The expectations were high for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2018 rookie class.
The Bucs had five picks in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. It was clear that this group had the potential to play significant roles from the start.
General manager targeted positions of need early on. He selected a running back, a guard and multiple cornerbacks to try and fill the remaining holes on the roster. From a logical standpoint, his moves made sense.
The problem with Licht’s strategy was that the 2018 roster would rely too heavily on rookies. If they weren’t ready to play right away, the Bucs would be relying on some subpar options to play meaningful snaps.