Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Team Column
 | By Daryl Breault NFL Draft Dog Senior Writer Owner/Aministrator: Pewter Krew.com |
| 11 April 2008 |
Buccaneers Draft Outlook
Intelligent free agent moves appear to have put Tampa in a position to draft for value and not need. They have few glaring weaknesses and may only be a playmaker or two away from being a serious threat for Super Bowl contention. The Buccaneers recent draft history is unremarkable and outside of the top picks, few prospects are still with the team let alone making an impact.
2005 1st round pick Carnell Williams is rehabbing a serious knee injury that is rumored to be career threatening. So far, Williams can best be classified as inconsistent and I have been a staunch supporter. I don’t want to label him injury prone but he might be. Williams has been banged up during each of his first three seasons and quite possibly will not be the same back he once was. Three offensive line prospects must show continued improvement this season but so far RG Davin Joseph (‘06 1st round), RT Jeremy Trueblood (’06 2nd round) and LG Aaron Sears (’07 2nd round) appear to be successful picks and should anchor a strong offensive line along with free agent signee C Jeff Faine. LT tackle will be battle between veteran Luke Petitgout and Donald Penn, who turned in a solid performance in replace of the injured Petitgout after coming in as a rookie free agent in 2005.
Most important for General Manager Bruce Allen’s legacy will be the development of 2007 1st round pick DE Gaines Adams. After starting slowly, Adams showed improvement both as a pass rusher and run stopper late in the season and eventually moved into the starting lineup. The defense is counting on Adams to take another step forward in 2008 and provide a consistent pass rushing presence.
Their inability to draft and develop talent has long been a criticism of Allen and head coach Jon Gruden. With only 5 picks in 2008 it may be hard to make a big impact but the duo will need to make those picks count to keep their jobs. They have had a great off-season, spending wisely to add depth and managed to get some underrated talent in Marques Douglas and Eugene Wilson. Both players add versatility to the defense along with more veteran leadership to a fairly young defense. The team could once again be hovering around the .500 mark again in 2008 unless the Bucs come up big in the draft and add a playmaking presence to add with Joey Galloway. Be it at WR, RB or TE, another star is needed to take the team to the next level and maybe win a play-off game, something not done since 2002.
Top 5 Draft Needs
- Wide Receiver- Someone who can take the heat off of Joey Galloway is a necessity as we all saw what happens when Galloway gets beat up by a physical offense. I have two words: Devin Thomas. Of all the receivers available, Thomas is the one with the ability to be special and could be a rookie of the year candidate if paired with a creative coach like Gruden. Other possibilities include Limas Sweed, James Hardy and a bit of a sleeper in Earl Bennett.
- Left Tackle- The aforementioned pair of Penn and Petitgout could be a solid duo but I think it’s time to add a LT in the mold of former Buc great Paul Gruber. Is it the flashiest pick? No, but it is the smartest. A LT like Chris Williams or Jeff Otah would complete the group. Both can play on either side for a year before taking over and give them depth and versatility. King Dunlap could be a great developmental prospect in round 3 or 4. He has top-notch attributes but struggled through a miserable senior year.
- Cornerback- Ronde Barber could be a future Hall of Famer while Phil Buchanan is serviceable next to him. Wilson will be tried at CB after playing safety in New England but he has the skills to productive at that position in this system. Adding a top-flight talent to groom behind Barber that can also play man-to-man is needed to ensure that this position remains solid. Corners do not need to be spectacular in this system to be effective but possessing a great closing burst is a must. Players who could fit are Mike Jenkins, Antoine Cason, Brandon flowers and DeJuan Tribble. Cason is a Thorpe Winner who is the number 1 CB available in my opinion. He had better than anticipated speed and just needs a little technique refinement to reach his potential in the pros.
- Runningback- While not a major need, this is a pedestrian group that lacks flash unless Cadillac Williams is back to full health, something not expected until mid-season. Ernest Graham is working on a contract that will keep him in uniform for the long term but Warrick Dunn and Michael Bennett are only stopgap measures next to him. If they can, they need to add someone with speed to act as a change of pace from the plodding, smashmouth Graham. Felix Jones, Chris Johnson or Ray Rice should be available in the 2nd round and would add a home run threat to the Bucs backfield and allow them to cut or trade Williams.
