Grading the Buccaneers' Most Improved Positional Units

Grading the Buccaneers' Most Improved Positional UnitsBy Jason Kanno May 21, 2015 Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in desperate need of change following their 2-14 season last year. Through free agency and the draft they addressed several personnel deficiencies, some more so than others.There wasn't an area where the Bucs couldn't use an upgrade, but they had to prioritize the quarterback position and both offensive and defensive lines.Drafting Jameis Winston gave the Bucs a potential franchise quarterback. They also made multiple additions in the draft to the offensive line while looking to free agency to address their defensive deficiencies.Some units, like linebacker, improved by bolstering depth, while others, like safety, got better simply by cutting dead weight.Improvement isn't merely about adding more or newer players but about how those changes impact the overall roster. The more impactful the change, the better the grade.Here are the grades and ranks for the Bucs' most improved units following this offseason.No. 5: LinebackerJonathan Daniel/Getty Images Pre-offseason grade: BCurrent grade: B+The Bucs linebacker corps was already pretty good with Lavonte David and Danny Lansanah, but the added depth only made the group better.The biggest change at linebacker was the replacement of middle linebacker Mason Foster with former Dallas LB Bruce Carter. While Carter is sure to be the signal-caller on the field, his addition is a push in terms of improving the defense.At 6'2" and 240 pounds, the former Cowboy is small for a middle linebacker. Much is made of his league-leading five interceptions last year, but those turnovers belie his unreliable coverage skills.The real improvement to the linebacker group came behind the expected starters. The Bucs added fourth-round pick Kwon Alexander and former Chicago LB Khaseem Greene this offseason.Alexander is an exceptional athlete, who ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at the combine. Greene's talents lie in pass coverage, and he should back up David at weak-side linebacker.No. 4: Defensive BackChris Covatta/Associated Press Pre-offseason grade: DCurrent grade: C+The Bucs' upgrade at defensive back was more addition by subtraction than anything else.Cutting safety Dashon Goldson was long overdue. He was a poor fit for the Bucs defense even before Lovie Smith become head coach.Along with the Mark Barron trade, the Bucs set themselves up for a revamp of the safety position. Instead, they opted to sign waning players like Chris Conte and D.J. Swearinger.Neither player looked particularly sharp in 2014, as both struggled in coverage. The upside is the Bucs are now getting their entire safety group for the price of Dashon Goldson. According to Spotrac.com, their combined salary comes to just over $4 million, half of Goldson's average annual income.What drives this grade up is an undersold addition to the cornerback group, Sterling Moore. The former Cowboy is versatile, capable of playing on the outside or in the slot. He will challenge for and likely win the Bucs' nickel cornerback position this preseason.No. 3: Defensive LineScott Kane/Associated Press Pre-offseason grade: DCurrent grade: B-While the Bucs still have serious questions at defensive end, they somehow got much better at defensive tackle.At the moment, the Bucs are without a surefire starter at defensive end, but that's not much of a change from the end of last season. They were all but bamboozled by DE Michael Johnson, who brought none of his sack-getting, run-stopping prowess with him from Cincinnati.After cutting Johnson, the Bucs failed to acquire any of the major edge-rushing free agents like Trent Cole and Derrick Morgan. They did manage to sign former Lions and Bucs DE George Johnson.As promising as Johnson's pass rush looks, he has never started at defensive end. The Bucs will keep him in a rotational capacity, according to Buccaneers.com's Scott Smith.At defensive tackle, the Bucs added DT Henry Melton, a former Bear and Cowboy with a major pass-rush pedigree. He collected 20.5 sacks in five seasons—he was a start in only two of them, and one was truncated by a torn ACL.Melton is unlikely to start in Tampa Bay, but he will make the interior pass rush a nightmare for opposing offenses. When Gerald McCoy or Clinton McDonald needs a breather, Melton is more than capable of picking up the slack.No. 2: Offensive LineCharles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press Pre-offseason grade: FCurrent grade: CIt didn't take much to improve the Bucs offensive line. It wasn't going to get any worse.None of the linemen the Bucs procured last season brought much to the already-inadequate line. Offensive tackle Anthony Collins didn't even last his first season in Tampa Bay. The right guard position became a carousel. Guard Logan Mankins and center Evan Smith provided no reprieve either on the field or in the Bucs' wallet.The Bucs refocused their efforts to build the offensive line through the draft by taking offensive tackle Donovan Smith and guard Ali Marpet in the second round, respectively. They will compete with last year's draft picks OT Kevin Pamphile and G Kadeem Edwards.Despite all these added players, the biggest improvement to the offensive line is the hiring of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. Last year the offense was left adrift when Jeff Tedford left the team with health problems.The success of the line hinges on the younger players taking to Koetter's scheme and to life in the NFL in general.No. 1: QuarterbackChris O'Meara/Associated Press Pre-offseason grade: FCurrent grade: B-Was there any question which position improved the most?The Bucs signed quarterback Josh McCown last year to be a stable veteran presence for the offense. Instead he became an epitome of the football follies.McCown's inept play under center was a key factor leading to the Bucs' 2-14 record and first overall selection in the 2015 draft.Enter former FSU quarterback and 2013 Heisman winner Jameis Winston.On the field, he is a huge leap from McCown. Though he is only a rookie, Winston's pocket awareness, anticipation and overall football intelligence should give the Bucs the playmaker they need to lead the offense.The only drawback is Winston's questionable maturity. His behavioral problems at FSU are well-documented, and while he seems to have gotten his act together, Winston's teammates will have to keep an eye on him to make sure he grows in the right direction.link