ESPN Calls Its Bucs Shot (Sort Of)
April 10th, 2026
Five!
Joe actually wouldn’t mind if the Bucs had a new King Kong Bundy-like monster in the middle of the defensive line.
Bundy, the late WWF wrestler, always demanded a five-count in his bouts when he pinned an opponent. If the referee tried to count some poor sap out on a three-count, Bundy would scream “FIVE!” at the referee.
After the pin, Bunch would stand up, raise an open-palmed hand, and holler, “FIVE!”
Bundy stood 6-4, 458 pounds. That would clog up some running lanes inside. And if Bundy now played for the Bucs, he would holler, “FIVE!” after Jenna Laine’s latest missive on ESPN.
Asked how many defenders the Bucs will draft on defense in two weeks, Laine’s prediction is — all together now — FIVE!
Call your shot: How many defensive players will the Buccaneers draft in April?
Edge rusher, inside linebacker and cornerback are needed, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them doubling up at corner again. But the Buccaneers are also doing a lot of work on this year’s tight end class, have looked at a lot of interior offensive linemen for depth and would not pass up a best-player-available situation at a non-need position. So, I’d say as many as five defensive players will be selected.
Joe cannot disagree. The Bucs now have seven draft picks and Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has put out smoke signals he wants a dance partner to trade down.
Joe could see a tight end being drafted on the first two days of the draft (not a prediction, just a guess) and on the third day, a guard, because the Bucs need depth at guard badly.
But yeah, Laine is correct. The Bucs need to load up on defense and drafting a boatload of defenders wouldn’t be a bad move. How many?
FIVE!
Bucs could use a side of beef like King Kong Bundy in the middle of the defense. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/xstEzzrviW
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) April 10, 2026
April 10th, 2026 at 6:21 am
Jason Licht can’t resist drafting offensive players
He might draft 3 offensive players in this draft
April 10th, 2026 at 7:16 am
No defensive players in the second round! They never workout.
Trade the pick and move up in the 1st round or
draft an offensive lineman with the pick.
April 10th, 2026 at 7:21 am
We have to get decidedly better. Otherwise, 2024 is the peak season in this first “post-Brady” era.
April 10th, 2026 at 7:26 am
@ Haha
“No defensive players in the second round! They never workout.”
LVD and Winfield might disagree with you on that one…
LOL!
April 10th, 2026 at 7:30 am
Two corners again? Please no. Draft all the corners you want, without a pass rush they’re useless. We’ve invested a ton of draft picks, and money in our secondary. How’s that worked out? Get better up front, and that will make the secondary better.
April 10th, 2026 at 7:38 am
“Bucs need depth at guard badly.” Gotta say – I’m saddened that Elijah Klein has not developed…yet. When that Man-Ox was drafted I was thinking, “Great – this dude will be a solid swing guard for the next 10 years. It hasn’t happened….so far. This year?
April 10th, 2026 at 8:17 am
trade down and select OG-Kadyn Proctor with our 1st pick, then defense the rest of the way….
1-OG
2-DL
2-LBs
2-DBs
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 10th, 2026 at 8:39 am
Should’ve used Booker T, Joe.
“5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time WCW world heavyweight champ!”
April 10th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Zero. Nothing for Bowzo to mess up
April 10th, 2026 at 8:48 am
I like 813’s numbers for 7 picks. But if JL can trade back and get 2 extra picks
2 x LB
1 x DT
1 x DE
2 x CB
1 x G
1 x TE
1 x WR
April 10th, 2026 at 8:56 am
Would not surprise to see them draft a TE. On defense they need so many players. Best not to reach this year. You can fix the offense quicker than the defense. Grab a few really good defensive players. Take your pick 2 corners 2 LBs, 1 D Tackle, 1 OLB. If you pick up that TE from Oregon and add a good offensive lineman the offense can compete while you overhaul the defense.
April 10th, 2026 at 8:57 am
Ha-Ha-Ha Says:
April 10th, 2026 at 7:16 am
No defensive players in the second round! They never workout.
Trade the pick and move up in the 1st round or
draft an offensive lineman with the pick.
————————
S Winfield
CB Dean
CB Davis
CB Murphy-Bunting
4/5 of the starting Super Bowl secondary… STFU
April 10th, 2026 at 9:09 am
Remember, Lavonte David was a Mark Dominik pick.
April 10th, 2026 at 9:11 am
Prediction : ONE CB – two LB – one DL – ZERO OLB – one SAF – two G/C – zero TE – wild card one WR – Licht likes competition at each position but not too much – he doesn’t like to make established starters nervous and he doesn’t like to admit drafting mistakes – so he keeps busts around longer than necessary – (Kyle Trask anyone ?) – there is enough depth at TE CB OLB currently and possible openings at DL WR next year – Licht doesn’t like splashes unless they are named Brady
April 10th, 2026 at 9:11 am
He doesn’t look like an NFL guard at all. Joe knows what the measurements say. Joe’s just talking, eyeballing. From an optics perspective, not a scale or a tape measure, he never looked like an NFL guard.
April 10th, 2026 at 9:16 am
@ Joe
I remember – LVD was one of Mark Dominik’s best picks – but LVD was also a 2nd round defensive pick – No?
