Now that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2019 season is formally over, it’s time to look ahead to the long run.
The Bucs have some massive selections to make this offseason. There are many selections available on their very own roster, however what about bringing in exterior assist?
Clearly, they are going to have the possibility so as to add six potential younger superstars to the roster in April, however as everyone knows, free company comes earlier than the draft. What occurs within the month of March can go a good distance in figuring out what occurs in April.
I’m positive you recognize what’s coming subsequent.
I made a decision to select 5 potential free brokers that might actually assist the Bucs in 2020. In line with spotrac.com, Tampa Bay is third within the NFL with proper round $91.Eight million in cap room for 2020, so the Bucs may have some cash to play with within the offseason.
There just a few components that I used to find out my picks and people components are: match, want, affordability, and impression.
Now don’t get me mistaken, I’m not saying the Bucs ought to signal all of those guys – I do know that’s not real looking. But when I had been Bruce Arians and/or Jason Licht, these guys can be on the high of my record as I enter the offseason.
Tell us what you concentrate on the record or who you assume the Bucs ought to check out throughout free company within the feedback beneath!
5. RB Chris Thompson (Redskins)
The Bucs at present have three operating backs below contract for 2020 and that’s Ronald Jones II, Dare Ogunbowale, and T.J. Logan.
I don’t know what the long run holds for Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay’s semi-starting operating again in 2019, however I get the sensation he gained’t be again in 2020. For the sake of this train, let’s act like he gained’t be.
Logan is primarily a returner and Ogunbowale was an incredible camp story, however was largely ineffective in 2019. If Jones is to tackle the full-time function just like the Bucs hope he’ll, then he’s going to wish assist once in a while.
Enter Chris Thompson, among the finest pass-catching backs within the league. He’s 11th within the NFL by way of receptions amongst operating backs since 2015 and has had 35+ receptions in each season over the past 5 seasons. His 8.47 yards per reception ranks sixth amongst operating backs with at the very least 200 receptions from 2015-2019, which places him forward of gamers reminiscent of Christian McCaffrey, Le’Veon Bell, Melvin Gordon, and Lesean McCoy. He’s simply barely behind Alvin Kamara (8.51 ypc) for the fifth spot.
Byron Leftwich likes to name display screen performs, and with good motive. The Bucs run a fairly efficient display screen recreation and have proven the power to very artistic when dialing up these forms of performs.
It is a good instance. The Redskins line Thompson up within the slot on the best aspect of the formation and catch the Bears off-guard with a well-executed display screen play. Thompson shows his quickness and agility whereas utilizing his 5-foot-8, 194-pound body to vanish behind his massive offensive linemen. The top result’s a 33-yard acquire:
He’s additionally proven that he could be a nice safety-valve/checkdown goal, which is essential, as properly.
Thompson can be an incredible complementary again to RoJo and would permit the Bucs to be versatile of their selections with Ogunbowale, Logan, and the NFL Draft. I’m considering the Bucs might get him for a Duke Johnson Jr.-type deal. One thing like Three years/$15 million, or round that quantity, which might be an excellent worth for a relatively-young again who nonetheless has lots of tread left on his tires.
4. RG Brandon Scherff (Redskins)
There are lots of shifting elements on the subject of Scherff.
First, the Bucs will most probably should cope with the Redskins for his companies. Washington might slap the franchise tag on Scherff, which might instantly place Tampa Bay in a bidding battle and would complicate issues. In addition they have the cap room to pay Scherff, so the Bucs are already a few steps behind on this race.
The Bucs even have to determine what they wish to do with Alex Cappa. He was serviceable in 2019, however had points staying wholesome and was by no means actually dominant in any explicit recreation. The cool factor is that the Bucs are paying Cappa round $900ok in 2020 and round $970ok in 2021, so in the event that they needed to herald Scherff, Cappa might present high quality depth at an honest worth. Cappa was has been largely considered as a venture, anyway, so why not give him a pair extra years to develop below two of the higher guards in Scherff and Ali Marpet?
Scherff can be an immediate improve on the place and would assist offset the potential lack of proper sort out Demar Dotson. The previous first-round decide is likely one of the finest guards within the league that nobody talks about and is in his prime at 28-years-old.
He can do all of it. Move professional, run blocking, organising screens – you title it. No matter you need finished from the best guard place, Scherff will make it occur.
Brandon Scherff was improbable on the Bibbs display screen for a TD. Concept he is taking part in poorly this yr is laughable. Good blocks from Doctson, Fast and Roullier down the sector too. #Redskins pic.twitter.com/0leeREPamD
— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) October 22, 2018
He’s nasty, powerful, and bodily. He’s additionally good and disciplined, as properly. Scherff has been one of many least penalized offensive line since he entered the league in 2015.
Scherff’s price ticket will likely be steep. Spotrac at present has his market worth at $12.Four million, which might give him the seventh-highest cap hit for a guard in 2020. The signing would additionally give Tampa Bay the fourth most-expensive offensive line within the league, and that’s earlier than the Bucs work out what they wish to do at proper sort out.
