Current State Of The Bucs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off a season in which the team won a third straight NFC South championship in the second year of head coach Todd Bowles. The Bucs beat the Panthers in Week 18 to finish 9-8 and atop the division and won a home playoff game against the Eagles, which kept Bowles employed. Tampa Bay was tied with Detroit heading into the fourth quarter of the Divisional round of the playoffs before losing, but there is optimism that the Bucs can stay atop the NFC South if the team can retain its core free agents.

Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans was re-signed for two more years, and the team used the franchise tag on All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Next up is trying to get Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield under contract before the start of free agency, then re-signing linebacker Lavonte David and kicker Chase McLaughlin.

The Bucs currently have around $21 million in salary cap space after retaining Evans and Winfield, but assistant general manager Mike Greenberg can do some restructures to create more room as needed. Tampa Bay is saddled with close to $22 million in dead cap money, but that’s a far cry from last year when that figure was close to $80 million.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs have already announced that they’ll release 31-year old outside linebacker Shaq Barrett, and center Ryan Jensen, who suffered a career-ending knee injury two years ago, has announced his retirement. Tampa Bay is also expected to release oft-injured receiver Russell Gage to clear some cap room, and could do the same with cornerback Carlton Davis III if the team does not trade him.

Tampa Bay has 18 unrestricted free agents, but Mayfield, David, McLaughlin and long snapper Zach Triner are the only starters. As Pewter Report reported at midseason, the Bucs will not be re-signing inside linebacker Devin White, a former first-round pick, nor will Tampa Bay bring back safety Ryan Neal, who signed a one-year deal last offseason.

Bowles has had to make some changes on the coaching staff this offseason with offensive coordinator Dave Canales leaving to become the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Offensive line coaches Harold Goodwin and Joe Gilbert joined Canales in Carolina, as did receivers coach Brad Idzik. Bucs special teams coach Keith Armstrong also retired and offensive assistant David Raih left for Washington.

Bowles hired Liam Coen to replace Canales, and added Thomas McGaughey as the new special teams coordinator. Kevin Carberry is the Bucs’ new offensive line coach with Brian Picucci as his assistant. Bryan McClendon is Tampa Bay’s new wide receivers coach, and Josh Grizzard has been hired to be the team’s passing game coordinator.

Explaining The Bucs Battle Plans For 2024

PewterReport.com writers Scott Reynolds, Matt Matera, Josh Queipo, Bailey Adams and Adam Slivon have devised their own Bucs Plans For the 2024 offseason. These come complete with their individualized free agent signings, trades, roster moves and draft picks to hopefully help Tampa Bay earn a playoff spot for the fifth straight year.

Remember, these Bucs Battle Plans are how the PewterReport.com staff members would reshape the team this offseason – not necessarily what we think Tampa Bay will do in free agency and the draft, although there could be some overlap with certain players the team may be targeting.

Queipo’s Bucs Battle Plan For The 2024 Offseason

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

The NFC South may not be the pushover it was just a year ago. The Falcons, depending on what they do at the quarterback position could be contenders very quickly. The Bucs will need to be smart with each and every move to try and maximize their ability to win the division in the short-term without hurting their chances to pivot to the future. My plan will reflect a strategy that tries to do just that.

No reasonable team coming off of an appearance in the Divisional round of the playoffs would ditch their chances of trying to repeat when all of the pieces that helped get them there are available to be retained. But at the same time the team is in the midst of a youth movement. And finding a roster that both features that youth movement while also finding complimentary veterans to accentuate it is the path that I am going to take.

I have four offseason priorities. 1) Retain top internal free agents. 2) Make one splash external free agent to address a difficult need. 3) Plug any additional roster holes with reasonably priced mid-tier free agents. That will allow me to truly take a best player available approach to the draft to acquire high-end, cost-controlled talent for 2025 and beyond.

