Bucs Mailbag: Plenty Of Post-Draft Questions

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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account each week in the Bucs Mailbag. Submit your question to the Bucs Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag.  Here are the Bucs draft questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: What are realistic expectations for Jose Ramirez? Can he be an impact pass rusher?

ANSWER: Can Jose Ramirez become an impact pass rusher in Tampa Bay? Yes, he can. Will he? That remains to be seen. It’s a big jump from college to the pros, especially from a non-Power 5 school like Eastern Michigan to the NFL. Let’s remember that Ramirez is a sixth-round pick, and Day 3 guys face long odds to make the team.

Bucs OLB Jose Ramirez – Photo courtesy of Eastern Michigan

The Bucs are still waiting for former first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to become an impact pass rusher after stalling out at four sacks for the second year in a row. So, expecting Ramirez to come as a Day 3 guy and make a splash on defense is probably unrealistic. But the Eastern Michigan star has some intriguing tools, and vice president of player personnel John Spytek said that he reminded him of Shaquil Barrett.

Spytek was in the scouting department in Denver when the Broncos signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State. At just under 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, Ramirez is similarly built to Barrett and is not the fastest edge rusher, evidenced by a 4.73 time in the 40-yard dash. But his 1.58 10-yard split is a first-round number, and his 4.30 time in the short shuttle and 6.95 time in the 3-cone drill were the best numbers for any edge rusher at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Like Barrett, Ramirez’s strengths are quickness and agility. First, he’ll have to play well on special teams to win a roster spot and then we’ll see where Ramirez can go from there. But I really like the player and the pick. He had 34 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks with six forced fumbles in his career. Ramirez is coming in hot off his best season, where he notched 19.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and two forced fumbles as a senior.

QUESTION: Tristan Wirfs to left tackle. Scott Reynolds seems to be more excited about this than I am. I prefer keeping him at right tackle like the Eagles did with Lane Johnson. Please explain why we should be excited? Is Wirfs and Luke Goedeke better than Donovan Smith and Tristan Wirfs last season?

ANSWER: Tristan Wirfs is a freak of nature in the best way possible. His athleticism is off the charts. At 6-foot-5, 345 pounds, he can jump out of a pool of waist-high water. That’s just incredibly hard to do – we’re talking superhero-type stuff. After being a first-round pick in 2020, Wirfs stepped into the lineup and started every game as a rookie and instantly performed at a Pro Bowl level. He’s been a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro at right tackle and who am I to doubt that he can’t find similar success on the left side?

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Left tackle is an even more important position to play because most quarterbacks are right handed, and protecting their blindside is critical. Quarterbacks who get sacked from the blindside are far more likely to fumble the ball from blindside hits they don’t see coming. Putting Wirfs at the second-most important position on the line (behind center) will make him even more valuable to the Bucs.

I understand the hesitancy some fans may have over not wanting to see the Bucs screw up a good thing. Wirfs has obviously mastered right tackle in short order. But given his athleticism, his size, his professionalism and his desire to be great, I’m not going to bet that he can’t become a Pro Bowl left tackle sooner rather than later.

He’s got the entire offseason to to work at left tackle and prepare for the 2023 season. And one of the hardest things for left tackles to do is cut off inside moves and spins to the inside. With Wirfs already establishing his right hand and his right step as dominant from years of playing right tackle, he should be able to seamlessly shut down counter moves to the inside as a result. Keep in mind that Wirfs started three games at left tackle at Iowa and performed well, so he has already shown the ability to do it.

QUESTION: Scott Reynolds, can you share why you were asked by the Bucs staff why you couldn’t share about defensive back Josh Hayes?

ANSWER: Funny story. I was playfully lobbying several people in the Bucs’ brass about (finally) drafting a player from my alma mater, Kansas State, through the draft process this spring. It’s been a while since Tampa Bay drafted a Wildcat – 2009 to be exact. And I – and Bucs fans across the spectrum – want to get the thought of former K-Stater Josh Freeman suiting up in red and pewter out of our heads.

Bucs DB Josh Hayes Photo By: USA Today

I was tipped off by someone in the front office that the Bucs did like several K-Staters this year after the Wildcats beat previously unbeaten TCU and won the Big XII Championship. Even head coach Todd Bowles went to Manhattan, Kansas, for the K-State pro day. Well, to satisfy my curiosity, I was told that the purple player the Bucs would most likely draft was nickel safety Josh Hayes. But in exchange for that knowledge, I was told I couldn’t report it because he was one of their Day 3 sleepers they liked and didn’t want that known throughout the league.

I obliged until right before the Bucs made Hayes one of their two sixth-round picks. I was tipped off a few minutes prior to his selection and told our Pewter Report LIVE Draft Show audience that a Wildcat was going to be selected – either Hayes or running back Deuce Vaughn. And it wound up being Hayes, who fits a more pressing need as a nickel slot defender. Hayes didn’t have a draftable grade from some outlets, but when teams get to Day 3, they draft their players they like, and a great example of that was tight end Ko Kieft last year. He didn’t have a draftable grade from the media, either.

