PewterReport.com continues this series of articles that predicts whether a Bucs veteran free agent will be back with the team in 2011.

TACKLE JEREMY TRUEBLOOD
Trueblood, 28, is entering free agency after playing his fifth NFL season. The 6-foot-8, 320-pound Trueblood was a second-round pick of the Buccaneers in the 2006 NFL Draft.

2010 SEASON:
Trueblood started the first seven games of the season before leaving the lineup for two games due to a knee ligament strain. After missing two games, Trueblood was a backup to James Lee for the majority of the second half of the season. He started the Week 16 win over the Seahawks when Lee was out with an injury.

CAREER UP TO THIS POINT
Trueblood has been a quality right tackle for the Buccaneers since he broke into the starting lineup in 2006. Under former offensive line coach Bill Muir and head coach Jon Gruden, Trueblood replaced Kenyatta Walker and started 67 straight games for Tampa Bay until his injury last season.

Trueblood was a better fit for the offense that he was drafted for. In 2009 and 2010 under offensive line coach Pete Mangurian, Trueblood was misfit as a zone blocker. Trueblood is at his best in power-man scheme where he is free to manhandle defensive linemen. 
New offensive line coach Pat Morris plans on getting the Buccaneers back to a style that is more like Muir's. Trueblood is a powerful drive blocker and Tampa Bay has had more success running behind him and guard Davin Joseph on the right side of the offensive line. Over his career Trueblood has made steady improvement as a pass protector.

The Boston College product Trueblood has been the enforcer on the Bucs offensive line. He has never been shy about getting overly physical in defense of his quarterback or a teammate. At times that led to Trueblood getting flagged semi-regularly with personal foul or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. After getting that under control he had a string of false start penalties in 2009, but in 2010 Trueblood had corrected his propensity to get flagged for both of those penalties.  

WHY HE COULD RE-SIGN
By issuing a tender offer to Trueblood the Buccaneers indicated they would like to have Trueblood back in 2011. However, by all signs from the negotiations to a new collective bargaining agreement, Trueblood would become an unrestricted free agent.

The Bucs have a significant possibility of getting Trueblood back at a discount. Trueblood and Joseph would like to continue to play together and their preference is to re-sign with Tampa Bay. After missing games to injury and being put behind Lee on the depth chart, Trueblood should be more affordable. If he had completed his fourth straight season of starting 16 games Trueblood could have had a better free agent marketplace.

Some with the Buccaneers are concerned that Lee could get complacent if he does not have serious training camp competition. Tampa Bay did not address the offensive tackle position in the draft. Behind Lee they have only untested young players like Demar Dotson and Will Barker. Trueblood has real some passionate supporters with the Bucs that want the veteran to return next season.

WHY HE COULD DEPART
Trueblood is a dark horse candidate to see a lot of interest in the free agent marketplace. He has a lot of good tape for other teams, is entering his prime and has a lot of experience. A veteran starter like Trueblood could interest a lot of teams across the NFL. A team that has a need at the tackle position could make a quick pursuit of Trueblood and may make an offer that the Buccaneers are unwilling to match.

The Bucs would like to have Trueblood but probably won’t be willing to overpay for him because of the presence of Lee, Dotson and Barker.

PREDICTION
Pewter Report’s prediction is that Trueblood will be re-signed by Tampa Bay. He could be re-signed to a long-term contract that would be very reasonable for the Buccaneers.

PREVIOUS PR PREDICTS
G Davin Joseph

DE Stylez White

DE Tim Crowder

WR Maurice Stovall

LB Barrett Ruud

TE John Gilmore