What the Jets-Colts draft trade means for the Bucs

The New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts made headlines Saturday afternoon when they exchanged draft picks in order for the Jets to move up a few spots in this year’s draft.

New York sent Indianapolis picks No. 6, 37, and 49 as well as a 2019 second-round pick. All that for Indy’s third overall selection. Crazy.

The move allows New York to leapfrog Denver who many feel will be targeting a quarterback with pick No. 5. Experts feel that four quarterbacks can go ahead of the Bucs and Saturday’s trade sort of validates that theory after a quarterback-needy team makes such a bold move.

Tampa Bay will have several options guaranteed to fall to them on April 26 when the seventh pic rolls around. We’re talking about Bradley Chubb, Quenton Nelson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Saquon Barkley, and Derwin James. It’ll be up to the Bucs to decide which position or player matters most to them.

After Saturday’s acquisition of free agent defensive lineman Vinny Curry, some are already assuming that the Buccaneers would be best off selecting Nelson. If he is available, then certainly that is a selection no one would argue against. However, despite the struggles of the offensive line last season and the signing of center Ryan Jensen, Tampa Bay can pass on Nelson since it is the other side of the ball that has struggled more.

The concerns for the defense is much bigger. There are still questions along the defensive line and same can be said about the secondary. The Bucs were dead last in the league in pass defense and sacks. Opposing offenses moved the ball through the air with ease and quarterbacks had so much time in the pocket they often could have called in a to-go order.

A defensive pass rush will take some of the stress off of the secondary. And while a good secondary can buy enough time for the pass rush to get to the quarterback, what good is a stellar secondary without the inability of players getting to the quarterback?

The trade between the Colts and the Jets helped out the Buccaneers tremendously by pushing several, high-caliber players down to them. It’s up to general manager Jason Licht to pull the trigger on the right guy, if he falls.

And that right guy is Bradley Chubb.