The 2021 NFL Draft came and gone this past weekend and the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers used the draft to add youth on the depth chart.
After signing all 22 starters from last year’s title run plus adding key rotation pieces, the Bucs didn’t have to use the draft to fill starting roles like they did last year with Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield, Jr. This year they grabbed young talent that can help immediately in special teams and provide depth just in case injuries occur at some positions.
Overall, I was impressed with their picks although one or two were not exactly my cup of tea at the position they were drafting for.
Joe Tryon, Edge, Washington
Grade: A-
With the final pick of the first round on Thursday night, the Bucs grabbed the eventual replacement for Pro Bowl edge rusher, Jason Pierre-Paul in Tryon. With JPP in the final year of his deal with the Bucs, the team had to grab a low-cost replacement with this year’s pick.
I love the pick because of his measurables and the program he is coming from. At 6’5 and 262 lbs, definitely looks the part of a 3-4 edge rusher in Todd Bowles defense. Coming from UW, Tryon played for excellent defensive coaches in Jimmy Lake, Pete Kwiatowski, and head coach Chris Petersen. Those three have a great track record of putting impact players in the NFL such as Budda Baker and current Bucs’ nose tackle Vita Vea.
Tryon won’t have to be the “guy” either as a first-round pick, he can slowly learn the defense and the ropes of being a professional with the help of JPP and Shaq Barrett. He did opt out of the 2020 season in college so he will need to get some playing time but the Bucs can be patient with him like they did with Carlton Davis and Jordan Whitehead in the secondary. I can expect him to get some solid playing time in 2021 but breakout as a starter in 2022.