ESPN: Bucs take the lead in signing Oregon key player.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are entering a very important offseason, as they have a lot of big decisions to make with key players.

Obviously, their collective fates will be determined when free agency rolls around. But, as we know, even if the Bucs lose an important player or more, the draft is still around to help build up the roster.

What happens in free agency will play a sizable role in how the Bucs approach the draft. At the same time, they could have their eyes on a position in the draft that helps guide what they do in free agency, to an extent.

Either way, the Bucs have a great shot at landing a difference-maker in the first round at No. 26.

Bucs need to take Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson in first round of the 2024 NFL Draft
Cornerback could certainly be taken, here, but I don’t think there will be any guys worth taking at this spot. And, right now, Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean are still on the roster. There’s been speculation surrounding Davis’ future with the team after a really bad year, but that’s all it is, right now. Their situations could obviously change during free agency, however, but obviously only time will tell.

Therefore, right now, Oregon Ducks center Jackson Powers-Johnson makes the most sense at No. 26. Speaking of a really bad year – that was the case for 2023 center, Robert Hainsey. The soon-to-be fourth-year player really struggled in Dave Canales’ new offense and new offensive coordinator, Liam Coen, will run something within the lines of what Canales deployed.

Per Pro Football Focus, Hainsey managed to nearly set career-worsts across the board. After allowing zero sacks in 2022, he allowed four in 2023. Along with two hits and 21 hurries to form 27 total allowed pressures, which were 12th-most among 32 centers with at least 641 blocking snaps on the season. His pass blocking efficiency rating was also a career-low 97.6 that finished 17th among the aforementioned qualifying players.

In other words: The Bucs could certainly use an upgrade at center.

Powers-Johnson is a great fit for Tampa’s offense
The dude is nasty and can play in either a gap or zone scheme. He’s very athletic, can move guys off the line both vertically and laterally, and he’s good at taking on defenders at the second level. He won the Rimington Trophy last year, which is the award given to college football’s best center and he just turned 21-years-old at the end of January. So, it’s not like he’s one of the 25-year-old seniors we’ve seen as of late.

There’s also another factor that plays into this selection and it’s the possibility of moving Hainsey to guard. At worst, he could cross-train at both positions, giving the Bucs depth along the interior. Sure, position changes along the offensive line are never easy but Tampa pulled off not one, but two of said feats last year when it successfully moved Tristan Wirfs to left tackle and Luke Goedeke to right tackle.

Now, Powers-Johnson isn’t perfect – no prospect is. There’s a concern with his lack of length and that played a key role in Hainsey’s 2023 struggles. Hainsey doesn’t have anywhere close to ideal length for an interior offensive lineman and it hurt him in a lateral offense.

Final word
Overall, though, JPJ is the best center in the draft and would be worthy of a selection at No. 26 overall. We’ll revisit this topic, again, once the first week of free agency has concluded.