I'm running out of creative ways to say that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to address their need for a defensive end on the NFL Draft. We all know at this point that their pass-rush was their biggest weakness last year. But we also know that they have a pretty good chance to address that need in the NFL Draft this year.
So far, there have been two defensive ends that the Bucs have been projected to draft in the first round, and it is a little bit of a revolving door. In the latest version of their SB Nation 2011 NFL Mock Draft, they have the Bucs taking Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan. Here is their rationale.
The Bucs will take any defensive end they can get their hands on; Kerrigan's hustle will make him a nice fit in Raheem Morris' Tampa 2.
The first part of that explanation is the real important part. If Kerrigan is on the board, and Aldon Smith is not, then Kerrigan will be the pick. If Aldon Smith is still on the board and Kerrigan off, then he will be the pick. If they are both gone, then the World might fold up and disappear into a bottomless void, but the Bucs will still find a way to acquire a defensive end during the descent. Whether it is Kerrigan or not, the Bucs will get a DE in the draft this year.