- Quarterback- Gruden has been content to use short term solutions at this position for quite sometime and may not be interested in developing a young quarterback but there’s never a better time than the present to add your QB of the future unless you already have one. There are not a lot great QB options available this year but there are a couple that could surprise. Colt Brennan has taken a beating akin to the one he took against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl this off-season but he a lightning quick release and is deadly accurate. With some good coaching, Brennan could be a dynamic West Cost passer with a creative streak. He looks to be dropping into rounds 6 or 7 after needing hip surgery but could be a worthwhile gamble for the ‘QB Collector”.
Bucs Mock Draft
Round 1/#20 WR Devin Thomas- I believe Thomas will go higher than this come draft day but he would be a great fit opposite Galloway. Few receivers his size (6’2” 215lbs) can match his speed and fluidity. He will be a beast downfield and after the catch.
Round 2 CB Brandon Flowers- Flowers is tough and aggressive and may be a candidate to switch to free safety at the next level. In the Tampa-2 he can stay at corner and become a physical presence in the Bucs secondary. He may not be an elite corner, but Flowers will develop into a starter.
Round 3 OT King Dunlap- This may be a reach, but Dunlap has the athleticism to play LT in the pros. He looked great as a junior and appeared to be a potential 1st round pick heading into his senior year. My philosophy is to build from the inside out and I think they should add a potential stud LT to a young, improving offensive line.
Round 4 DE Darrell Robertson- Robertson is too thin right now but has the frame to hold additional weight, which will help him to improve against the run. He has the athleticism to switch to outside linebacker and the burst to be dangerous off the edge. I’ve compared him to Jason Taylor, and he has the potential to be that great if he can improve against the run and add weight, but he could have a similar impact to the Bears Mark Anderson in the short term.
Round 5 QB Colt Brennan- There is a ton of reasons to doubt Brennan, namely size, system, injury woes and arm strength. But his release is incredibly quick and his accuracy is intriguing enough to get him a shot. I don’t believe he will go undrafted in a weak class and Brennan is a better long-term prospect than current Bucs Luke McCown and Bruce Gradkowski.
Round 7 DT Jason Shirley- At 320lbs, Shirley is a beast that can eat up blockers in 3-4 or 4-3 defense. He has all of the attributes needed to be great except desire. His lackadaisical approach might keep from getting out of training camp but if the light goes on Shirley can be a run-stuffing backup. He is quick enough to play in a one-gap scheme and gets decent pressure as a pass rusher.
| 17 March 2008 |
Quantity over Quality
One of the youngest rosters in the league just got a whole lot deeper. Tampa has added a bevy of role players, backups and potential starters so far in free agency as 10 free agents have inked contracts.
After adding center Jeff Faine, the Bucs have managed to get S/CB Eugene Wilson, DL Marques Douglas and RB Warrick Dunn among others. Dunn is a blast from the past but his signing makes sense. Reports have Cadillac Williams out until at least mid-season, maybe longer, if not forever. Safe to say, Williams will most likely not be the same player he once was as few runners do from serious knee injuries. Dunn is a much better compliment to Ernest Graham than Michael Bennett. Bennett is all speed but Dunn does the little things better. He can pass protect despite his size, he can catch the ball out of the backfield and Dunn has stayed remarkably healthy throughout his career. At age 33 and coming of his worst season as a pro, this is the perfect situation for Dunn. Now, I fully believe that Kevin Faulk is one of the best players in the game. He’s not a starter. He’s not a superstar or an amazing athlete or anything else you would associate with the best players in the league. What Faulk does best is the little things as mentioned above, becoming one of the most important players on the New England Patriots. Dunn has the type of character to accept a role like this and flourish. He’s had a long career and done a lot in his time but his resume is lacking a Super Bowl. If they can maximize Dunn without over using him, they can have quite a playmaker on their hands.
Eugene Wilson is coming off of two injury-plagued seasons that have seen him play only 15 games over that span. When healthy he is a consistent centerfielder at FS in the secondary. This is the comparison for current Bucs free safety Tanard Jackson coming out of college. Wilson was signed with the intent to play some corner, a position he played in college, and would at the least give them a versatile ballhawk in their secondary. There will be quite a battle in the secondary during training camp to get everyone situated. The Wilson signing gives them 5 potential Pro Bowl players in the secondary along with Jackson, Ronde Barber, Jermaine Phillips and Phil Buchanan.
