Tampa Bay Buccaneers Biggest Off-Season Needs

Jan 15, 2016; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneer general manager Jason Licht introduces Dirk Koetter as the new head coach at One Buccaneer Place Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2017 season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ending on a high note, they still missed out on the playoffs. They need a few more pieces for next season if they want to make a run at a division title or even a Super Bowl.

Well Bucs fans, they were so close. With the loss to New Orleans on Christmas Eve the Buccaneers needed many miracles too make the playoffs. With the win against the Panthers they did what they had to do but fate was out of their hands. Dallas lost, the Giants didn’t tie, and the Lions lost so the Bucs 2017 season ended with an above .500 record for the first time in six seasons.

With the season now in the rear view mirror we can focus on the off-season. The Bucs have a solid overall roster but there are still holes to fill if this team wants to make a push at the playoffs. With the development of the defense the offense may be a larger focus this off-season than many people thought about before this season started. While improved, the defense could still use a few more players to make them elite.

Jason Licht had multiple strong moves last year and let’s hope he improves on it this year. Licht said he’s going “full throttle” into this years free agency and with a deep draft class the Bucs have a great opportunity to improve. Let’s take a look the biggest positions of need for the Bucs this off-season.

Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Number Two Wide Receiver

The Bucs have a top receiver in the NFL on their roster currently in Mike Evans. Behind him there is a steep drop off. With Vincent Jackson injured to end the past two seasons, a number two receiver is an immediate need for this offense. Adam Humphries is a great slot and number three receiver but he is not meant to be a primary target opposite Evans. The best option for Tampa is a speedy receiver to give Winston a guy who can catch up to all of his overthrows. There, I said it. Cecil Shorts leg may never be the same, Louis Murphy was cut, and everyone else really belongs on the practice squad.

The free agent market isn’t extremely deep at the position with Alshon Jeffery being the best available. Every one else is either older or not a reliable threat. An interesting name I like is Cordarrelle Patterson. If you look at what he did his rookie season and what Tyreek Hill did this season for the Chiefs, Patterson could be a play maker as a returner and speed threat.

With free agency being not as deep, the draft has options for the Bucs to make a play at strong number two target. With the Bucs having the 19th pick in the draft there are a few first round targets I can see being targeted. Washington’s John Ross and Western Michigan’s Corey Davis are the best wide receivers that should be available around where the Bucs pick. Ross and Davis are speed guys who could take the Bucs offense to another level. The offense regressed a little this season compared to 2015 but with the youth of the team gaining more experience another receiver could take them to the next level.

Nov 19, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook (4) carries the ball during the first quarter of a game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Running Back

After a season where the Bucs had the number two running back in the entire league, they are going to need a new bell cow back. Currently Doug Martin is still on the roster but he is suspended for the first three games of next season and no money is guaranteed on the rest of his contract.

Martin has only had two good seasons in his career, his rookie year and his contract season, and had the worst production for all starting running backs this season. Averaging less than three yards per carry, Martin disappointed almost more when he was on the field compared to when he was injured and off the field. Charles Sims is not a starting running back in the NFL. Sims is a good third down and pass catching back but his ability to run through the tackles is not suitable for a starting back.

Jacquizz Rodgers was the best back on the team last season after not being in the league for the first week of the year. Rodgers finished with 560 yards and two touchdowns starting only five games. He looked like a solid back but there was a reason he wasn’t in the league. Rodgers is a great back-up but I don’t believe he can maintain top back status in the NFL. Jacquizz is a free agent this off-season so the Bucs could bring him back but I don’t think they’ll give him number one back money.

This years list of free agent running backs is very top-heavy with nothing much behind it. Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount are the top two options and behind them are mostly back-ups or third down backs. Both backs are likely to remain with their current teams and unless the Bucs throw almost quarterback money at Le’Veon Bell free agency is not the best option this season. Could Eddie Lacy return to form? Is Latavius Murray really a number one? Personally I don’t like those options for Tampa Bay. The draft is where I want the Bucs to target the running game.

The Bucs are not in the best position for the top running backs in the draft but if they believe that they can grab a franchise changing difference maker I wouldn’t be disappointed in the move. Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook are the best available backs in the draft and can be franchise players. Fournette from LSU has been compared to Adrian Peterson and Dalvin Cook to Marshall Faulk. Both would look great in red and pewter.

