ranking eighth in pass blocking grade as a team.

Tampa Bay is set at both tackle spots. They just have a potential contract that they will have to shell out for Tristan Wirfs, who is playing this season on his fifth-year option.

Wirfs has been one of the best linemen in the NFL since he was drafted.

Moving to left tackle last season after three seasons at right tackle, Wirfs was seventh in pressure rate allowed (3.8%) among tackles.

With Wirfs moving over to the left side, Luke Goedeke stepped in at right tackle, starting all 19 games for the team.

Goedeke ended the season ranking 27th out of 85 tackles in overall grade in his first full season as a starter, ranking 42nd out of 101 tackles to play over 100 snaps in pressure rate allowed (6.2%).

Goedeke still has two seasons remaining on his rookie deal after being selected in the second round in 2022.

With the bookends at least set, the interior of this line is suspect.

Cody Mauch was selected in the second round last season.

Mauch started all 19 games but ranked 77th out of 83 guards in overall grade per PFF in 2023.

He allowed a 7.5% pressure rate in pass protection, which was 74th among guards.

His draft capital likely makes his job safe in year two, but the Bucs are looking for a major jump from Mauch in 2024.

Every player who took a snap at left guard last season is no longer on the roster.

The Bucs have added Sua Opeta on a one-year deal, who spent his rookie contract with the Eagles.

Opeta started 10 games over four years with the Eagles.

He is coming off a career-high 527 snaps, ranking 60th in overall grade among guards per PFF.

Center Robert Hainsey was 33rd in overall grade at center, ranking 24th in pressure rate allowed at his position.

Mauch is the only interior lineman under contract for multiple seasons.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.

Defensive Line Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Vita Vea
Calijah Kancey
Logan Hall
Greg Gaines
William Gholston
Mike Greene
C.J. Brewer
Eric Banks
Lwal Uguak

The Bucs allowed 4.0 yards per running back carry (9th) and finished 11th in yards before contract allowed per RB run last season.

Tampa’s top six snap earners along the defensive line are back for 2024.

Vita Vea continued his run of missing at least a couple of games every season, but he was once again outstanding on the field.

He finished 17th among defensive linemen in PFF’s run stop percentage metric and helped out in the passing game with 5.5 sacks.

Vea’s 8.2% pressure rate from a season ago is nothing to write home about, but he now has 12 sacks in 29 games over the last two seasons.

A first-round pick last year, Calijah Kancey immediately contributed as a rookie, grabbing 11 run stuffs and 4 sacks.

Kancey recorded a stuff on 5.8% of his run defense snaps, which would have ranked 7th among defensive linemen if he played the 10 more snaps against the run needed to qualify.

Logan Hall rounds out the top three, but he was far less impactful than the other two last season.

The 2022 second-round pick has struggled to make a mark through two seasons.

Greg Gaines, William Gholston, and Mike Green did not play well enough to really pressure Hall last season, although Gaines did get on the field for 473 snaps of his own.

The Bucs have a lot of options here and a good pair atop the depth chart, but another quality player would be a boost.

EDGE Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Yaya Diaby
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
Randy Gregory
Anthony Nelson
Jose Ramirez
Markees Watts

Tampa Bay finished 21st in pressure rate but logged 48 sacks (7th) last season. They blitzed at the third-highest rate in the league.

A third-round pick last year, Yaya Diaby led the team with 7.5 sacks, but his 9.3% pressure rate ranked 114th among qualified pass rushers, two spots behind defensive lineman Calijah Kancey.

A 2021 first-round pick, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka finished with 5 sacks, which was actually a career-high for him.

He now has 13 sacks and a 10.5% pressure rate through three seasons.

Assuming the Bucs do not pick up his fifth-year option, which seems unlikely, he is heading into the final year of his rookie deal.

With Shaq Barrett gone, the Bucs brought in Randy Gregory in free agency.

Gregory only played in a rotational role after being dealt to the 49ers last year, but he did manage 16 games, the most he has ever played in an NFL season.

He finished last season with 3.5 sacks across two teams and a disappointing 9.4% pressure rate.

Gregory got pressure on 15.7% of his pass rush snaps from 2020-2022.

Anthony Nelson was the fourth man in the rotation last season, getting 3 sacks on an 8.4% pressure rate.

Diaby could take a step forward in his second season, and Gregory at least has a track record of high-end play if he can stay on the field, but this is an area of need for this defense.

Linebacker Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Lavonte David
K.J. Britt
SirVocea Dennis
J.J. Russell
Vi Jones

The Bucs let Devin White walk, but Lavonte David is back on a one-year deal.

Even in his age-33 season, David remained a quality every-down linebacker in 2023.

He led the team with 17 run stuffs and a tackle on 19.4% of his run defense snaps, and he was 16th among qualified linebackers with 6.0 yards per target allowed.

He has shown little signs of slowing down.

As it stands, K.J. Britt looks likely to step into the role vacated by White.

Britt has played just 233 snaps on defense in three seasons including 160 last year.

He did get a run stuff on 3.6% of his run defense snaps last year and a tackle on 23.1% of them, but that was a very small sample.

A fifth-round pick last year, SirVocea Dennis saw even less time on the field than Britt and remains an unknown.

Tampa could use some help here, especially with David on a one-year deal.

Cornerback Depth Chart, Buccaneers:

Jamel Dean
Zyon McCollum
Christian Izien
Tavierre Thomas
Bryce Hall
Quandre Mosely
Josh Hayes
Keenan Isaac

The Bucs allowed 7.5 yards per pass attempt (25th) and finished 24th in EPA per dropback last season.

Carlton Davis is gone, but Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, and Christian Izien are back after playing large roles last season.

Dean has still yet to play a full season, but he has played at least 13 games every year and has been a consistently solid option when on the field.

Zyon McCollum saw a lot more playing time in his second season, and his 6.8 yards per target allowed was pretty solid.

He should get the first crack at the starting job vacated by Davis.

Christian Izien worked primarily from the slot last season, allowing 7.4 yards per target and a 104.8 pass rating in coverage.

Tampa added both Bryce Hall and Tavierre Thomas in free agency.

Hall did start 17 games back in 2021, but he has played more snaps on special teams than at corner over the last two seasons. He was active for just 14 games over that span.

Thomas was a bigger factor on defense for the Texans over the last two seasons, but he has played 19 games since 2021.

Both can serve as depth.

The Bucs do not have to add anyone here, but it also is not a strength.