Many teams are being coy this time of year. Each general manager and head coach is insisting their team could move up, move down, or stay pat. With the 2019 NFL Draft now just one day away, at least Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians is being honest.
In his pre-draft press conference, Arians acknowledged the team is likely to stand right where they are, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Thanks to their disappointing 2018 season, the Bucs are currently slated to pick fifth overall.
“There would have to be some hellacious picks,’’ Arians said. “There’s five guys on the board I love. You’d have to throw the bank and open the vault for Jason (Licht) to move down. I’m not saying that we wouldn’t. Just looking at the guys that are there. There’s really six guys that are once in a generation type players. I feel great about this draft.”
Arians made it clear that he and general manager Jason Licht are on the same page here. Arians believes he can land an elite player with the fifth overall pick and doesn't want to go anywhere. Arians is always candid, and it's refreshing to see from a coach. Most observers currently expect them to go defense with their pick, and they're commonly mocked linebacker Devin White from LSU.
There are high hopes in Tampa Bay this season, as landing Arians was widely seen as a coup for the team. It's a big year for the team, as they transition away from Dirk Koetter and look to evaluate whether or not Jameis Winston can be their franchise quarterback moving forward.
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