Should Buccaneers Trade Back in Round 1 of NFL Draft?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to pick at No. 15 this year, and there's a lot to like about that. For starters, it's their highest pick in the first round since the 2020 NFL Draft, when they picked Tristan Wirfs with the No. 13 pick. Additionally, it's a very deep class for the position they need the most.

The Bucs have a lot of options at No. 15 and could go with any position, but edge rusher is the utmost importance. The Bucs haven't had a player net more than 10 sacks since 2019, and a dominant edge rusher could change the landscape of their entire defense. Staying at No. 15 would likely mean that the Bucs would have a vast selection of edge rushers to choose from (or anyone else on the defense, given how dire it is), but there's also another option — trading back.

The Bucs have a regular slate of draft picks in 2026, one in each of the draft's seven rounds. But they need a lot of help on defense to be a contender like they want to be, and more early picks would be the obvious solution. Trade down in the draft, and the Bucs could acquire more players to shore up depth — but stay put at 15, and Tampa Bay could likely have a higher guarantee that the player they want is still available.

Trading is always a tough decision, and Licht hasn't traded back in the first round since 2022 when he moved out of the first to select Logan Hall in the second. But given how pressing their needs are, would it be a good idea for the Bucs to trade back in Round 1?

Why the Buccaneers should trade back in Round 1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Yes, it would be. This is probably the best move for the Bucs at this stage, and it's largely to do with just how much they need on defense.

If edge rusher is Tampa Bay's position of choice (and it really should be), the depth in this class is quite impressive. ESPN's Matt Miller claimed in a recent article that as many as nine edge rushers could be picked in the first round, paving the way for the Bucs to get a quality player at that position even if they were to drop back down.

Doing so to get an edge rusher would also benefit every other position on the defense, too. They need a linebacker, too, and being able to get more picks could put them in line for a prospect that they otherwise didn't think they'd be able to pick. They also desperately need more depth on the defensive line and in the cornerback room, and they can draft more players there early if they were to strike a deal.

Licht's last trade back for Hall in 2022 didn't work out with Hall himself, but the Bucs did get pick 106 from the Jacksonville Jaguars that year and used it to select tight end Cade Otton. Otton just got a second contract in Tampa Bay, so Licht has proven he can get solid players by using this strategy.

The Bucs may have someone they really like that they'd have to stick around at 15 for. But if there isn't someone, it might be the best move for Tampa Bay to trade down and acquire some picks for later in the draft.

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