Hayes, who hails from nearby Lakeland, Fla., played one year at K-State and began his career at North Dakota State with Cody Mauch, the Bucs’ second-round pick, where they won a pair of FCS Championships. The former Wildcats safety played a ton of nickel for the Wildcats defense and is fast and physical. His closing speed jumps off the tape and he’s a sure tackler. Hayes had 71 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and a forced fumbles for K-State last year and has a good chance to make the team.

QUESTION: I‘ve heard many Bucs reporters (Pewter Report included) say that they don’t think the Bucs will be in range to draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye without a significant trade up due to the talent on the team, but I’ve seen national media outlets having the Bucs behind both Arizona picks at No. 3. Thoughts?

ANSWER: I don’t think many in the national media believe the Bucs have a chance of being good this year or winning a third straight division title. Given Tom Brady’s departure after an 8-9 season, the uncertainty at the quarterback position and the hiring of a brand-new, unproven offensive coordinator in Dave Canales and that’s understandable.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett and NT Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But what the national media might not consider is the fact that the Bucs still have nine players on the roster who have made at least one Pro Bowl in Tristan Wirfs, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Ryan Jensen, Shaq Barrett, Vita Vea, Lavonte David, Devin White and Antoine Winfield Jr. There is still plenty of talent on this roster. Throw in the likes of quarterback Baker Mayfield, a former No. 1 overall pick, who led the Browns to the playoffs in 2020, and a pair of highly-paid cornerbacks in Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean with Pro Bowl potential, and the cupboard is far from bare.

That’s not to say that the bottom can’t fall out in Tampa Bay this year. If Mayfield doesn’t resuscitate his career with the Bucs and Kyle Trask doesn’t live up to his potential, Tampa Bay’s offense certainly might stall. And if Canales doesn’t prove to be a quick study as a play-caller the Bucs might struggle to score more than 18 points per game for a second straight year.

But given the fact that there truly isn’t a dominant team in the NFC South, I see the potential for somewhere between 7-11 wins this season. I could see the Bucs being slightly worse or actually far better if everything comes together like Todd Bowles hopes and believes it will. Therefore, I just don’t think Tampa Bay will have a Top 5 pick in 2024. But don’t worry. I also think the 2024 draft class will have a deeper pool of more talented quarterbacks in it than this year’s class.

QUESTION: I’m not familiar with undrafted free agent running back Sean Tucker. Does he bring the “angry runner” traits SR emphasized in pre-draft coverage? Also, what are your thoughts on Kaevon Merriweather?

ANSWER: No, I wouldn’t classify Syracuse running back Sean Tucker as an “angry runner.” There were a few of those types of running backs in this draft class and in undrafted free agency, but the Bucs missed out on those players. Tucker is more of a one-cut zone runner, so he should be a good scheme fit. He left Syracuse after his junior year with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He ran for 1,496 yards (6.1 avg.) and 12 touchdowns in 2021 and 1,060 yards (5.1 avg.) and 11 touchdowns in 2022.

Tucker was likely going be drafted in the fourth or fifth round if not for a medical test at the NFL Scouting Combine that detected a medical issue with his heart. That certainly affected his draft stock, as he went undrafted.

Team officials tell Pewter Report that his heart condition should clear up soon, and that they will be extra cautious with Tucker and make him undergo and clear a battery of medical tests before clearing him to practice. The 5-foot-9, 207-pound Tucker is a productive runner and good receiver out of the backfield. He should make the team as the fourth running back.

As for Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather, Pewter Report actually had him as a seventh-round pick in our first Bucs Mock Draft of the year. He had a big senior year with 47 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, three pass breakups, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and two touchdowns.

Merriweather is well versed at playing deep safety (717 snaps), box safety (639 snaps) and lining up in the slot (447 snaps) over the last three years, according to Pro Football Focus, so his versatility is a big plus. The Bucs are really excited about him, especially with safety being so thin prior to the draft. He’s got a legit chance of making the team.

QUESTION: Out of the undrafted free agents we signed, who do you has chance to make it on the 53-man roster? Do you think any UDFA wide receivers make it?

ANSWER: The Bucs needed to sign about 20 undrafted free agents this year to reach the maximum of 90 players for the offseason roster. With the numbers really low at safety and wide receiver, I think undrafted free agents at those positions have the best chance to make the 53-man roster. Keep an eye on Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather, Rutgers defensive back Christian Izien, who can play nickel or safety, Kansas State wide receiver Kade Warner,  Maryland wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, and Tennessee middle linebacker Jeremy Banks.

Bucs ILB Jeremy Banks – Photo by: USA Today

As a K-State alum, I saw every game Warner played in over the last two years. He’s the son of Rams Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and will remind Bucs fans of a tougher, grittier Adam Humphries, an undrafted free agent out of Clemson back in 2015. Warner was a chain-mover for the Wildcats and a really smart player.

The team is very excited about Banks, who went undrafted due to some character issues at Tennessee. If he can show he’s matured and focus on football, he could be a steal as an undrafted free agent. He’s fast (4.53) and physical with 219 tackles in his Volunteers career along with 18 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 10 pass breakups and three interceptions.