The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing a make-or-break season in 2018, after being one of the most disappointing teams in football a year ago.
After what looked like an excellent offseason, many were very excited about the Buccaneers heading into the 2017 season. Tampa Bay ended up winning just five games, which was five less than any other NFC South team.
However, while it didn’t result in wins, the Buccaneers were quite competitive to finish up the regular season. And maybe more importantly, Jameis Winston returned from injury to play some of the best football of his career down the stretch.
With their 5-11 season, Tampa Bay has earned the seventh overall pick in the draft. They are also loaded with available salary cap space, so this roster could once again look vastly improved on opening day from where it sits right now. The Buccaneers have a few very distinct areas of their roster that they need to address.
5. Safety
Tampa Bay’s pass defense needs a significant upgrade, as it was one of the worst in football last year. Tampa Bay was the worst defense in the league on third downs in 2017 as well as having the league’s fewest sacks. At safety, T.J. Ward and Keith Tandy have expiring contracts. Chris Conte played the most snaps of any Bucs safety last year and was adequate, but certainly is not a high impact player.
Tampa Bay did use a second round pick a year ago on Justin Evans, so the cupboard isn’t completely bare here. Still, considering the state of Tampa Bay’s awful pass defense, adding more quality on the back end of the defense should clearly be a huge part of the offseason plan off attack.
4. Running Back
Doug Martin has recently been released to give Tampa Bay even more cap space and Charles Sims is set to become a free agent. The pairing of Peyton Barber and Jacquizz Rodgers is far more potent than some might realize, but that isn’t to say that either is a feature back.
Tampa Bay almost certainly will not select a running back seventh overall unless Saquon Barkley happens to fall that far. This is a very deep running back class and the Bucs should be able to find quality in rounds two through four while Barber and Rodgers hold down the fort.
Or, considering that this position doesn’t demand all that much money in free agency, Tampa could land a quality free agent without putting much of a dent in their vast salary cap pool. In terms of skill position players around Winston, running back is really the only position that needs attention and if done properly, Winston could have quite a group of weapons at his disposal.
3. Interior Offensive Line
The Buccaneers would be wise to lock up Ali Marpet to a long-term contract. He is a very good center, but an excellent guard and should be a foundational piece for this organization going forward. The rest of Tampa’s offensive line isn’t in nearly as good of shape with the exception of Demar Dotson at right tackle.
Free agents on Tampa Bay’s offensive line currently include Evan Smith and Kevin Pamphile. These two combined to play nearly 1,500 snaps in 2017, which wasn’t exactly ideal. Of the two, Smith was the better player of the two, but neither was even an above average starter. The Buccaneers have given Donovan Smith every opportunity to succeed as their left tackle, but if he flounders again in 2018, he could be at the end of his rope.
Smith and Dotson will be Tampa’s starting tackle tandem, but this team could really stand to add at least two linemen of note, even with JR Sweezy in the mix. After a very rough season, Sweezy is a candidate for release. Tampa needs to keep Joe Hawley out of the lineup and Pamphile wasn’t any better last year. Fortunately for the Buccaneers, this is a strong draft class for interior offensive linemen.
2. Cornerback
Brent Grimes will turn 35-years-old before the season and his contract with the Buccaneers has expired, as has Robert McClain’s. Grimes is somewhat of a freak of nature and is still playing quite well, even with Tampa Bay’s lack of pass-rush.
They would be smart to bring Grimes back into the mix, possibly on a one-year deal. McClain wasn’t terrible, but is certainly replaceable. 2016 first round pick Vernon Hargreaves also played okay last year, but he hasn’t taken the huge step forward that Tampa Bay needs from him. It is now fair to ask if Hargreaves will ever be a true number one corner.
Ryan Smith is also in the mix, but is just a depth player. Smith played nearly 600 snaps last year and by upgrading the top of the cornerback depth chart, that shouldn’t be necessary. Tampa Bay has the resources to add two big additions at cornerback. In a division with Mike Evans and Julio Jones that is the way this organization should go, especially if Grimes doesn’t return.
1. Defensive End
The lack of pass-rush crippled Tampa Bay’s pass defense last year, as the Buccaneers measly 22 sacks was the fewest in the NFL. This is a scheme that plays a lot of zone coverage and doesn’t blitz often. Therefore, it is imperative to get a consistent rush with just four men. To say the least, that didn’t happen in 2017. Losing Noah Spence in Week 3 was a big blow for sure.
Spence will return and has a lot of upside to his game, but is coming off his second major shoulder injury. A breakout season from Spence is quite possible and could go a long way to fixing this huge current problem. Robert Ayers is a quality all around player and is coming off a strong season, but he has never been an upper-tier pass-rusher and he is entering the final year of his contract. That being said, Tampa Bay must get proactive to get more pass-rush.
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Of course that means adding more defensive end help, but they also shouldn’t balk at adding an interior pass-rusher and their defensive tackle depth chart is very space right now as well. Still, the greatest need for this team is at end. Adding a difference maker here would go a long way.