Adding to the depth along the defensive line is Douglas and Jimmy Wilkerson. Both can play inside and out but neither are big time playmakers. Douglas has been a starter for San Fran in their 3-4 defense. He played end and should stay at strongside end. Wilkerson didn’t play a lot in Kansas City and most likely won’t in Tampa. What his signing gives them is another body as a run stuffer. Wilkerson might barely crack 300-lbs and is not the space eater that they need. The linebackers cover up some of the line deficiencies stuffing the run but a 320-lbs mountain playing next to Jovan Haye would make this defense unstoppable. The teams done a good job of filling most of their needs and are in position to be able to grab the best player available in the draft.
The team added a potential starter in linebacker Teddy Lehman. As a rookie in 2004, Lehman started all 16 games for the Lions and had 103 tackles before injuries sidetracked his career. He played in 16 games in 2007 for the Lions, mostly on special teams, posting 26 tackles and a forced fumble. He’s not as fluid in coverage as Cato June but he’s stronger and is better against the run. Look for this to be a tough battle as well in training camp for the strong side LB job. Lehman can also back up Barrett Ruud in the middle and be a core special teams player.
Despite a strong need at receiver for more playmakers, the team has only added former Niner Antonio Bryant. Bryant has had his share of troubles, even suing the NFL at one point, but he can be a pretty good pass catcher when he wants to be. After being suspended for 4 games late in 2006, Bryant should have had 2 more games left to serve of that suspension but apparently that’s not the case. Not sure why, but that’s what I’ve heard anyways. I’m really hoping the Bucs grab Devin Thomas in the first round, but having Thomas and Bryant line up next Joy Galloway gives me goose bumps. Thomas is 6’2” 215, but he’s got Galloway’s speed and big play ability. The kid has jawdropping open field moves.
At tight end the Bucs have added Ben Troupe and John Gilmore to replace Anthony Becht and Jerramy Stevens. Troupe has the ability but has trouble staying healthy and on the field. Gilmore is average in all phases but can be a solid backup. The team also added more depth and competition at LB in the form of Matt McCoy and Leon Joe. These two will make it tough for 2nd year men Quincy Black and Adam Hayward in training camp and the pre-season. Cornerback Sammy Davis was also re-signed. The draft will mostly be about adding the best player available. Brian Griese was added through trade to give Luke McCown, Chris Simms and Bruce Gradkowski a little competition for the backup QB spot. Some have bought into McCown being the future for them, but I can’t subscribe to that. Simms is a goner and Gradkowski may have a tough time sticking around unless he somehow looks like the second coming of Steve Young in camp. Simms and Clayton look to be trade bait, either for late picks or in a package to move up or something.
| 1 March 2008 |
Bucs Tab Faine to Anchor O-Line
Free Agency opened over 24hrs ago and the signings have come fast and furious. The Browns Derek Anderson re-signed with the team for 3 years, Alan Faneca jumped to the Jets, Asante Samuel is an Eagle, Joey Porter is now part of a revamped Jax receiving corps and Madieu Williams is the new ball hawk in Minnesota. Tampa has made only one move so far, inking Saints center Jeff Faine to a deal to move into John Wade’s vacated starting center spot.
Faine is a young veteran who will be the leader of the line as the most experienced member. He can handle making the calls and running the show, which is very important with such a young unit. He’s consistent and holds his own in pass protection. Faine is good on the move and will fit in nicely between recent high draft picks Davin Joseph and Aaron Sears.
Much like Wade, Faine is not very big or overly strong and has some of the same deficiencies as his predecessor. Neither gets much push in the run game and have trouble with larger lineman. It seems, on paper at least, that the Bucs replaced Wade with a younger version of the wily vet. The youth, upside and experience of Faine makes this a quality signing regardless and Faine was the best available at the position.
The inactivity is surprising considering the Bucs have ample cap space this year. They were either uninterested in or unable to sign Asante Samuel despite their need for a true number 1 corner. Javon Walker has been rumored to be headed to Tampa Bay and that is becoming more of a possibility since the Broncos just released him. TE Alge Crumpler could still be in the team’s plans as well as DT Rod Coleman while OT Kwame Harris is also rumored to have been contacted by the team and could be a versatile backup who could possibly take over for Jeremy Trueblood if needed.