Bucs Restructures

NT Vita Vea – Vea had another good season, even if his sack total came down year over year. He continues to be a piece that the defense is built around and there is no reason to think he is approaching a cliff. Restructuring his deal makes sense to open up additional cap space for several pending free agents I believe the Bucs should retain. This restructure clears $10,781,250 in cap space.

CB Jamel Dean – Dean played well late in the season and still has three years left on his current deal. I would partially restructure some of his base salary ($7,000,000) to help create a little over $5 million in cap space. But I wouldn’t go for a max restructure in an effort to continue to improve the team’s long-term cap position.

Bucs Cuts

Bucs WR Russell Gage and OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

OLB Shaq Barrett – This moved has already been announced by the team. It will be a post 6/1 designation that will require the team to carry his $14,190,882 salary cap hit through that date before they receive $4,923,882 in cap savings for 2024.

WR Russell Gage – I was one of the biggest Russell Gage supporters from the moment he signed with the Bucs in 2022. Unfortunately, injuries robbed Gage and the team of what could have been. Coming off of an injury that robbed him of his entire 2023 campaign the team can’t be confident he will be able to provide the production his $10 million salary and $13.35 million cap hit would require.

Cutting Gage provides the team with just under $6.5 million in cap savings.

C Ryan Jensen* – Jensen has technically retired. But he and the team won’t process the paperwork until after June 1st to help spread out his dead cap hit across 2024 and 2025. The net savings will be $1.2 million in cap room for the Bucs.

OLB Anthony Nelson – I have long been lower on Nelson than most. While his pressure rate improved from 2022 to 2023 his sack total came down from 5.5 to three due to a predictable regression to the mean in conversion rate. He’s a moderate-floor, low-upside pass rusher and I want to free up his roster spot for higher-upside players more than anything. Cutting Nelson saves the Bucs $1.848 million.

Bucs Trades

CB Carlton Davis III – Despite receiving the ire of much of the Bucs fanbase for missed time due to injuries and deflated turnover numbers, Davis is still a good corner in a league that is constantly looking for them. But I do think Davis has started to decline and the Bucs can save cap space and net a draft pick by trading him.

The Ravens have needs at corner, so I found a trade partner in them for the 93rd overall pick. This falls in line with the trade value I believe Davis to have as detailed here. This move would also clear $6.3 million in cap space.

Unrestricted Free Agents Re-Signed

QB Baker Mayfield — 4 years, $130 million

Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Mayfield proved last year he can operate an offense that caters to his strengths at an average to above average clip. His blend of maturity, leadership, arm strength and processing can produce an efficient offense capable of scoring enough to return the Bucs to the playoffs.

What’s more, his teammates love playing with and for him and he won’t break the bank on a new contract. Ideally this contract would have been one year shorter but based on what I have heard around NFL circles, in the interest of realism I have it as a four-year deal that clears $32 million per year.

The structure of the deal isn’t too prohibitive if I wanted to walk away after year two, but under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen and based on last year’s performance and the state of the growing NFL salary cap I still feel good about this contract past year one. The 2024 cap hit would be $16.5 million.

WR Mike Evans — 2 years, $41 million

The Bucs and Evans came together on an extension earlier this week in a deal that should help ensure he remains a Buc for life. The deal is a win for both sides, but especially helps Tampa Bay with the 2024 cap hit. The 2024 cap charge should be $5,568,000.

S Antoine Winfield Jr — 4 years, $82 million

Winfield is set to become the highest paid safety in the NFL, and for good reason. The All-Pro has more than earned a market-setting deal. He has shown an ability to tackle, rush the passer, force turnovers and be a general playmaker. Oh…and he’s a top-five deep safety in the league. Quite simply, the man can do it all. The 2024 cap hit would be $7.5 million.

LB Lavonte David — 1 year, $7.5 million

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

David’s game continues to be ageless. His unique combination of instincts and preparation allow him to play much faster than players 10 years his junior who are much faster physically. He is an undisputed leader of the defense, and by extension the team as a whole. He will be needed to bridge the gap to the next crop of Bucs linebackers.

