5 Moves Tampa Bay Buccaneers Should Have Made This Offseason

5 Moves Tampa Bay Buccaneers Should Have Made This Offseason By Luke Easterling Jul 13, 2015 Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports After drafting a new franchise quarterback, rebuilding a struggling offensive line and adding depth and athleticism across the rest of the roster, it's hard to argue with most of the moves made by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers so far this offseason.Tampa Bay loaded up on offense again through the draft this year, using free agency to add cheap veterans who should bolster its depth across the board.But if hindsight is 20/20, what are the moves Tampa Bay should have made this offseason? Which draft picks could have gone in a different direction, and what signings could have put it in a better position to bounce back from last year's league-worst 2-14 record?Draft a Pass-RusherDavid Zalubowski/Associated Press It's hard to argue with the Bucs spending their two second-round picks in the 2015 draft on offensive linemen considering how that unit has performed over recent years. But they may have been better off using one of those selections on a player who could improve their lackluster pass rush.This year's draft class was packed full of talented edge players, but the Bucs didn't spend a single selection at the position despite their need for an impact player in that role.Spending their high second-rounder on a potential starting left tackle made sense, but trading up for Ali Marpet—a small-school guard who could take some time before he's ready for the starting lineup—instead of grabbing one of the available defensive ends could come back to bite Tampa Bay.With players like UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Louisville's Lorenzo Mauldin and LSU's Danielle Hunter still on the board, there was plenty of talent available for the Bucs to choose from, even if they had stayed at their original selection at the top of the third round instead of trading up for Marpet.Instead, the Bucs will have George Johnson and Jacquies Smith—two players who have never been full-time starters in the NFL—starting on the edges, without much depth behind them.Sign a Veteran Offensive LinemanJim McIsaac/Getty Images Tampa Bay could have been freed up to use its third pick in this year's draft on a pass-rusher had it signed one of multiple veteran guards who were available in free agency.Even if the Bucs were skeptical about giving big money to the likes of Mike Iupati or Orlando Franklin after the huge bust that was Carl Nicks a few years back, there were a few other names on the market who would have come at a much more reasonable price and still been a huge upgrade over what they currently have on the roster.Todd Herremans is 32, but he would have given the Bucs solid experience at the position, while James Carpenter has had a rocky start to his career but is just 26 years old and still has plenty of talent if he can stay healthy.One name the Bucs could still bring in that would make a huge splash is former Philadelphia Eagles guard Evan Mathis, who was released amid a bitter contract dispute. Even at 33 years old, Mathis is considered one of the best guards in the NFL, and he would be an instant upgrade in the starting lineup for Tampa Bay, which has the cap room to give him an attractive contract for the next couple of seasons.Sign Lavonte David to a Long-Term ExtensionKim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Over Mark Dominik's tenure as general manager, the Bucs didn't hit many home runs with their early draft picks, which helped continue the team's run of not winning a playoff game since its Super Bowl victory following the 2002 season.That makes it all the more important for Tampa Bay to hang on to the homegrown talent it has managed to develop in recent years.Last year, the Bucs locked up their anchor on defense—defensive tackle Gerald McCoy—to a lucrative extension that should keep him in Tampa Bay for the rest of his NFL career. This time around, they should be making the same move with All-Pro linebacker Lavonte David, a second-round pick in 2012 who quickly became one of the best at his position in the entire league.It's highly likely the extension gets done at some point during the season, but why even let it take that long? There's no need for the team to let this linger into the regular season and potentially become a distraction. They need to make sure David stays a Buccaneer for the rest of his career, and it should happen sooner than later.Trading Down from the 34th Overall PickUncredited/Associated Press After spending the top overall pick on their new franchise quarterback in Jameis Winston, it made plenty of sense for the Bucs to spend their high second-round pick on someone to protect him, which is exactly what they did by grabbing Penn State's Donovan Smith, whom the Bucs expect to start at left tackle.But given that Smith was considered a mid-round talent by some experts, and looking at the other offensive tackles still on the board well into the second round, Tampa Bay could have moved back in the second round, picked up an extra pick or two and still ended up with a potential starter at left tackle.Oregon's Jake Fisher, Colorado State's Ty Sambrailo and Wisconsin's Rob Havenstein all came off the board in the latter third of that same round, which would have given the Bucs plenty of options. Havenstein and Sambrailo would have been better fits at right tackle, but Tampa Bay could have kept veteran Demar Dotson at left tackle in that scenario.There's no doubt Smith has the size and skills to develop into an effective blind-side blocker for Winston, but it's easy to wonder if the Bucs could have moved down in the second round and still ended up with a similar player—if not Smith himself—and some additional assets in the process.Trading Up for Cam ErvingGrant Halverson/Getty Images Another scenario the Bucs should have explored with their second pick in this year's draft is moving up from the 34th overall selection to draft one of the most versatile and dominant offensive lineman in the entire class in Florida State's Cam Erving.Due to injuries across the unit, Erving was forced to move from his normal tackle spot to center. He was already a decent prospect as a tackle, but the move inside turned Erving into one of the best blockers in the entire country and a lock to be taken in the first round.With the size, length and athleticism of an offensive tackle, Erving engulfed interior linemen and dominated both in pass protection and as a run-blocker.His presence would also have been a huge comfort for top pick Jameis Winston, who had obviously built a strong chemistry with Erving over the 2014 season. His versatility would have been a valuable asset considering the Bucs' needs across the board along the offensive line. The price would have been fairly steep to move up ahead of where he was selected at the 19th overall pick, but it may have been worth it.link