Walker has been hit by injuries in recent seasons and it is unclear whether he will be the same player he once was. Signing him to an incentive-laden deal might be a chance worth taking but Walker has sulked his way out of two stops and he may not be totally healthy for 2008. The Cardinals are hamstrung right now by Larry Fitzgerald’s $14million cap figure and have been having trouble coming to an agreement with the Pro Bowl receiver that will significantly reduce that number. While not actively shopping him, the Cards are said to be open to fielding offers. Fitzgerald is still young and is a prototype West Coast receiver who is well worth the picks it would take to get him. Other options the Bucs should pursue quickly are Randy Moss and Bernard Berrian. Both speedsters are shopping themselves right now with Berrian squarely in the Raiders sights and Moss having yet to receive an offer from New England. Flush with cash, Tampa is in position to make an impact and adding one of those two would have a huge impact on the market and give Tampa the weapons needed to keep pace with the Saints high-powered offense.
Crumpler and Coleman are two former Falcons with injury concerns. Coleman missed a huge chunk of last season and was ineffective when he did play and Crumpler has knee issues. DT and TE are high priorities for the Bucs. Starter Jovan Haye was given the highest possible tender to remain in the DT rotation while TE John Gilmore, formerly of Chicago, is on the verge of being signed to pair with Alex Smith. Gilmore is far from a household name and was a backup for the Bears but he is a solid blocker who is still improving his receiving skills. He is an underrated addition whose signing will not make big waves but he will have a strong impact on the field as Smith’s partner. Crumpler could potentially be a starter but his knee issues have been rumored to be bad enough to keep him from being the player he once was. He’s consistent and reliable and could make life easier for the receivers. Coleman has been a great interior pass rusher over the last few years and may have another couple of years left in him but he will never be a double-digit sack threat again. He could start and have an impact. Coleman and Crumpler have both visited One Buc Place already.
In the market for a versatile backup lineman, the Bucs are apparently feeling out former 49er Harris. The onetime 1st round pick has been a disappointment but with a change of scenery could reach his potential. Trueblood has yet to show that he is a special player and could have a tough battle on his hands from Harris in training camp.
The Bucs have interviews set up with OLB Lance Briggs, RB Mewelde Moore, MLB Niko Koutouvides, DE’s Jimmy Wilkerson and Marques Douglas, WR Devery Henderson and OLB Demorrio Williams. Neither Wilkerson or Douglas is the answer at end opposite Gaines Adams but they provide versatility in this defense. Henderson has been wildly inconsistent over his career but has elite deep speed. Moore has below average size but possesses game breaking speed and elusiveness. He can return kicks and be a receiver out of the backfield.
Briggs and Williams may not necessarily be needs but are two of the top LB available this year. Briggs has played in a cover-2 scheme in Chicago and is considered one of the best linebackers in the league. Williams has yet to reach his potential but his play last season leads me to believe he is on the cusp of great things. LB is not a priority or a need and depth is solid making Briggs and Williams commodities that would have to be fit in with Cato June, Barrett Ruud and Derrick Brooks which might be tough.
| 19 February 2008 |
Tampa Bay Hot Stove
The off-season is upon us. The deadline for franchise/transition tags is a few days away, free agency begins in less than two weeks and before we know it my favorite time of the year will be here: the NFL Draft.
So far, Tampa has filled out their staff and re-signed runningback Michael Bennett. Former Rams Offensive Coordinator Greg Olsen was hired to coach the quarterbacks, replacing Paul Hackett and Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia was given the dual role of coaching the runningbacks.
Bisaccia is the one who may be key and it’s surprising that he will continue to work with both the special teams and the runners. Cadillac Williams will miss a good portion of next season, leaving breakout performer Ernest Graham, the re-signed Bennett and personal fav Kenneth Darby on the depth chart. Michael Pittman most likely will not be back. Bisaccia will have to continue Graham’s development while finding a backfield mate that can work with him. Bennett could be that guy, but it’s hard to count on him. He has played in 16 games only twice in his career, once as a backup during his last season in Minnesota. He had a great 2002 as he rushed for more than 1200-yards but that seems forever ago. His re-signing leads me to believe that he will receive a bigger role in the offense this year as he most likely could have gone elsewhere for more money and a larger role.
