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3 Draft Picks the Buccaneers Gave up on Way too Early

By Steven Kubitza

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved on from Aqib Talib too early.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved on from Aqib Talib too early. / J. Meric/Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not been to the postseason since 2007, but 2020 may finally be the year now that Tom Brady is in town. Bad draft decisions have sadly been a hallmark of way, way too much of the Bucs' history, but apart from this, losing certain homegrown talents too early stands out as a notable source of setbacks as well. In particular, these three players stand out in that regard.

3. DE Adrian Clayborn

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Adrian Clayborn in 2011.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Adrian Clayborn in 2011. / Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Adrian Clayborn was the Bucs' No. 20 overall pick in the 2011 draft. Injuries cut two of his four seasons in Tampa short, resulting in the team declining his fifth-year contract option. Clayborn left to join Atlanta in 2015 and has been able to stay relatively healthy since. He recorded a career-high in sacks with 9.5 in 2017 and could have been a solid cheap option up front in the Tampa defense. It stings to see him producing for a division rival.

2. LB Kwon Alexander

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Kwon Alexander in 2015.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Kwon Alexander in 2015. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Kwon Alexander was a 2015 fourth-round pick who made a Pro Bowl in short order. He spent four years in Tampa only to sign with San Francisco last offseason after the Bucs moved on following a 2018 campaign in which the linebacker only appeared in six games. He dealt with more injuries in 2019, but was still capable of being a starter in the middle of a defense when healthy -- a defense that went all the way to the Super Bowl.

1. CB Aqib Talib

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Aqib Talib in 2008.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Aqib Talib in 2008. / Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

The Bucs used a first-round pick on Aqib Talib in 2008. He has gone on to make five Pro Bowls in his career, all after leaving Tampa. Talib was traded to New England in 2012 in exchange for a fourth-round pick; giving up on him was a major mistake, as he still had not hit his peak. Talib won a Super Bowl in Denver and was named first-team All-Pro in 2016. A lack of patience only prolonged the rebuild on defense for the Buccaneers.