Buccaneers likely to pass on Isaiah Battle in supplemental draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have passed on many, many opportunities to upgrade their offensive line this offseason. They neglected it in free agency, passed on Evan Mathis when he became available, didn't claim John Moffitt off waivers -- the only thing they did do was draft two players in the second round, one of whom isn't even slated to start.

So you'd think that a talented rookie entering the supplemental draft would be a golden opportunity -- something that's happening right now, with Clemson tackle Isaiah Battle. But it seems that once again, the Bucs aren't interested. According to Pewter Report, they think the 2016 draft is very strong and don't want to give up one of those picks for Battle.

If the Bucs do select Battle they will lose that corresponding draft pick in the 2016 draft. A team source tells PewterReport.com "those picks are gold" given the talent level of next year's draft, so look for the Bucs to pass on Battle, especially with anything other than a late-round pick. The last player selected in the NFL's supplemental draft was Cleveland wide receiver Josh Gordon, who was drafted in the second round in the summer of 2012.

The Bucs could still use an extra lineman, given that Ali Marpet is not expected to start the season, but adding a rookie this late in the process isn't going to solve the team's short-term problem at right guard. It might be a good move for the long term, but that really depends on Battle's talent level -- which I'm not evaluating, here. Given that he's had some disciplinary problems in college, there are some extra risks involved.

Of course, there's always a point where he is worth a pick -- perhaps in the seventh round, for instance. Because no matter how deep a draft, seventh-round picks are never "gold."