Four Senior Bowl Standouts That Fit With the Buccaneers
The Reese's Senior Bowl is always a great way to take a look at potential NFL prospects in live action.
As always, there were several players who helped their draft stock and there were a few that still have work to do.
The Buccaneers are entering the offseason with a lot of questions roster-wise. Knocking the draft out of the park would go a long way in helping answer said questions.
There were four standouts from Saturday's game that would be a realistic fit for the Bucs.
Let's find out who they are.
DT Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma
Winfrey was an absolute stud on Saturday, recording 2.0 sacks. He consistently showed off his infamous quickness and athleticism and was a constant nightmare for the American team's interior offensive line. He was named the Reese's Bowl MVP, as a result.
How it could work: Ndamukong Suh and William Gholston don't have a contract, right now, and while Rakeem Nunez-Roches is a solid rotational player, he's not who you want as a starter, ideally.
Winfree would be an excellent complementary piece to Vita Vea and his ability to get after the quarterback would really help out the Bucs when they rush four guys. The only negative is that he's better suited for a 4-3 defense, but Todd Bowles is smart enough to where he'll put Winfree in the best possible situation(s).
WR Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee
The former Vol led the American team in both receptions (4) and yards (53). The yardage and receptions led all receivers and the yardage was second only to tight end Jake Ferguson (62).
How it could work: Jones Jr. is a very underrated prospect who has elite speed and can make plays in space. He's extremely tough, smart, and he can provide a boost in the return game.
Chris Godwin is a pending free agent and Tampa Bay's receiver depth was not impressive, whatsoever, in 2021. The jury is still out on Jaelon Darden as a returner, as well. Jones Jr. would come in and immediately complete with Darden for the returner role and the Bucs could even scheme up some Deebo Samuel-type plays/packages and use his vision and ability to make guys miss in the open field.
P Jordan Stout, Penn State
Stout was excellent on Saturday, evidenced by his 50.8 net average off four punts. He showed off plenty of accuracy and a big leg, especially on his 59-yard punt in the first quarter.
How it could work: The Bucs are going to need to figure out how to create some cap room in 2022. One way to do that is part ways with Bradley Pinion, who is due $2.9 million and counts the same against the cap.
Pinoin started the season with an NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award after an excellent game against the Dallas Cowboys, but proceeded to turn in arguably the worst season of his career as a Buc over the next 18 games.
He's too inconsistent to be paid like a top-10 punter and depending on how the Bucs acquire Stout -whether it's through the draft or as an undrafted free agent, Tampa Bay is likely to save at least $2 million in the swap.
RB Abram Smith, Baylor
Smith didn't look like an explosive, home run-hitting running back or anything of that sort, but he's a steady runner who looks to have just enough athleticism and vision to find a role in the NFL. He's a dual-threat back with solid hands, as well.
He averaged 5.2 yards per touch on 13 touches that included a 20-yard catch-and-run that started as a swing pass in the right flat and ended in the end zone.
How it could work: The Bucs are obviously in the market for a running back due to the fact that currently, there is only one back with a contract on the roster. This doesn't mean the pending free agents like Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones II, Giovani Bernard, and Le'Veon Bell are out of the picture, but their potential returns are all unknown.
Smith won't come in and be the lead back if he's drafted by the Bucs, but he could prove serviceable in certain situations, which is always a win for a rookie.
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