As much as Mike Evans deserves to retire a Buc, David deserves it more. He gets the Ronde Barber treatment from me. One-year deals based on whether he wants to continue his career until he finally hangs ’em up. David’s 2024 salary cap hit would be $4,166,667.

K Chase McLaughlin — 2 years, $9 million

McLaughlin had the best season by a Bucs kicker in franchise history. You don’t let that walk out the door, especially considering the range that McLaughlin can hit accurately from. Put him on the list, and his cap hit would be $4.25 million in 2024.

QB John Wolford — 1 year, $1.125 million

Wolford may be the best third-string quarterback in the NFL since Brock Purdy. The connection to new offensive coordinator Liam Coen is a plus. As his familiarity with the system, which can help the rest of the quarterback room acclimate quickly. Wolford’s 2024 cap hit would be $1,125,000.

WR David Moore — 1 year, $1.125 million

Bucs WR David Moore – Photo by: USA Today

It took time for Moore to get an opportunity on the field after spending most of the season on the Bucs’ practice squad. But once he got his shot, he took full advantage. Moore is the perfect depth receiver who is solid in most facets of the game and can step in to most roles. Moore’s 2024 cap hit would be $1,125,000.

OT Justin Skule — 1 year, $1.125 million

Skule’s lateral agility and size make him a great backup for an offensive scheme that should ask its linemen to be active across two planes. This would result in a 2024 cap hit of $1,125,000.

DT Pat O’Connor — 1 year, $1.125 million

O’Connor is a lunchpail kind of guy who does his job well as both a special teamer and as the 6th defensive lineman. When asked to play a dozen snaps or so he gets the job done. The value he brings as the 52nd or 53rd guy on the roster is immense. His 2024 cap hit would be $1,125,000.

DT Greg Gaines — 1 year, $2.25 million Gaines was a solid backup to Vita Vea at nose tackle last year and while I focus on many other aspects of the roster, I bring him back to try to maintain the status quo at DL depth. Gaines’ 2024 cap hit would be $2,250,000.

Unrestricted Free Agents Not Re-Signed

Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

LB Devin White – Given that his opinion of himself does not jive with what the team thought of him at the end of 2023, it’s best that both parties get a fresh start without the other.

OG Matt Feiler – Feiler began the season as the starting left guard but lost the job while he was recovering from an injury midseason. His play leading up to that injury wasn’t high enough to make the team want to go back to him once he returned to health. The team needs to find a younger, more athletic, higher upside guard to continue the re-vamping of the team’s offensive line.

DL Will Gholston – Gholston’s 2023 was a bounce back from a disappointing 2022. But with his snap count diminishing for the third year in a row it’s safe to wonder if he may have played his last NFL snap.

S Ryan Neal – No one may have been as high on the Neal signing last year as me. But by any and all measures Neal was a disappointment. As much as I wanted him to work out in Tampa Bay, I don’t retain his services in 2024.

RB Chase Edmonds – Edmunds had spurts of effectiveness, but injuries and inconsistency leave me wanting to see if I can find better reliability to match up with Rachaad White.

OG Aaron Stinnie – Stinnie will likely be looking for more than a deal for a backup. I am committed to upgrading that left guard position, so our priorities and Stinnie’s just don’t align.

LS Zach Triner – Triner has been a quality long snapper for multiple years, but the position is a rather replaceable one and the Bucs can save some money by moving to a younger option.

OLB Cam Gill – Gill once flashed some promise, but injuries have killed any chance of him ever being a major role player for the Bucs.

Restricted Free Agents Re-Signed

Bucs OL Nick Leverett – Photo by: USA Today

OL Nick Leverett — 1 year, $1.125 million

Leverett didn’t get any playing time in 2023 as Robert Hainsey’s backup. But rewind to the year prior and he played a serviceable starting left guard after taking over for Luke Goedeke midway through Tom Brady’s final year. Leverett’s lack of playing time means that I won’t have to use a restricted free agent tender (the lowest tier – right of first refusal comes in at $2,985,000).