With RB Michael Pittman a free agent, Bennett’s new contract and mere presence cast doubts in my mind on the Bucs plans with Cadillac Williams. Bennett cannot hold down Pittman’s versatile, handy man role and is not a number 1 back anymore. Williams may be injured, but I think they will either put him on IR for the season or, and this is the direction I see them going, they very well might cut or try to trade Williams. Many knowledgeable Bucs fans have assured me that I’m an idiot, but why keep Williams around if either a) Bennett is replacing Williams’s role or b) they decide to bring in someone else who could potentially be the #1 back or at least fill Williams role as the speedy option next to Graham? It doesn’t make sense to me that they would keep Williams and re-tool the depth chart. What are they going to do with him next season then?
This is a storyline that I will be closely following in the coming weeks so stay tuned. While we are on the topic of RB though, I would like to say thank you and congrats to my hero and all-time great Mike Alstott and use this time to once again give props to Darby. Darby has #1 back ability and if given a shot, could emerge as a solid option next to Graham before taking over the starting gig in 2009. What they decide to do with Graham will also be a compelling story line in the coming weeks as well.
At quarterback, rumors are already flying about the Bucs interest in the mediocre free agent stable or retreads and backups. While many Bucs fans are calling for the chase of Derek Anderson, I think that is a long shot. While I’m dead sure that there will be a new face in camp that will give Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia a run for his money in camp, I don’t see that being a big name guy like Anderson. Not only do they not want to pay for him, Anderson would not be a good fit and is still a bit of an unknown commodity. I think he’s a great QB on the verge of being a superstar in Cleveland, his play at times last season left a lot to be desired and he may not have deserved his Pro Bowl invitation. Like a fine wine, he will get better with age and experience.
Coach Jon Gruden is said to be pursuing Daunte Culpepper, so enamored with Culpepper’s history and athletic ability while neglecting his recent play. Actually this isn’t as terrible as it sounds, though it does sound horrifying. Culpepper has played on two terrible teams, terrible, terrible teams that were ill equipped to properly protect him after his devastating knee injury. Coming to a solid franchise could put the wind back in Daunte’s sails.
The forgotten man seems to be Chris Simms. The lefty says he is fully recovered from his devastating injury and is ready and looking forward to training camp, be it with Tampa or another franchise. Once upon a time, Simms was the next big thing in Tampa and is still the most talented QB on the roster. High praise for someone that hasn’t played in a year and a half and threw 7 interceptions in his last three games but nonetheless its true. Simms is an incredibly talented QB who is in dire need of a good tutor who can be the calm voice behind Gruden’s tough treatment of his signal callers. If Simms goes into training camp in Tampa he has a good shot at holding down a backup job for next year before heading into the 2009 off-season with a chance to look for a starters role. All of this leaves Greg Olsen with his hands full this summer.
| 09 February 2008 |
Important Off-Season To Come for Tampa
Coaching Staff & Front Office:
With the successful season that Tampa turned in, head coach Jon Gruden and G.M. Bruce Allen were given contract extensions. Longtime defensive coordinator and pending free agent Monte Kiffin was also re-signed. Deposed Rams offensive coordinator Greg Olsen was brought in to coach quarterbacks, replacing Paul Hackett. Tampa has yet to fill their vacancy at runningbacks coach. That may be a very important hire for Gruden. The next coach will have to figure out how to get the most out of Cadillac Williams, continue the development of Ernest Graham and help the two adjust to sharing a backfield. Graham and Williams could form a solid, if unspectacular, duo.
Gruden and Allen will have some tough decisions to make. While Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber turned in excellent seasons, both are getting old and will have to be replaced soon. They will also have to decide what to do at quarterback. Jeff Garcia had a very good season but only proved that he can’t stay healthy. They could get another year out of him while they groom someone but that hasn’t been Gruden’s style.
Offense:
Tampa has major question marks on offense about what direction they should move forward. Several important pieces are getting quite old while they have had a very hard time adding playmakers to the offense. Williams and Michael Clayton started their careers off strong but both have taken strikingly similar turns: downward, very, very quickly. Graham is a pending restricted free agent and is may be difficult to gauge his worth. Is he a one-year wonder? Or was 2007 the start of bigger things to come? If Graham can go on to have a career similar to Cincinnati’s Rudi Johnson, who Graham very much resembles, the Bucs would be thrilled. Joey Galloway was Tampa’s most dangerous player last year but he is 37 now and is near the end of his career. And finally, the offensive line and tight end positions were average at best, though the line upped it’s play toward the end of the season is still rather young.
