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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will enter training camp with more questions than answers. With Tom Brady finally retired (right?), will it be Kyle Trask or Baker Mayfield who wins the starting quarterback job? Can the offensive line hold up after the departures of Donovan Smith and Shaq Mason? Will aging veterans on the Buccaneers' roster — like Mike Evans — be put on the trading block?
The Buccaneers made major cost-cutting moves this offseason, but it's unclear whether this is just the tip of the iceberg of an eventual full rebuild or not.
Buccaneers Training Camp Priorities
Tampa Bay's quarterback battle is the one to watch, as it could provide some clarity for how the Bucs are going to play their hand. Going with Mayfield, 28, could signal that the Bucs will try and compete in what appears to be a wide-open NFC South. But if Trask, who has thrown just nine passes in the NFL, ends up winning the job, the team could sell off parts while he takes his inevitable lumps.
The Buccaneers are still a team built to throw the ball. Wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin form one of the best 1-2 punches in the league, and starting RB Rachaad White caught 50 balls out of the backfield last season.
Whether or not Evans is more valuable as a trade asset or as an on-field weapon could be a pivot point for the franchise.
With that in mind, here are three trade candidates for the Buccaneers heading into training camp.
1. Mike Evans, WR
Evans, 30, has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in nine straight seasons. While it's hard to move on from potentially record-breaking production like that, the time might be right for the Bucs to cash out. Evans is in the last year of his contract and seems likely to move on in free agency next year, which makes him a perfect trade candidate.
DeAndre Hopkins signing with the Tennessee Titans may have sparked the trade market for Mike Evans. Suitors for Hopkins that were left at the alter would be wise to call the Bucs to check in on the 4-time Pro Bowl receiver.
Keep an eye on the New England Patriots as a logical trade partner. The Patriots badly need a deep threat on the outside and have an expiring contract in TE Hunter Henry for salary-matching purposes. Evans would be sorely missed on the field, but his time on the Buccaneers' roster appears to be winding down anyway.
2. Devin White, LB
This one ticks all the boxes, as White already requested a trade earlier this offseason, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 25-year-old also wants a new contract, and while getting that done remains the best-case scenario for the Buccaneers, you can understand general manager Jason Licht's predicament. Paying big bucks for a player at a non-premium position is a little scary given the uncertainty surrounding the rest of the roster, so kicking the can down the road was probably the wisest thing to do.
Tampa Bay has to decide if White is a building block worth investing in, and this season's performance could provide the answers. If White forces the issue in training camp and reiterates his trade request, though, the Bucs may want to move on before it gets too ugly and they lose leverage in trade talks.
3. Lavonte David, LB
This one hurts to even think about, as David has been with Tampa Bay for all 11 seasons of his career and provides valuable leadership on the field and in the locker room. Trading him to a contender would be less about receiving any sort of draft compensation, and more about doing right by the veteran and giving him a chance to compete for another Super Bowl ring.
Other dominos would likely need to fall first, but if the season does end up in the tank at some point, getting David to a playoff contender would be the right thing to do. That's the type of move that earns capital around the league.
Looking Ahead
The Buccaneers are putting on a brave face about competing this year, however unrealistic that may be. Pulling the plug before things even truly get started is never easy, and it's a quick way to lose the locker room. But with multiple star players seemingly having one foot out the door already, the Buccaneers may have to make some difficult trade decisions sooner rather than later.
