The Buccaneers don’t look like a team built for a splashy deadline move, but if Tampa Bay wants to give Baker Mayfield a real shot to get this offense moving, George Pickens is the name that jumps off the page.
That’s because the Bucs have a strange kind of split personality right now. At 3-6, they’ve got a rough record, but they’re still sitting as the NFC South’s best team and the favorites to win the division.
The reason they can still be taken seriously is pretty simple: Tampa Bay owns the NFL’s No. 1 rush offense and defense, and it also leads the league in takeaways. That’s the kind of foundation that can cause problems once the postseason arrives.
The issue is everything happening when Mayfield drops back to throw. Through nine games, Tampa Bay’s passing offense has been dead last in the NFL, and that mess has become the biggest thing keeping the team from looking like a true contender. Quarterback play has been part of it, but the bigger problem is the absence of a legitimate No. 1 receiver.
Pickens would change that conversation fast.
He has 39 catches for 533 yards and two touchdowns this season, and the Buccaneers already saw what he can do up close in Week 5. Against Tampa Bay, Pickens went off for 9 catches, 130 yards and a touchdown, the most productive day any receiver has had against the Bucs this year.
He would also arrive with better production than anyone currently in Tampa Bay’s receiver room. Even though he missed one game because of injury, Pickens has more receptions and receiving yards than any Buccaneers wideout by a wide margin.
Emeka Egbuka leads the group, but his 278 receiving yards rank 80th in the NFL. He’s averaging just four catches for 40 yards per game.
Chris Godwin has not looked like the same player, with 29 catches and 259 yards on the year. That works out to three catches for 29 yards per game.
Tez Johnson has flashed as the team’s best big-play option, but he hasn’t had more than two catches in any game this season. He can hit a big play, but he hasn’t become a steady part of the passing attack.
Rookie Ted Hurst was supposed to be the best candidate to fill the X receiver spot, but his first season has been a disappointment, and he’s still a long way from being trusted as a true No. 1 target.
Jalen McMillan is also on injured reserve, and there’s no timetable for his return.
What Tampa Bay is missing is obvious: an X receiver who can stress defenses downfield, make plays in the red zone, and win contested catches. Mayfield needs a reliable outlet, the kind of security blanket and bailout option that has been missing since Mike Evans left.
No one is pretending Pickens replaces Evans. But he could slide into that role and immediately become the best receiver on the roster.
There’s also a practical angle here. Pickens is playing on the franchise tag and would need a new contract after the season, which could make Dallas willing to move him for a Day 2 draft pick.
For the Buccaneers, the question is whether they’re content to win the division and then bow out in the first round, or whether they want to take a real swing while their defense and run game are still this strong.
Jason Licht has never made an in-season trade, so this would be a departure. Still, Pickens is exactly the kind of player who could lift Mayfield, spark the passing game and alter the course of Tampa Bay’s season.
In Other News...
Bucs Wasted A Golden Chance In Chicago And Fans Know Why
A strong defensive effort at Soldier Field should have been enough to give Tampa Bay a road win, especially after the Buccaneers forced five Chicago turnovers and got a much-needed rebound from a unit that had a rough opening stretch. Cornerback Jacob Parrish was part of that turnaround, and for long stretches the defense did its job well enough to put the game in the Bucs' hands.
The problem was the offense never fully cashed in on those chances, and the missed opportunities proved costly in a 27-24 loss to the Bears. Baker Mayfield's night turned on two interceptions, including a pick-six, while Bucky Irving was the one consistent bright spot with 125 total yards and two touchdowns, leaving Tampa Bay with plenty to clean up after letting a golden opening slip away. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Face A Big Bucky Irving Decision After The Bye
Bucky Irving has been the most productive offensive player in Tampa Bays attack this season, giving the Buccaneers a steady ground-game answer while the rest of the offense has worked through its own stretches of inconsistency. His production has put him among the leagues top rushers and made him central to what the Bucs want to do every week, especially with the offense leaning on him to keep drives on schedule and finish them in the red zone.
After the bye, though, the conversation shifts from usage to preservation. Todd Bowles has already acknowledged concern about Irvings workload, and Tampa Bay has some flexibility with other backs who have chipped in recently. The question now is how the Buccaneers balance keeping their best runner involved with making sure hes still fresh and available when the season tightens up. [Read more 🡒]
Bowles Just Put The Bucs Trade Deadline Pressure In Focus
Todd Bowles didnt try to gloss over where the Buccaneers stand as the trade deadline approaches. With Tampa Bay near the top of the division, the coach acknowledged the passing game has not been living up to the standard the team has set in recent seasons, and that reality is starting to shape the conversation about what comes next.
A veteran receiver is one possible way the Bucs could try to lift the offense, especially if they want to keep pace in a crowded race. But the deadline also forces a broader decision on the roster as a whole, with Tampa Bay weighing whether to add help, move pieces or simply stand pat and trust the group already in place. [Read more 🡒]