Top 10 things Buc fans learned during week #1 of FABy Isaac MillerMarch 17, 2014 8:30 am EDT ??
Only one week into free agency, it can be difficult to determine what any team will look like come autumn. However, by looking not just at who a team signs, but who they target as well, a lot can be learned about the direction a team wants to go in. The Buccaneers are one of the early winners of the 2014 free agency period, and Tampa Bay fans can have a lot of cautious optimism heading into the draft.10. Lovie Smith really doesn’t want Mike Glennon at quarterbackThat wasn’t just smoke and mirrors from Smith at the combine, he is sending the clear message that he doesn’t feel comfortable with Mike Glennon as his starter. It didn’t help that Smith had history with new Buc Josh McCown, but it’s becoming more and more obvious that Glennon isn’t viewed as “the guy” in Tampa Bay. Despite a solid rookie effort, it looks like Glennon will have a lot to prove in mini-camps, OTAs, and training camp to guarantee a role on this team.9. But that doesn’t mean the Bucs won’t draft a quarterbackWhile McCown is a veteran with a good track record who filled-in admirably for the Bears last year, he likely isn’t viewed as a long-term solution. At 34 years old, it might make more sense for McCown to only start for a year or two before turning the reins over to a younger guy. The Bucs don’t need to grab one of the high-profile quarterbacks with their seventh overall pick now that McCown is on the roster, but they will definitely want to foster a more permanent plan in the passing game.8. Whoever ends up being quarterback will need more weapons and protectionWhile neither signing made huge waves, both Brandon Meyers and Anthony Collins are nice additions to Tampa Bay’s roster. Meyers is a consistent receiving tight end, and Collins provides Tampa Bay with more options on the offensive line. Even if Smith doesn’t believe in Glennon’s ability to be a leader for years to come, he certainly recognizes that they need to do a better job of giving their quarterback time to make plays happen. Meyers should be a reliable option in the red zone and on third down, allowing Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams to work deeper down the field on the outside.7. A wide receiver is on the Bucs radarThey wanted Emmanuel Sanders and couldn’t get him, but targeting him alone shows Tampa Bay wants a third talented wide receiver in their corps. They could choose to go after Sammy Watkins if he falls to them at seven, or take a shot on a lesser known guy in the second or third rounds. The Buccaneers recognize many NFL offenses are built on three great receivers and a solid tight end, and it seems Tampa Bay is moving towards this model .6. Pass rush was the biggest priority in Tampa BayIt’s telling that the only position Smith seemed to be okay with spending big money on was the pass rush, and the Bucs got arguably one of the best names available in Michael Johnson. When you play against Drew Brees and Cam Newton twice a year each, you need to get as much pressure in the pocket as humanly possible. Michael Johnson makes the Buccaneers pass rush a three headed monster along with Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David, taking pressure off their secondary and linebackers.5. The Buccaneers viewed the Revis experiment as a bust and immediately fixed itIt’s no secret that you can’t build a great NFL defense on secondary players alone. As much as Revis could be a good player in an already strong defense, the Bucs were wise to part ways and not overload in the secondary. Alterraun Verner isn’t a household name, but he’s reliable, younger, and comes with less of an ego than Revis. No secondary looks good if the opposing quarterback is given ample time to work with, so it makes sense Tampa Bay would stack the deck in pass rush instead of pass coverage.4. The Bucs want high quality players, not expensive onesIt takes a combination of savvy in free agency as well as home-grown talent to truly rebuild a franchise. While big name free agents are perhaps more exciting for fans, signing the wrong one can hamstring a team and their effectiveness at working within the salary cap. Verner, Meyers, and Collins didn’t come with gigantic price tags, but they can help this team now and in the near-future. This allows Tampa Bay to hold on to the guys they draft that eventually become pro bowlers down the line.3. The Bucs won’t wait to develop talent at top-need positionsWhile a true rebuilding plan needs a fair emphasis on the draft, Smith and company have shown they will stop the bleeding where need be. If a guy can come in and immediately turn a negative part of a team into a positive, he’s worth the investment. That’s what Tampa Bay is doing with Michael Johnson, not only allowing them to feel content about their pass rush, but giving themselves the freedom to focus on other needs in the draft. This year’s free agency saw a lot of pass rush talent changing uniforms, and Tampa Bay had to grab some talent out of that pool.2. The guard position will be upgraded through the draftWhile it isn’t a complete skeleton crew at guard, the lack of available free agency talent at the position probably plows the way for the Bucs to go after a big name interior offensive lineman early in the draft. By shoring up many of their top needs in free agency, Tampa Bay can really hone in and focus on bringing the right guy or two into the fold at guard, rather than trying to spread their attention between guard, a pass rusher, tight end, and corner.1. Tampa Bay isn’t done in free agencyIt seems free agency always unfolds in two tiers: the first week is all about the big names, the rest of the time leading up to the draft usually spent on role guys. If the Bucs hadn’t been active early, they could have missed out on big names like Michael Johnson. Now, they can start talking with more role players and begin to fill out their roster. Don’t be surprised if you see the Bucs grab a veteran linebacker, safety, or even wide receiver to help get balance across the field. For now, Tampa Bay fans have to be happy with the signings that have already happened, but that doesn’t mean free agency is over for this team. http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/top_10_things_buc_fans_learned_during_week_1_of_fa/16024321?linksrc ="story_team_tampa_bay_buccaneers_auto_module_head_16024321"