Restricted Free Agents Not Re-Signed

CB Dee Delaney – Delaney has been a do it all backup for a couple of seasons, but at 29 years old I worry about his athleticism declining rapidly.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents Re-Signed

WR Deven Thompkins – The Bucs have already re-signed Thompkins, extending him to a one-year, $980,000 deal. Thompkins was a solid returner last year who provided some sparks to the offense as a gadget player.

OT Brandon Walton – Walton has been a developmental tackle who has grown into a solid backup left tackle. The Bucs have already re-signed him to a one-year, $980,000 contract.

New Unrestricted Free Agents Signed

WR Josh Reynolds — 2 years, $10 million

Lions WR Josh Reynolds – Photo by: USA Today

Reynolds had a breakout season with the Lions in 2023 catching 40 passes for 608 yards and five touchdowns. He works especially well against zone coverage, and despite a bad game against the 49ers in the NFC Championship game, he had a drop rate of under 10%.

Reynolds would be able to push Trey Palmer to solidify himself as the No. 3 receiver role or take it for himself. Either way it improves the depth and floor of the room if one of the Bucs’ top two receivers goes down.

C Brian Allen — 1 year, $2.75 million

With just 12 games played in the past two years Allen comes with plenty of injury risk. But with Robert Hainsey and his 36 starts in the last two years moving to a backup role, the Bucs are prepared with the perfect hedge against that risk. Allen, when on the field, is a very good center who knows Coen’s system and can provide a veteran presence on an evolving line.

RB DeeJay Dallas — 1 year, $1.125 million

Dallas has limited wear on his tires, but plenty of experience in a similar system to what offensive coordinator Liam Coen will want to run. Dallas doesn’t have any one great trait, but he can be a reliable compliment to Rachaad White who can help keep an offense on schedule.

EDGE Bryce Huff — 4 years, $68 million

Huff is one of my favorite free agents of this cycle. His efficiency numbers as a pass rusher were some of the highest in the NFL last year. He was third in the league in pass rush win rate (22.7%) and 13th in Pro Football Focus’ pass rush grade (89.7) in true pass rush sets. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound edge rusher can win around the edge with speed to power and with inside counters.

S Geno Stone — 2 years, $17 million

Stone came out of nowhere to pick off seven passes as a part of an extremely talented Baltimore Ravens defense. Stone is at his best playing top down as a deep safety, which allows Bucs head coach Todd Bowles to move star chess piece Antoine Winfield Jr. all around the field as a matchup nightmare for opposing offenses.

OG Laken Tomlinson — 1 year, $2.25 million

Tomlinson was recently released by the Jets. That was mostly a cap saving move as he had not lived up to his $13,333,333 APY contract. He’s not a long-term solution, but he’s been consistent and available. The 2023 season was the first time in six years his pass block efficiency had dipped below 97% and it’s a reasonable bet that on a very cheap deal he could bounce back above that threshold.

LB Josey Jewell — 2 years, $12.5 million

Jewell is the antithesis of Devin White. He’s not uber athletic but he is assignment sound and solid in pass coverage. Paired with Lavonte David, the Bucs can possibly field one of the better linebacker duos in the league.

Queipo’s 2024 Bucs Draft Picks

Florida State WR Keon Coleman – Photo by: USA Today

I used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator to help inform my draft. While it is not perfect, no draft simulator is. And overall, I could see each of these players being available where the Bucs pick.

There were two players I was hoping would fall to No. 26 but that I was unwilling to trade up for. Both were interior offensive linemen in Duke’s Graham Barton and Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson. Powers-Johnson went at No. 20 to the Steelers and Barton went one pick before the Bucs at No. 25 to the Packers.

So, with no coveted player at No. 26, I look to trade back and accumulate more draft capital. The Giants offered me picks Nos. 39, 70, and 108 along with a 2025 fourth-round pick. I take the trade and now have six picks in the top 110.

