B-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers won the weekend at the trade table. Grade: B-.
by stestansfield ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
It is the swing that defines the weekend: Nadame Tucker in the 116th overall pick, a good 58 spots before the room expected him. Call it a sensible B-, earned the boring way.
Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. For all the activity, interior defensive lineman went untouched, which is hard to explain.
The Johnson pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged. Spend now, pay later; the math only works if this class delivers.
In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 7 they get a premier pass rusher, though they paid up to get him. A clean fit for the roster.
Chris Johnson at the 46th overall pick is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Kyle Louis. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Nadame Tucker at pick 116 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Jakobe Thomas in No. 155 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They talked themselves into Keyshaun Elliott at pick No. 195, and the board did not agree. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Trebor Pena well ahead of where he belonged. A need, and now a little less of one.