If the Bucs decide to stay put they could find talent in the later rounds. The past few season have proven that all-star running backs can be had later in the draft. David Johnson and Jordan Howard were drafted in the third and fifth rounds the past two seasons. D’Onta Foreman, Texas, and Samaje Perine, Oklahoma, are two names I would look out for in the later rounds of this draft class. If you look at the Bucs offense when they had a productive running game they were able score points while this season the offense struggled at times.

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Brent Grimes (24) celebrates withTampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Keith Tandy (37) he after intercepted a pass to seal the win against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 16-11. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Cornerback/ Safety

While the Bucs pass defense improved a lot over this season they still could use some help. While Brent Grimes has been an amazing addition to the team he isn’t the youngest corner in the league. Vernon Hargreaves also looked like a rookie for most of the season. Being the only corner in the league to give up over 1000 receiving yards is not the best stat to have. He was targeted a lot so he was bound to give up a lot of stats but he was unable to make a lot of plays like Marcus Peters did his rookie year.

Keith Tandy is going to be a starting safety on this team next season but the other is up in the air. McDougald performed admirably but there is definite room for improvement. Chris Conte is a free agent and there is no way they bring him back. There is still the fact they don’t have anyone over six feet in the secondary.

The free agency crop of secondary is much deeper than running back so they definitely have options there. One of my favorite players in the league, Eric Berry, is a free agent and coming off a franchise tag. The Chiefs will have to pay up for his services and if they can’t afford his price tag the Bucs surely can. Tony Jefferson, AJ Bouye, and Trumaine Johnson are some other names to consider. They do have to re-sign Josh Robinson first, for his special teams skill.

The draft has a couple of solid options but my favorite player coming out of this year’s class has been sliding down draft boards right towards the Bucs. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan utility man, is an interesting player that can do a little bit of everything. He’d be a nice safety-corner- linebacker hybrid like a Tyrann Mathieu. He can also return kicks and punts, something the Buccaneers haven’t had since Clifton Smith.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line gets set during the second quarter of a football game against the Washington Redskins at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Line

The Bucs offensive line is not a huge concern due to youth but depth is a huge concern going forward. The Cowboys defensive end David Irving single handily ended the Bucs playoff run in the final quarter of the Bucs prime time game. He tossed back up right tackle Gosder Cherilus around like a rag doll and potentially ended his career. Demar Dotson is not a great right tackle but he looked like an All-Pro with Cherilus in the lineup.

One injury ended the Bucs season when it was just starting to launch.

The depth on the line is a serious concern going forward because not only are they protecting the face of the franchise but they need to get the running game going for the offense to be effective. The one hope that they have going into next season is the return of J.R. Sweezy. Kevin Pamphile, Ali Marpet, and Donovan Smith are the key cogs to the line where as Dotson and Hawley are replaceable. Don’t get me wrong I like Hawley but he is undersized as a center. Winston was sacked 35 times this season, up from 27 in 2015. He also has to run outside the pocket more times than he wants. Even though he is really good at throwing on the run, he shouldn’t have to.

Joe Hawley is a free agent and the Bucs are most likely to retain him because the center free agent class is the thinnest of the off-season. With Cherilus a free agent as well they can use depth at Right Tackle or potentially a new starter to move Dotson down the depth chart. Riley Reiff, William Beatty, or Matt Kahlil are solid options and if they want a left tackle Donovan Smith may make a move to the right side for the betterment of the team.

The draft is not full of high-end tackles which is the primary need of the Bucs. Cam Robinson is the top of the list with Roderick Johnson and Mike McGlinchey behind him, after that there isn’t much there. With the need for offensive line talent around the league, none of the key pieces may be available at the time where the Bucs select.

While offensive line is never a sexy pick or a player with a chance to score points, it’s how games are won. Do you think the Cowboys would be 13-3 if they drafted Johnny Manziel instead of Zack Martin? Nope. The NFL is won in the trenches and protecting and opening holes is a vital need for the Bucs to have success in the 2017 season.

While the Bucs developed a lot this year they made fans believe in them again. That belief comes from the potential of the development and acquisitions of the franchise. The team rests in the hands of Jason Licht and if last season was a sign of things to come I’m all for what ever moves are needed to be made.