April 10th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Wonder what christen millers grade is. Late first round early second? Wouldn’t mind seeing the Bucs able to trade back and pick him up
April 10th, 2026 at 9:45 am
Christen Miller is the best NT in this draft
That’s my opinion
April 10th, 2026 at 9:48 am
*** I meant Christen Miller is the best NT/DT in this draft
He’s a versatile defensive lineman
April 10th, 2026 at 10:01 am
hodad is 1000% right. the hc/dc sucks. the scheme sucks. the front 7 (as a whole sucks) you need size, power, speed, and results. mesidor, hill, jackson, taco
April 10th, 2026 at 10:18 am
This talk if TE seems to stem from some fake narrative about Robinson running 2 TE sets. First of all, Atl only had 1 good WR and used Pitts as a defacto WR 2, not a TE. Secondly, Robinson is smart enough to work with the players he has, and that’s a WR group that is deep and RBs that need to eat. I think what Robinson does like to do that will not change is throw lots of screens. That’s where a big, athletic guard would help.
Other than another OL pick, I dont see a big need for another offensive pick. Maybe a TE in the middle rounds depending on what Robinson thinks of Culp and Durham.
April 10th, 2026 at 11:51 am
Yes, which makes the pick Dominik’s best (by far).
April 10th, 2026 at 11:52 am
“This talk if TE seems to stem from some fake narrative about Robinson running 2 TE sets.”
“Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
April 3rd, 2026 at 2:50 pm
“I would argue Otton and Durham/Culp are better that Pitts/ Woerner. Pitts better than Otton but our TE2’s better than Woerner ( when Coen was our OC. Grizz not so much) Sadiq is great athlete no doubt but not at 15.”
Not to mention, 12 personnel is used to run the ball more than it is to pass because the 2 TEs also serve as extensions of the OL and it forces defenses to play in base D to get as much men in the box, because 12 is a heavy personnel group.
Proof?
Bijan Robinson ran 958(64% of his total rush yds) yards of his total 1,478 yards last year out of 12-personnel on 157(54% of his carries) of his 287 carries in 2025 under Z-Rob. Sort of out of necessity, because ATL didn’t have the dogs at WR like we do.”
@FanofdaBucs
Bingo.
Yahtzee.
Connect Four.
April 10th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
Didn’t we draft/sign a King Kong Bundy last year? Where is Des Watson? Hopefully he has spent the off season getting in better condition and is given another chance.
April 10th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Watson ain’t playing football in the NFL.
Wasn’t that good at UF despite outweighing kids half his size. Doesn’t have the quickness or stamina for the NFL.
April 10th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
Do it.
Five more to have their confidence destroyed. Five more to be subjected to the Great Regression. Five more who look promising and then by mid season can neither tackle a slug or cover a cough.
April 10th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
We should trade Antoine for Dexter Lawrence straight up. Tykee to replace Antoine and a 2nd/3rd rounder to compete for starting SS.
April 10th, 2026 at 2:35 pm
I’ve been a fan of Dexter Lawrence since his college days. His contact and Antoine Winfield Jr. contract are quite comparable but as much as that clean swap seems to make it won’t happen.
No one in the NFL in 2025 commanded more double teams, triple teams and chips than Dexter Lawrence. Two spots behind him in that tally is Leonard Williams, who went to Seattle for a second and a fifth so Lawrence will come at a significant cost in draft capital if the Giants let him leave. Methinks this trade demand is more negotiation tactic for a new, richer contract on Lawrence’s part and Harbaugh won’t let go of him without a fight.
That is fine by me because the guy at number two on that list of most King Kong-like DTs in 2025 is DJ Reader who is a free agent and Sportrac expects him to sign in the neighborhood of 3 yrs/$7.8 million. He is 31 but offers way more to a team over the next three years than any of the baby Hueys ranked in the top 100 in 2026. None of these 2026 DTs are worth a first round pick in any draft. None demand NFL double teams like Reader. Not even McDonald who the mimetic meat pounders here can’t wait to waste #15 on.
The past two Super Bowls have been billboards for the DT position so draft opinionators are all crowing for the new hot fashion item/position. We are far enough along in the draft process to be picking prospects for fit and maturity. McDonald or Christen Miller in round 2 isn’t an abhorrent though but it isn’t an answer for the failures of 2025. Not even close.
DTs are fashionable because Mike McDonald and Vic Fangio make that spit look sooo good. Now everybody is going to be wearing what they wear but not everyone is going to look as good doing it. Bowles pulled it off pretty well in 2020 when the Bucs had a stout middle but this draft is not the well to go to to get him dressed for success in 2026.
April 10th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
We had Watson 435 pounder so shoulda coulda woulda but who knows, they treated him bad. And he played that weight in college, played like down after defensive down. Watson, Vita, and Robinson in the middle, and rotate.. Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
April 10th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
Watson was drafted to a UFL team and waived a week later. It’s concerning the Bucs thought he could save them from where they will be in February 2027. Nice of them to give him all that money for zero snaps in so much as a joint practice scrimmage though.
This regime gets high before they make roster plans I swear…
April 11th, 2026 at 1:39 am
Forget about the defense. Draft all offensive players. TE, 3 Olinemen and a running back. Bowles is going to eff up the defense anyway so why waste draft picks there.
April 11th, 2026 at 9:04 am
I actually like this idea. Imo, AWJ’s value will continue to decline (too small & not physical enough), and the money is a push. Ntm, there are some interesting Safties in this draft, which looks deeper in S than NT. Unfortunately, you’d need a clever GM with a lil foresight who doesn’t fall in love with his homegrown tomatoes for this to happen.