FA Recap: NFC SouthKevin Connaghan | March 21, 2015 ProFootballFocus.comAs free agency starts to slow down, it’s time to take inventory of last week’s craziness. The moves were fast and furious (and perhaps a bit premature), as a few teams were extremely aggressive in pursuit of turning around their fortunes while others took to free agency with constraint. Here’s a look at where we stand after a week of free agency:
Tampa Bay BuccaneersKey Losses:ED Michael JohnsonQB Josh McCownOT Anthony CollinsLB Mason FosterED Adrian ClaybornKey Re-Signings:S Major WrightCB Leonard JohnsonTE Luke StockerED Larry EnglishKey Additions:LB Bruce CarterDI Henry MeltonCB Sterling MooreS Chris ConteThe Buccaneers have made four signings, all on the defensive side, bringing in three former Cowboys and two former Bears (Henry Melton counts for both). Melton is an interesting signing, given the Buccaneers already had the outstanding Gerald McCoy. A talented pass rushing 3-technique, Melton finished sixth among defensive tackles in 2014 with a +15.8 pass rushing grade and tenth among starters with an 8.2 Pass Rushing Productivity (PRP) score. McCoy led all tackles with a +36.2 pass rushing grade and finished fifth with a 9.4 PRP score. Facing that pairing on pass rushing downs will strike fear into many opposing quarterbacks.Bruce Carter is ostensibly replacing Mason Foster, the pair had matching -8.2 grades in 2014, however Carter has spent the majority of his career as an outside linebacker, while Foster plays inside. The Buccaneers were well set at outside linebacker in 2014, with Lavonte David on the weak side and Danny Lansanah on the strong side; the expectation is that Lansanah will slide inside, leaving the SAM role free for Carter.Free safety Chris Conte is reunited with Major Wright, whom he partnered for three years in Chicago under Lovie Smith. Familiarity is a good thing in a secondary, but their partnership was hardly an unqualified success in Chicago. The Buccaneers most recent addition has been that of ex-Cowboy Sterling Moore. Undrafted in 2011, Moore helped the Patriots to the Super Bowl that season, but had to wait until 2014 for an extended run as a starting corner. Moore finished the year with a +4.9 grade in coverage, he held his own in the slot but looked his best on the outside. Moore conceded just one touchdown all season – unfortunately that came on the road against Green Bay in the playoffs.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ biggest moves this offseason have involved dealing with some of last year’s mistakes, cutting Michael Johnson, Anthony Collins and Josh McCown. Expensive mistakes at that, with Johnson and Collins set to count for around $10 million against the cap in 2015. For various reasons it didn’t work out for that trio in Tampa, but their departures, combined with the team’s failure to sign adequate free agent replacements, leave the Buccaneers with holes at three key spots; they need to draft very well.