Round 2 – Florida State WR Keon Coleman • 6-3, 213 • Junior

The Bucs receiver room remains intact with the re-signing of Mike Evans, but Chris Godwin is entering the last year of his current deal, and no other receiver has established themselves as a legitimate starter as of yet. Coleman is one of a very deep crop of receivers in this year’s draft. He has a good frame, and while he doesn’t wow on the stopwatch, he can hit some serious top speeds. He was clocked at over 20 miles per hour during the gauntlet drill at the 2024 NFL Combine and still grades out well athletically.

Coleman is a great understudy to Evans down the line who can also help solidify the receiver room as an incredible strength. He combined with Palmer gives the Bucs some stability at the position beyond 2026.

Round 2 – Western Michigan EDGE Marshawn Kneeland • 6-3, 267 • Senior

Kneeland is one of “My Guys” in this year’s draft. His blend of power, speed and bend is intriguing. He was one of the standout players of the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile where he proved he could hang with Power-5 competition despite playing his collegiate career in the MAC. Kneeland had opportunities to go to a higher exposure school for his senior year, a la former teammate Braden Fiske, but opted to stay at Western Michigan out of loyalty to the program and his teammates.

Kneeland finished his career with 12.5 sacks, and 28 tackles for loss while capping off his college career with a 12.8% pressure rate in his senior year. He can operate in a versatile scheme as both a hand-in-the-dirt rusher or standing up and can drop into coverage well due to his background as a former tight end. His athleticism allows him to work well off of a powerful bull rush and he has displayed a variety of pass rush moves as part of a well-rounded pass rush plan.

Round 3 – South Dakota State G Mason McCormick • 6-4, 309 • Senior

McCormick is a compact, high-effort blocker who scored an almost perfect relative athletic score (RAS) at the NFL Scouting Combine. He plays with a finisher’s mentality and combines that with a high football IQ. A three-year team captain shows that he approaches the game the right way.

He only allowed three pressures in almost 400 pass block reps last year and McCormick’s run blocking could help jumpstart a Bucs run game that has struggled for consecutive years now.

Round 3 – Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr. • 6-2, 313 • R-Sophomore

Hall is a twitchy gap shooter who can play well as a backup to Calijah Kancey as a backup 3-technique on rush downs and as a 4i/5-technique in base personnel. He is quick off the line and loves to penetrate gaps both as a pass rusher and when defending against horizontal run schemes. He uses his hands well to find pressure points against opposing linemen and can reduce his surface area to help him win quickly.

Hall lacks ideal size and has trouble anchoring against double teams, but in a run defense that features Vita Vea, I love the idea of building depth for the Bucs’ four-man pass rush. As a redshirt sophomore, there is room for him to continue to grow in terms of mass on his frame and his overall long-term outlook.

Round 4 – Louisville CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. • 5-10, 194 • Senior

Brownlee is a small, but physical corner who excels in press-man inside 10 yards. He loves to help in run defense as well. This adds up to a player who could push Christian Izien as the Bucs’ starting slot corner while providing depth at the perimeter as well. Brownlee had an awesome Senior Bowl where he excelled against a very good receiver group. I am betting on his mentality and demeanor to pair with his aggressive skillset to win at the next level.

Round 4 – Florida State RB Trey Benson • 6-0, 216 • Senior

This is one I may be getting away with. This year’s incoming crop of rookie running backs is a bit on the unheralded side. And there is no consensus Top 10, five or even three. I think people may be sleeping on this group. There is a chance Benson could be RB1 on some team’s board and he’s not there in the fourth round. But he was in my simulator and considering the overall outlook on this running back class and the lack of consensus in terms of order, I am taking him here.

Benson tested very well at the Combine and has some awesome tape at Florida State. I love his combination of contact/balance and vision and his career missed tackle-forced rate is near 40%. His sub-4.4 speed proves he can be a breakaway threat pas the second level. His size and aggressive running style should complement well with Rachaad White. If he can learn to lean into his size a bit more in terms of running downfield with authority more often he could prove to be quite the steal.