Now may be a good time to nab a young signal caller to groom. With Tampa so close to being a major play-off factor and having so many potential holes on offense, I don’t see them picking a QB too high. More likely they will go after a guy who fits their system in round 3 or 4. John David Booty may be more of a backup type but he makes few mistakes and accuracy is his best attribute. Despite having some glaring question marks, Colt Brennan is perfect for a West Coast offense and I could see Gruden being quite enamored with him after seeing him up close.
Maybe just as important will be what Tampa decides to do with their run game. The run makes everything click for Tampa. They do not have sufficient run after the catch ability outside to pick up huge chunks of yardage through the air, which the offense relies upon. Once Graham got comfortable he became an integral source of points and was instrumental in keeping the chains moving near the red zone. His north-south mentality is exactly what Tampa Bay needs. Graham’s restricted status gives Tampa options when it comes to re-signing him though I am almost certain that they will try to bring in a big name guy to fill the role. I just have a feeling.
The return of Cadillac Williams is uncertain at best. When healthy, he hasn’t proven he can be a game changing back though his health can be described as fleeting at best. I think management decides to shake things up, ships out Williams, Michael Bennett and Michael Pittman, re-signs Graham to a one year tender requiring 1st and 3rd round picks if someone signs him and tries to sign a big name in free agency or make a trade.
Tampa has lacked an elite tight end since Jimmie Giles in their early days (‘78-’86). Alex Smith has shown promise but has yet to capitalize on it. He posted career highs in yards (385) and yards/catch (12.0) but did not post the break out season I thought he would have. Win some, ya lose some. Jerramy Stevens didn’t get much of a chance until late in the year but he made the most of it. He’s a free agent who could be in the mix in Tampa. Anthony Becht is strictly a blocker and most likely won’t be back. This spot could get a major overhaul as well. Tampa has a good shot at Fred Davis in the 1st round. Davis is a little on the small side but he is a great fit in this offense. A former receiver, Davis has outstanding speed and great hands.
The Bucs over-reliance on veteran players has left them with few options in the passing game. Ike Hilliard is a crafty possession receiver but he doesn’t do much after the catch and is losing a step. He led the team with 62 receptions but would be better suited as a 4th receiver and red zone option at this point. His production is a testament to how hard he works and how intelligent he is. Beyond Hilliard and Galloway is very little though. Tampa needs to give up on Michael Clayton now. He has produced so little since his rookie year that he no longer justifies his salary or roster spot. Tampa has some intriguing young talent riding the bench at receiver but none project to be stars. Chad Lucas is a smaller version of Galloway, he’s that small and that fast but still has a long way to go to earning regular playing time.
The offensive line had a shaky season, as Davin Joseph and Jeremy Trueblood did not improve upon their excellent rookie years. Aaron Sears had his struggles but showed promise. David Penn also has promise but it would be tough to award him a full time job at LT based on his body of work, as surprising as that work was. Center John Wade is steady and a leader in the unit. It is time Tampa seriously looked at drafting a LT very high. Like 1st round high. This class is stocked with 1st round talent at tackle and the Bucs could have an option of Jeff Otah, Sam Baker, Gosder Cherilus, Chris Williams and maybe Carl Nicks is he does good in workouts. With recently drafted young talent at both guard spots and right tackle and a still young veteran technician at C, why not try to add a franchise LT and let the unit grow together? The group is young enough to keep together for a few more years at least. There will be few options at left tackle on the free agent market so not only would they have to draft a tackle for the future, they might have to draft for the present. They could keep Luke Petitgout, get what they can out of him next year if he’s healthy and hopefully they can transition to the young guy seamlessly.
Defense & Special Teams:
Defense led the way for Tampa as usual. Inserting Barrett Ruud into the starting lineup at middle linebacker was a coup while signing Cato June at a reduced price was a stroke a stroke of pure luck that paid off in spades and created an elite trio at linebacker along with Derrick Brooks. The Bucs could get another year out of Brooks and get a high level of play from him as well. Right now it just doesn’t make sense to let go of him or Ronde Barber, both playing just fine and can continue to play well in this system. June can shift over and take Brooks spot on the weakside if he had too. If that was the case, Tampa has an underrated prospect at linebacker in Quincy Black, drafted last year. Black had 19 tackles and forced 2 fumbles. One more year with their current group would allow Black time to continue developing his coverage skills. He’s fast and has the strength to man the strong side in this scheme.
