2014 NFL Draft Rumors: Buccaneers 'leaning toward' pass-rusher, cornerback

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are "leaning toward" a pass-rusher with their first-round pick, while they want to draft a cornerback with their second-round pick. That's what a source "very close" to the Buccaneers tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report.

The Buccaneers lack a true edge rusher, with Adrian Clayborn being the closest thing they have to a Simeon Rice or Julius Peppers. And Clayborn's a long way removed from that kind of play. Finding that edge rusher is easier said than done, however: no dominant players are available in free agency, and the top draftable edge rushers are sub-optimal fits in the Bucs' defense, with Anthony Barr and Khalil Mack both having played linebacker in college. If the Bucs draft either one, they're likely to convert them to defensive end.

The emphasis on cornerback in the second round makes a little less sense. The Bucs have a plethora of needs on the offensive side of the ball, and while they could use more depth at cornerback behind Darrelle Revis and Johnthan Banks, it's not the most pressing area of concern.

Keep in mind that this is lying season in the NFL. When reports like this come out, it's usually little more than misinformation purposefully leaked by teams. Even when a report is accurate, it's impossible to discern the real information from the deliberate misinformation out there. So take all of this with a grain of salt, and let's wait for free agency to wrap up first. The Bucs' activity in free agency will determine the team's biggest needs going into the draft.