COOK’S “WAY TOO EARLY” PROJECTED BUCS’ 53-MAN ROSTER
Quarterbacks – 2
QB Jameis Winston
QB Ryan Griffin
Analysis: The Bucs will miss the security of Mike Glennon and will be praying and will have all fingers and toes crossed that Griffin never sees the field in the regular season unless they are up by 40 points.

Running Backs – 5
RB Dalvin Cook
RB Jacquizz Rodgers
RB Charles Sims
RB Peyton Barber
FB Freddie Stevenson
Analysis: It will be strange for Bucs fans to not see No. 22 on the field wearing the red and pewter, but Cook will make fans forget him early in the regular season with Stevenson as his lead blocker. The team hopes Sims can also return to his 2015 form. If so, watch out with this Bucs offense. 

Wide Receivers – 6
WR Mike Evans
WR Kenny Britt
WR Taywan Taylor
WR Adam Humphries
WR Freddie Martino
WR Russell Shepard
Analysis: The Bucs’ receiving corps will look completely different in 2017, and that’s a good thing. Another legit No. 2 wide receiver plus some much needed speed with Taylor, opens things up for Dirk Koetter’s offense. 

Tight Ends – 4
TE Cameron Brate
TE Luke Stocker
TE Eric Saubert
TE Alan Cross
Analysis: Koetter loves having two pass catching tight ends with Brate and Saubert, while Stocker and Cross are blue-collar blockers in the run game. Brate should be in for another big year in 2017.

Offensive Line – 9
LT Donovan Smith
LG Kevin Pamphile
C Evan Smith
RG Ali Marpet
RT Demar Dotson
G JR Sweezy
OL Caleb Benenoch
OT Leonard Wester
C Ben Gottschalk
Analysis: Tampa Bay’s offensive line remains virtually intact from a year ago – minus Joe Hawley – and the young players like Donovan Smith, Marpet, Pamphile, Benenoch, Wester and Gottschalk will benefit from another year’s worth of experience. Sweezy returning to action and competing for a starting guard assignment gives the unit a boost. Look for the staff to experiment with multiple personnel groupings in the preseason to find the best five-man combination.

Defensive Line – 9
DE Robert Ayers
DE Will Gholston
DE Charles Johnson
DT Gerald McCoy
DT Clinton McDonald
DE Noah Spence
DT Akeem Spence
DE Jacquies Smith
DE Daeshon Hall
Analysis: Getting to the quarterback will be the No. 1 defensive goal in 2017, and with six pass rushers it will happen more than it did over the last few years. It all starts up front, and the defensive line play will make those behind them look much better. With Gholston’s big contract he’ll play left end on run downs and move inside to defensive tackle next to McCoy on pass-rushing downs.

Linebackers – 5
WLB Lavonte David
MLB Kwon Alexander
SLB Devante Bond
OLB Cameron Lynch
OLB Adarius Glanton
Analysis: David and Alexander are two of the best and most athletic linebackers in the league. Combine that will Bond, whom the team is high on, and this unit could be even better than it was in 2016. The Bucs can get away with five linebackers because they are in nickel defense over 60 percent of the time.

Bucs CB Brent Grimes – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Cornerbacks – 6
CB Brent Grimes
CB Vernon Hargreaves III
CB Corn Elder
CB Ryan Smith
CB Javien Elliot
CB Josh Robinson
Analysis: Hargreaves should be better with a season’s worth of experience under his belt and with the development of Elliot, the Bucs can take it slow with Elder. A liability unit a couple years ago, now is a strength in Tampa Bay.

Safeties – 4
FS Keith Tandy
SS Tony Jefferson  
S Bradley McDougald
S Isaiah Johnson
Analysis: Jefferson solidifies a unit that was feast or famine in 2016. With a better pass rush, and better cornerback play, the safety position will feast a lot more in 2017.

Special Teams – 3
K Roberto Aguayo
P Bryan Anger
LS Dax Dellenbach
Analysis: Aguayo will be pushed in the offseason in camp, and maybe that is exactly what he needs. Rookie kickers have a history of having much better second seasons in the NFL and Licht is hoping that is the case in 2017.  Anger is one of the league’s best punters and was rewarded with a new, much-deserved deal last December.

Did you like my Bucs’ 2017 Offseason Battle Plans? Let me know what you think in the article comments below.

Scott Reynolds version of his Bucs’ 2017 Offseason Battle Plans hit PewterReport.com on Wednesday and Trevor Sikkema gets his shot on Friday.