Getty The Buccaneers are not expected to make a big move at the NFL trade deadline.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers along with the rest of the NFL have until 4 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, November 3rd to make a trade. Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians admitted the team has “some things on the table” but did not sound like he expected the team to pull the trigger on a major deal.
“You never know,” Arians noted in his Week 8 press conference, per Pro Football Talk. “We don’t know what this ball game is going to bring yet. [General Manager] Jason [Licht’s] got some things on the table if we need them, but I wouldn’t say we’ll probably be really active.”
The Buccaneers already made a significant move by signing wide receiver Antonio Brown. Tampa also traded for defensive tackle Steve McLendon after Vita Vea was lost for the season.
Arians on Bucs: ‘This Team’s Too Good Not to Make That Run’
Arians changed his tune on adding Brown after both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans have been dealing with injuries throughout the season. The Buccaneers coach noted that the move to sign Brown was to “give our guys, our locker room, every chance.”
“Offensively we’ve been struggling all year with injuries,” Arians told NBC Sports’ Peter King. “I wanna be able to make that playoff push with whoever’s available. Kinda the same thing we did with [veteran center] A.Q. Shipley. We brought him in just in case. So, we got a dominant center sitting on the bench. This team’s too good not to make that run and give our guys, our locker room, every chance. This move wasn’t made without me talking to every single one of our veteran players. Do you want this guy? Do you want this guy in our locker room? Every man said yes.”
The Buccaneers Have Until Tuesday, November 3 to Make a Trade
Arians’ comments seemed to indicate the Buccaneers were prepared to make a move if the team sustained any serious injuries against the Giants. There were not any indications that the Bucs had any significant injuries, so we can expect a quiet trade deadline in Tampa.
As Arians and company proved with Brown, the team can always pull off a surprise if something emerges that can improve their roster. Tom Brady told ESPN’s Randy Moss that he “certainly didn’t object” to the Buccaneers signing Brown.
“Well I’ve watched Antonio for a long time, and then had the opportunity to play with him last year for a short period of time, and [GM] Jason [Licht] and Bruce [Arians] felt there was a right opportunity to add him to a really talented group that we already have,” Brady explained, per USA Today. “I certainly didn’t object to it. I think the more good players we have on our team, the better we can become. He’s joining a very deep group of players at that position… Antonio’s going to work as hard as he always has. He’s a very hard worker, everyone knows that. We’ll see what we can do when he gets on the field.”
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