PFF: If The Bucs Need To Trade Up, Who Could Be Bait?
March 24th, 2026
The PFF tribe speaks.
Joe is a huge fan of Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. But as Joe has typed for months, Joe isn’t sure how in the world Styles gets past Dallas.
(Hey, Styles on the board after Dallas at No. 10, funnier things have happened, like a dude whose own father put a video on Twitter of his first-round-pick-graded son in a bong mask. That stunt cost his son tens of millons are dollars. And then there was the time Tristan Wirfs was the fourth offensive tackle picked. Joe’s just sayin.’)
So if the Bucs are hellbent on getting Styles, they very likely will have to trade up.
The PFF tribe is looking at each team’s best trade asset if the need to move up happens. For the Bucs, John Kosko says the monthly fee for that would be running back Bucky Irving.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: HB Bucky Irving
Given their lack of other tradable assets, the Buccaneers could consider moving Bucky Irving for draft capital. His strong rookie season makes him an appealing option, and the relative ease of finding productive running backs later in the draft supports the idea.With ongoing issues along the offensive line, reallocating value from the running back position could help address more pressing needs.
Joe doesn’t think trading Bucky is on the table.
For one, if he returns to his rookie production, Bucky is one of the best backs in the game. But Joe is more than confident opposing general managers saw Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht sign Kenneth Gainwell and bring back Sean Tucker. That either tells folks the Bucs think Bucky is damaged goods or something else.
At best, the Bucs aren’t 100 percent sure Bucky will return to his rookie ways. Otherwise, they probably don’t pay both Gainwell and Tucker.
Besides, the great Sage of Tampa Bay sports, Ira Kaufman, told Joe in a recent podcast that Licht absolutely should not trade next year’s first-round draft pick. If, Ira said, the Bucs go south this year, that 2027 is going to be very, very valuable in more ways than one.
March 24th, 2026 at 12:09 am
Trade Todd Bowles. Any team would be delighted to have the best defensive genius in the history of the NFL and its finest head coach.
March 24th, 2026 at 12:22 am
I am thinking that Bucky mighty have been a flash in the pan. Last season he got hurt and then it got into his head, hence the extended absense where everyone at OBP was very quiet. When Bucky finally came back he was not the “hot hand” which got Rachaad White all bent out of shape and then Bucky himself started to blame 4th string lineman for his problems getting Wirfs involved in calming the kid down. No one will give up more than a laate day 3 pick for Bucky unless he proves he could revert to 2024 form. If the Bucs thought he could, would they have overpaid for Gainwell; it seems like they maybe thinking ahead for life with Bucky not being a starter or setting up a running back by committee situation.
March 24th, 2026 at 12:36 am
Let’s get Reuben Bain
March 24th, 2026 at 12:50 am
Yeah, the Bucs should do what PFF says to do cuz those guys are never wrong.
March 24th, 2026 at 1:07 am
Sonny Styles is not cheap and is not a bargain, so Licht is not interested. Bucs get 4 wins 2026
March 24th, 2026 at 1:11 am
3.28.Evans Says:
March 24th, 2026 at 12:09 am
Trade Todd Bowles. Any team would be delighted to have the best defensive genius in the history of the NFL and its finest head coach.
****Lol!**** package Todd Bowles up with JPP ask for a 4th round pick but settle for anything just make it happen.
March 24th, 2026 at 1:44 am
Not a big fan of moving up in the 1st Rnd. The costs are usually prohibitive.