What is the Biggest Issue Facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with OTAs Wrapped?

The 5 Biggest Issues Facing Tampa Bay Buccaneers with OTAs Wrapped By Luke Easterling Jun 11, 2015 Cliff McBride/Getty Images Rome sure wasn't built in a day, but it still didn't take as long as some NFL franchises take to rebuild from a long run of destructive regimes.So while many Bucs fans were hoping for an instant turnaround under head coach Lovie Smith and the new front office, last year's league-worst record proved it takes more than one offseason to right a ship so far off course.Just as last year's moves couldn't cure every ill for a struggling Tampa Bay franchise, this offseason didn't take care of every need on the Bucs' to-do list, either. And that's not including new issues that have started popping up during organized team activities, such as a potential holdout looming on the horizon.What are the biggest concerns the Bucs still need to deal with as they look toward training camp next month?Demar Dotson's Potential HoldoutKim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Few will argue Demar Dotson was Tampa Bay's most consistent performer on the offensive line last season, and it appears this fact isn't lost on Dotson himself, either.Per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, Dotson has been absent from the team's organized team activities due to a contract dispute:“ Dotson, 29, who has started all but one game for the Bucs over the last three seasons, is playing under a three-year extension he signed in spring 2013 -- originally a modest three-year, $4.5-million deal. Escalators relating to playing time added $1-million to his base salary in 2014 and 2015 -- he is due to make $2.5-millon this year, with the possibility of improving a $1.75-million salary for 2016 to $2.75-million with similar playing time.That still is below value for a starting NFL right tackle, and giving Dotson a new contract is certainly a possibility, but also sets a precedent for the Bucs and general manager Jason Licht in negotiating a bigger deal to a player with two years left on his contract. The team will also be hesitant to reward a player for using his absence from team activities as leverage for a new contract.”Dotson may have been the best player on the unit in 2014, but the group struggled through the entire season, so that's not exactly saying much. As Auman points out, Dotson is clearly making less than market value for his position and likely deserves a raise, but it sets a dangerous precedent for other players down the road.Either way, the Bucs need to figure out a solution here, especially after spending the No. 1 overall pick on a new quarterback who should be starting Week 1. They'll need their best five blockers protecting him, and Dotson is easily on that listMeet the New Pass Rush, Same as the Old Pass RushKim Klement-USA TODAY Sports For yet another season, Tampa Bay's pass rush was nothing to write home about in 2014, with no player registering double digits in sacks.Heading into the offseason, many expected the Bucs to do everything they could to address their need for a impact edge-rusher, whether through the draft or in free agency. After cutting ties with free-agent bust Michael Johnson after just one season, Tampa Bay elected not to throw tons of money at another big name in free agency.This year's draft class was full of talented edge players, but all seven rounds came and went without the Bucs selecting a single one.Aside from bringing in a few undrafted free agents, the biggest move the team made at defensive end was trading for George Johnson, a former Buc who notched the first six sacks of his NFL career for the Detroit Lions last year. Johnson will likely start across from Jacquies Smith—one of the more pleasant surprises of the 2014 season—who tallied 6.5 sacks over the final eight games of the season.Both Johnson and Smith flashed plenty of promise last season, but neither has ever been a full-time starter. Most of the depth chart returns from last season as well, with William Gholston, T.J. Fatinikun and Larry English fighting for playing time.Consistent pressure from the front four is paramount to the success of any Tampa 2 defense, but it looks like this unit will be deploying much of the same when it comes to outside pass rush in 2015, and that won't have too many fans excited.Safety in Numbers?Mitchell Layton/Getty Images Like much of the team, Tampa Bay's secondary struggled through much of 2014, experiencing plenty of growing pains while adjusting to the Tampa 2 scheme.Tampa Bay's safeties looked particularly out of sorts, as old-regime players had trouble fitting into their new responsibilities. Former top-10 pick Mark Barron was traded to the St. Louis Rams just before the league deadline, while former big-money free-agent signing Dashon Goldson was dealt to Washington after the season.Heading into the 2015 season, the Bucs have plenty of bodies at the position, but very little in terms of top talent. The best of the bunch is Bradley McDougald, who flashed playmaking ability against both the run and pass last year.Major Wright was re-signed in the offseason, while fellow former Chicago Bear Chris Conte was signed in free agency. Both have valuable experience in the Tampa 2, but their overall ability isn't going to move the needle much. Former second-round pick D.J. Swearinger was claimed off waivers from Houston, but while he's got plenty of natural talent, his skill set is similar to Barron's, with the same shortcomings that led to his departure from the team.Tampa Bay needs two guys out of that group to set themselves apart considerably during training camp if they want their defense to take the next step under coordinator Leslie Frazier.Lavonte David's Contract ExtensionCliff McBride/Getty Images Last year, Tampa Bay rewarded one of its cornerstone defensive players with a lucrative extension, ensuring one of the few home runs they'd hit in recent drafts stayed in Tampa for the foreseeable future, if not his entire career.But now that Gerald McCoy is locked up, the Bucs must now turn their attention to the other linchpin of their defense in Lavonte David, who is in the final year of his rookie contract.David has made 46 starts over his first three NFL seasons, racking up 430 total tackles, 10 sacks, six interceptions, 19 defensed passes and six forced fumbles. An undersized linebacker with elite speed, athleticism and instincts, David is a perfect fit on the weak side in the Tampa 2 and has already established himself as one of the best in the NFL at his position.Many Bucs fans were frustrated with the team's lack of interest in top-dollar free agents this offseason, but there were multiple reasons the team took a more conservative approach this year, including the need to make sure they locked up David long-term. Expect it to happen sooner than later.Another O-Line ShakeupKim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Last offseason, Tampa Bay cleaned house is just about every imaginable way, from the front office and coaching staff all the way down through the entire roster.No unit experienced more overhaul than the offensive line, which replaced four of five starters in an effort to improve over an uninspiring performance in 2013.But despite the addition of veterans like Logan Mankins, Evan Smith and free-agent bust Anthony Collins, the Bucs were even worse up front in 2015, struggling mightily in both pass protection and when trying to pave the way for the running game.This year, the team added more fresh faces to the mix, hoping the second time is the charm when it comes to offensive line upheaval. Collins was cut, and the team spent two second-round picks on Penn State tackle Donovan Smith and Hobart guard Ali Marpet, who could easily be in the starting lineup Week 1.Stability at offensive coordinator and the presence of a playmaker at quarterback in Jameis Winston should help this group improve considerably in 2015, but it's hard to feel too confident in their ability to turn things around quickly after last year's attempt failed so badly.link