John Romano: If the Buccaneers are Super Bowl contenders, they need to consider a trade

John Romano, Tampa Bay Times on Oct 29, 2025

Published in Football

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TAMPA, Fla. — I know nothing. Well, that’s not entirely true.

Since I recognize that I know nothing, I’ve got the advantage on people who think they know everything.

When it comes to the NFL trade deadline, most of us do not know for certain who is available on other teams. We can deduce, we can speculate, we can listen to reports from anonymous team officials who often feed bogus information for misdirection purposes.

We do not have a tight grip on injury information, salary-cap ramifications, the cost of acquiring a player and a dozen other details that go into midseason deals. And having acknowledged all of that, I do have one thought on the Bucs’ trade situation:

If not now, then when?

That’s it. That’s my simple question for the Nov. 4 deadline that is now less than a week away. On the eve of training camp three months ago, head coach Todd Bowles told his team that a playoff reservation was not enough. That it was time for the Bucs to take the next step as an elite team.

Through eight weeks, they’ve made good on that request. They are tied for the second-best record in the NFC, and that’s despite an unfortunate cluster of injuries. So if they’re in a strong position for a playoff spot and possibly homefield advantage, why not expend spare parts in drafts to put Tampa Bay in the strongest position possible when January rolls around?

It’s well-known that general manager Jason Licht has mostly watched past trade deadlines from a distance and, thus, it is assumed he is disinclined to bring in players on midseason deals. But is that really true? The first few years of Licht’s tenure, the Bucs were not a very good team, so there was little reason to seek veteran help. The last few years, the Bucs have been a playoff team but not really a Super Bowl contender, and so Licht placed more value on future draft picks.

But if you go back to 2020, when Tom Brady arrived, Licht was unafraid to make bold moves in an all-in effort to win a Super Bowl — which is exactly what happened.

After signing Brady in the spring, the Bucs traded a fourth-round pick for Rob Gronkowski. Then they dealt another fourth-rounder to move up one spot in the draft to ensure they would get Tristan Wirfs. A few months later, at the trade deadline, they traded a sixth-round pick to get defensive lineman Steve McLendon (following Vita Vea’s broken ankle) and a seventh-round pick.

Along the way, the Bucs also signed veteran running backs LeSean McCoy and Leonard Fournette. And then, days before the trade deadline, Licht signed Antonio Brown, who had been suspended by the NFL for the first half of the season.

The 2025 Bucs are not as Super Bowl-ready as the ’20 team was, but they do share some common traits. They have the same 6-2 record after eight weeks. They’ve lost key people to injuries. And they have a single-minded quarterback capable of making dreams come true.

I’m not suggesting the Bucs give up a first-round pick for a star player next week, but that’s not what the trade deadline is normally about. Last season, the Lions got defensive end Za’Darius Smith and a seventh-round pick in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round picks. Smith had four sacks in seven starts with Detroit. The Cardinals got linebacker Baron Browning for a sixth-round pick, and he’s still in the starting lineup a year later. Even the expensive acquisitions — Marshon Lattimore, Davante Adams and Amari Cooper — commanded picks no higher than the third round.

It’s possible that Licht feels comfortable about the idea of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin being fully healthy by season’s end, and so another receiver or tight end is not necessary. It’s possible the offensive line is immediately improved by Luke Goedeke’s eventual return at tackle, and so getting a veteran right guard is not as pressing as it might seem today. It’s possible the defensive line will be fine without Calijah Kancey and head coach Todd Bowles can scheme around the problems at inside linebacker.

Yet, if the Bucs can hedge their bets by dealing a fifth- or sixth-round pick, wouldn’t this be the time to do it?

Granted, it’s not a slam-dunk proposition. After all, Zyon McCollum was drafted in the fifth round. So was Elijah Roberts. And Tez Johnson came in the seventh round. It’s not as if those picks are worthless.

But for all the work the Bucs did in rebuilding the roster the past three years, there is some urgency to the situation. Lavonte David is likely in his final season. Evans has also contemplated retirement, and the accumulation of injuries have taken a toll on Godwin. The way Baker Mayfield throws his body around, a serious injury is an ever-present concern. Even Vea is in his eighth NFL season — the Bucs once parted ways with Warren Sapp after nine seasons.

If Bowles and Licht believe this team can accomplish something special, a trade is at least worth considering.

If not now, then when?

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