Round 4 – Maryland S Beau Brade • 6-0, 203 • Senior

Brade is a quality jack-of-all-trades safety whose positional versatility could pair well with Antoine Winfield Jr. down the line. He can play up top, in the box, or move to the nickel if needed. He has good ball skills, which is something the Bucs defensive backfield has lacked for a couple of years now. I like his eyes and how well he keeps track of the ball and gets his head around at the catchpoint.

Brade is a good zone defender who drives to the ball well as it gets into the air. He’s not a physical enforcer as a tackler, but he’s a willing run defender who will execute his job soundly. And I think he’s a plus blitzer who had a career pressure rate of over 16% in limited opportunities during his career.

My last move of the draft is to package all three of my remaining picks (204, 244 and 255) to move up to pick 181. I use that pick to select:

Round 6 – Michigan TE A.J. Barner • 6-6, 251 • Senior

Barner is a tall, lean tight end with a strong blocking background. He provides athletic upside over Ko Kieft as a pass-catcher. Barner holds up well against edge rushers as a run blocker who can help the Bucs run game finally get to at least average.

As a pass catcher, he’s not super fluid to win at the top of his stem against man coverage, but Barner finds holes in the zone and I think he could be an above-average seam runner. For a Day 3 pick I like the idea of adding to the back-end of the tight end room with some competition.

QUARTERBACKS – 3

Baker Mayfield
Kyle Trask
John Wolford

Analysis: No change from 2023 for a quarterback room that over-achieved versus most people’s expectations. Mayfield’s deal in no way prohibits the team from taking a swing at quarterback in the draft at any point in the future. And with both Trask and Wolford being under contract only through the 2024 season there is a good chance my Bucs team would be looking at the 2025 draft class in some way for a signal caller.

RUNNING BACKS – 3

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

Rachaad White
Trey Benson
DeeJay Dallas

Analysis: Benson gives Rachaad White a quality running mate with more short-area quickness. He also runs with a bit more sense of urgency. The pairing of the two will hopefully improve the results of the running game overall. Dallas provides some insurance from a veteran who has played in a similar system in Seattle while Sean Tucker gets pushed to the practice squad if he has a decent training camp and preseason.

WIDE RECEIVERS – 6

Mike Evans
Chris Godwin
Josh Reynolds
Keon Coleman
Trey Palmer
Rakim Jarrett

Analysis: Those who were high on Palmer last year may feel like my roster building wastes him as there is a realistic version of this world where he is now WR5. Similarly, some might say that signing Reynolds to a multi-year contract only to then select Coleman with my first draft pick is a waste of one of the two players. Here is my response: if you feel like my WR5/6 are too good to be WR5/6 then I must have done a damn fine job of building the room into a strength.

I love how this group shaped up as it gives me a ton of depth for injuries. It forces three players who have all shown good qualities to earn their place on the depth chart and sets the room up nicely for 2025 and beyond (which is what the best team builders do – look beyond the current year to the needs of year two/three).

TIGHT ENDS – 4

Cade Otton
Payne Durham
Ko Kieft
A.J. Barner

Analysis: Cade Otton came on down the stretch last year and proved he is a starting-caliber tight end and a real asset to the Bucs passing game. I am hopeful that his blocking will take at least a small step forward in year three to make him a more complete player. Durham had some promising moments in the second half of 2023, and I expect him to win the TE2 spot with his size and red-zone abilities.

Kieft will battle Barner for the TE3 spot. Barner provides an interesting developmental opportunity as his athleticism really shines on tape and he proved to be a better-than-average blocker last year in a run-heavy Michigan scheme. That gives him more long-term upside than Kieft, who is probably the better pure blocker at this stage of each player’s individual career.