Tampa’s main questions on defense come along the defensive line and at corner. Brian Kelly has stated that he will test free agency, leaving Tampa in need of another corner. Phillip Buchanan turned in a solid season alongside Barber and he is a good second corner or nickel back for them. Barber could continue to be the number one guy though if they can afford to get someone younger they may choose to import their new top corner. They probably can’t afford someone like Asante Samuel but they could splurge on Drayton Florence. Having three corners is a must in the NFL now days. David Macklin is a veteran that could step in to the nickel job if both Kelly and Sammy Davis leave. Tampa could hit on a prospect in the middle rounds like they did last year with Tanard Jackson as Cover-2 corners are a relative dime a dozen. Jackson took over the starting free safety spot and played all 16 games at a high level. He has teamed with Jermaine Phillips to give the Bucs one of the better safety tandems in the league.
Thanks to the speed of their defense, the Bucs finished 17th against the run. By adding size they could substantially bump that ranking next season. While Jovan Haye and Chris Hovan are solid players, neither is very large or stout against the run. Haye is solid at undertackle but Hovan is best suited to backup duty. Tampa has to get bigger in the middle before they will truly be back to their elite status.
Matt Bryant and Josh Bidwell are solid in the kicking game but Tampa needs a boost in the return game. Michael Spurlock has a little juice and might have a future but they could potentially try to add someone. Spurlock scored the first kickoff return touchdown in Bucs franchise history and could have a job next season based on that alone. Bryant and Bidwell are solid though not elite. Both just go about their job and do a darn good job of it.
Biggest Need: Offensive Playmakers
The wideouts are old and decaying, they have major question marks at runningback and tight end and their QB is not known his playmaking abilities. The offense needs an injection of youth like it got three years ago and the defense got last year.
Also In Need: Defensive: The pass rush is solid but they rely far too much on their outstanding trio of linebackers to stop the run.
| 30 December 2007 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season Review
Final Record: 9-7
Postseason: Lost in Wild Card @ Home to New York Giants 24-14
Passing Leader:
Jeff Garcia- 209-327 63.9% 2440 yards 13 TD 4 INT 94.6 rating
Rushing Leader:
Ernest Graham- 222 att 898 yards 4.0 avg 10 TD
Receiving Leader:
Joey Galloway- 57 rec 1014 yards 17.8 avg 6 TD
Kicking:
Matt Bryant- 28/33 FG 84.8% 34/34 PAT 118 points
Tackles:
Barrett Ruud- 114 tot 83 solo 5 TFL 3 FF 2 INT
Sacks:
Greg White- 8 sacks 7 FF 26 tackles
MVP: Ernest Graham RB
The sexy pick would, of course, be QB Jeff Garcia but his injuries and mishandling at the end of the season was a huge killer for Tampa when they needed him to be at his best. Graham turned in a great season and was steady running the rock all season. He had a TD in 6 straight games down the stretch to help wrap up a weak division and a play-off trip.
Top Rookie: FS Tanard Jackson
Jackson was a starter on Day 1 and never looked back on his way to 56 tackles, 13 PD and 2 INT. He has solidified the free safety position for Tampa and is a big reason for the break out season by SS Jermaine Phillips.
Biggest Surprise Other Than Graham: DE Greg White
White was a former Texans draft pick that was on his way out of the league before the season. Tampa asked him to come to camp and White earned a roster spot. He eventually worked his way into the starters role and finished the season with 8 sacks and 7 forced fumbles. Defines the word SURPRISE!!!
Biggest Surprise #2: DT Jovan Haye
Tampa found two defensive line starters of the scrap heap in White and Haye. Both were late round draft picks of other teams and looked to be finished as pros. Tampa gave them a chance and was well rewarded with 14 combined sacks.
Biggest Disappointment: Coach John Gruden
While I am a big fan of Gruden and he was just doing what almost all coaches do at the end of the season, I think he mishandled the situation somewhat with some of his players. Tampa wrapped up their division even with Jeff Garcia missing two games with a back injury. Garcia played very little in the ensuing three weeks and never looked comfortable in the play-offs. Garcia may have been hurt, but he was still resting and allowing the rest of his body to heal as well over those two weeks. Garcia needed to play and get his legs under him and his timing back, not play two halves in 2 weeks and not at all in Week 17. Tampa lost all of their momentum at that point and compounded their mistake by resting nearly all of the rest of their starters as well.