3. DE Yannick Ngakoue (Jaguars)
The Jags have already come out and mentioned that Ngakoue is their primary offseason precedence, however his potential price ticket might hold him from returning. It might additionally hold him out of Tampa Bay, as properly.
Spotrac at present has his worth at round $17.1 million per yr, which is about $2 million extra per yr than Shaq Barrett, the NFL’s sack chief in 2019. Jason Fitzgerald of overthecap.com reported again in June of 2019 that Ngakoue might command as a lot as $21 million per yr with the intention to be on the contractual degree of your Frank Clarks and Demarcus Lawrences.
If the Bucs need Ngakoue, then odds are they don’t deliver again both Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul, Ndamukong Suh, or any mixture of the three. All three gamers had been main contributors to a Tampa Bay protection that improved because the yr went on.
However Ngakoue is a type of guys who will make you assume twice by way of roster administration. There isn’t a argument that he is likely one of the elite go rushers within the league and that he might type a lethal tandem with Barrett (if he’s again) for the following half-decade.
The soon-to-be fifth-year participant has had at the very least eight sacks in each season and his 37.5 profession sacks are the ninth-most over the past 4 years.
The manufacturing and expertise is there. It’s only a matter of who the Bucs wish to hold round and the way will they assemble their roster round Ngakoue in the event that they do select to signal him.
2. DT Jordan Phillips (Payments)
Tampa Bay’s entrance seven has been an efficient unit this yr, however has some ageing, costly items in Pierre-Paul, Suh, and Lavonte David.
Phillips most likely gained’t repair the costly challenge, however he can definitely repair the ageing challenge. His addition would additionally hold the entrance seven taking part in at a excessive – presumably increased – degree.
The 27-year-old defensive sort out is a mammoth at 6-foot-6, 328-pounds. His 9.5 sacks are a significant motive why the Payments made the playoffs this yr. Bear in mind, Todd Bowles’ protection isn’t a two-gap protection. Phillips would nonetheless be free to make performs within the backfield and can be paired up with Vita Vea, which ought to scare the shit out of each offensive line coach within the league.
Bear in mind when everybody mentioned we drafted Aaron Donald? Seems we already had him. #Payments Jordan Phillips information seventh sack this yr, most amongst defensive tackles pic.twitter.com/MeEz9ykexT
— Nate Mendelson (@NateMendelson) November 17, 2019
Phillips was a second-round decide in 2015 and made simply $4.5 million in 2019. Spotrac at present doesn’t have a market worth determine on him, but when the Bucs might speak him right into a wage of round $8-$10 million/yr, then they need to undoubtedly think about the transfer.
The draw back is that Phillips managed simply 6.5 sacks over the primary 4 years of his profession. The Bucs might want to take that under consideration in the event that they do in truth resolve to check out him. The NFL is all about growing gamers, however you all the time should be cautious on the subject of paying a participant who’s coming off one good yr – that simply so occurs to even be the very best yr – of their profession.
But when his 2019 season proves to be the actual deal, then the potential pairing of Vea and Phillips might assist remodel this protection right into a top-10 squad in 2020.
1. CB Logan Ryan (Titans)
What number of instances did we hear about Tampa Bay’s “younger secondary” in 2019? Or how concerning the one the place if “they introduced in a veteran nook, it will assist tremendously”?
The younger secondary started to show it on towards the tip of the yr, which is all the time promising, however it would nonetheless be a skinny, younger unit when the lights come again on in September of 2020.
Logan Ryan wouldn’t solely be the right piece for this protection, however he can be a direct improve – no knock on the Bucs’ present group of defensive backs – and supply stability within the secondary.
He can actually do every part. He can play the slot (his major place), he can blitz, he can play exterior when wanted, and he can play each security spots. He’s a sound tackler – evidenced by his 113 mixed tackles in 2019 (!!) – and isn’t afraid to put the large hit on anybody.
Ryan additionally possesses a few of the finest instincts and is likely one of the smarter gamers within the league. Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees loves to maneuver him all around the protection, which has allowed him to have one in all, if not the very best, years of his profession.
As I discussed earlier, he has 113 tackles on the yr, which leads the Titans and is nice for 21st out of all defenders in 2019. He additionally led the crew with 4 compelled fumbles and was second with 4 interceptions and third with 4.5 sacks.
However as with all gamers, Ryan gained’t come low cost. Phrase round Nashville is that he’s in search of Malcom Butler-type cash, who signed a 5-year/$61.25 million deal again in 2018. That’s a fairly steep tag, nevertheless it may very well be worse whenever you have a look at what a few of the different high corners within the league are making.
I do know that is hallowed floor, and belief me, I’m not making a direct comparability BUT if Ryan had been to come back to Tampa Bay, he’d be the closest illustration to Ronde Barber by way of what he can do and the way he does it since Barber retired.
Honorable mentions: RT Bryan Bulaga (Packers), OLB/DE Mario Addison (Panthers), FS Jimmie Ward (49ers), DE Leonard Williams (Jets), CB Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
