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.
Who Did the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select in the 2024 NFL Draft?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Graham Barton (OL, Duke) at No. 26 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Buccaneers also drafted:
- Chris Braswell (EDGE, Alabama)
- Tykee Smith (S, Georgia)
- Jalen McMillan (WR, Washington)
- Bucky Irving (RB, Oregon)
- Elijah Klein (OG, UTEP)
- Devin Culp (TE, Washington)
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 Chop Robinson (EDGE, Penn 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.
Pre Order the Best Analytical 2024 Football Preview
Don't miss out on Warren Sharp's 500+ page preview of the 2024 NFL season.
The preview is unlike anything you have ever seen, featuring stunning visualizations built with the reader in mind.
This preview shares insights into players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal in mind: to prepare you for the 2024 NFL season by delivering the smartest information in the fastest, most direct way possible.