OFFENSIVE LINE – 10

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

LT Tristan Wirfs
LG Laken Tomlinson
C Brian Allen
RG Cody Mauch
RT Luke Goedeke
OL Nick Leverett
G Mason McCormick
C Robert Hainsey
OT Justin Skule
OT Brandon Walton

Analysis: I have Tomlinson and Allen penciled in as starters here, but I could easily see McCormick earning the starting left guard role. He isn’t as polished as other small-school, mid-round players the Bucs have taken in recent memory, and he could need a year to develop before taking the starting reigns in 2025.

Hainsey provides an excellent hedge for Allen’s injury history, while the rest of the line remains the same from 2024. I expect whoever wins that job to provide comparable-to-better play than the Bucs got out of that spot last year. I am also counting on a sizeable jump in play from Mauch and a smaller jump from Goedeke to help the unit take a step forward year over year.

DEFENSIVE LINE – 6

Vita Vea
Calijah Kancey
Logan Hall
Greg Gaines
Michael Hall Jr.
Patrick O’Connor

Analysis: Not a lot of changes in this group from 2023 to 2024, although I think the level of play would improve just on Kancey’s year two jump alone. Hall replacing Gholston on the roster would inject some youth and athleticism while sacrificing experience and a certain floor that Gholston provided. I do think it gives a small boost to the pass rush which was one of my biggest areas of emphasis this offseason.

EDGE RUSHERS – 5

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bryce Huff
Yaya Diaby
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
Marshawn Kneeland
Markees Watts

Analysis: Huff is brought in to be an alpha edge rusher that should allow head coach Todd Bowles to blitz more out of creativity than necessity. Kneeland adds to the potential of the room. Dropping this room to a five-man unit versus last year’s six-man room should give Watts more opportunities to get on the field as well. I feel good about Diaby taking a step in year two and becoming more consistent while JTS adds depth to the rotation.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS – 4

Lavonte David
Josey Jewell
KJ Britt
SirVocea Dennis

Analysis: Jewell and David provide a solid, veteran starting duo that both play well in every facet of the position. Jewell’s addition should immediately improve the Bucs’ pass defense in the flat and hook zones. That allows David to be moved around even more now that he doesn’t have to cover for a partner who often freelanced outside of his assignment. Britt and Dennis provide solid backups in case either of the starters go down with injuries (which both have had in recent years).

CORNERBACKS – 5

Jamel Dean
Zyon McCollum
Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
Christian Izien
Josh Hayes

Analysis: Dean moves to CB1 and McCollum gets a defined role as a starting perimeter corner. Izien and Brownlee Jr. get a camp battle to see who the starting nickel will be. Brownlee would be first man to shift to outside corner if either Dean or McCollum get hurt.

I’ll admit this is the area of the roster that I worry most about, but corner play is so volatile year-to-year I was worried about sinking dollars into a position group where those contracts rarely look good a year or two after they are signed. I like Hayes as a developmental outside corner who I think can contribute in limited snaps in year two. He has great size and good positional awareness to play in Todd Bowles’ Cover 3-heavy scheme.

SAFETIES – 4

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Antoine Winfield Jr.
Geno Stone
Beau Brade
Kaevon Merriweather

Analysis: I am hoping where the team lacks at corner they make up for with an interesting and deep safety room. Stone is a ballhawk who can hopefully team with Winfield to create a turnover-heavy tandem that can flip games at a moment’s notice. I would be comfortable with both Brade and Merriweather getting on the field in three-safety looks or as injury fill-ins.

SPECIALISTS – 3

K Chase McLaughlin
P Jake Camarda
LS Evan Deckers

Analysis: A small change to this unit as the Bucs go younger and cheaper at long snapper with Deckers. Camarda continues his ascension as a future Hall-of-Famer and McLaughlin returns after a historic season.

What Did You Think?

  Did you like my Bucs Battle Plan for the 2024 offseason? Does it adequately address Tampa Bay’s needs? Which additions did you like best? Let me know what you think in the article comments section below.

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