What Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2021 Team Needs?
As the Super Bowl hangover begins to wear off, it's time to begin looking forward to what could be a bit of a hectic offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In order to "go for two," as head coach Bruce Arians put it, the Bucs will first have to balance 30 impending free agents with a reduced salary cap. The latest projections suggest that teams will have around $15-20 million less to spend than last offseason, with the cap hovering around $180-181 million. Tampa Bay is currently projected to have $38.1 million in cap space available.
It'll be tough to pull off, but Arians and general manager Jason Licht have been vocal in their desire to retain top players. For those that can't reach new deals with Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers will look to the draft - or perhaps free agency with a little extra cash - to sustain a championship roster. The Buccaneers own the No. 32 selection in the first round of the NFL Draft and seven picks in total.
As things stand, no new contracts have been signed other than future deals for practice squad members. With that being said, what are the Buccaneers biggest team needs entering the 2021 offseason?
Defensive linemen
Ndamukong Suh, 34 years old, is one of many impending free agents across the roster and led all Buccaneers' defensive linemen in tackles for loss this past season. Although Suh generated just six sacks, he tallied the third-most quarterback pressures on the team, according to Pro Football Focus. His pressure diverted attention from the edge rush, allowing Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul to cash in, among others.
Defensive tackles Steve McLendon and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, along with lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter, are set to be free agents as well. McLendon, 35, was acquired in a midseason trade after Vita Vea fractured his ankle in Week 5 and served as a rotational depth piece. Whereas, Nunez-Roches started in Vea's place and is only 27. Ledbetter, 26, appeared in three games in 2020.
At his age, Suh isn't going to get much better nor sign long-term deals. Similar to an offseason ago, Suh is a candidate to return on a one-year deal cheaper than the one he signed previously and start. In fact, Licht said that the Bucs "definitely" want Suh back on the Pewter Report Podcast on Thursday night.
If the Buccaneers are to keep one of McLendon or Nunez-Roches at nose tackle, the latter would make more sense and would be affordable. No matter who re-signs, though, Tampa could afford to draft another defensive lineman early in the draft. On the opposite end, William Gholston is approaching 30 years old as well. With productive veterans in house, a rookie defensive lineman could develop over time and offer depth before eventually earning a starting role.
Alabama's Christian Barmore, Wake Forest's Carlos Basham Jr., and Florida State's Marvin Wilson are defensive line prospects who could be worth monitoring throughout the draft process. With Vea returning to full health, defensive end will be a bigger need than nose tackle.
Edge rusher
After compiling four sacks in the NFC Championship and Super Bowl after an eight-sack season, Shaquil Barrett has every right to demand a pretty penny in free agency. Barrett said during the Super Bowl parade that he wants to return, and the Buccaneers have expressed the same interest, but his deal could be the toughest to pin down for Licht and his team.
Should Barrett demand top edge rusher money, the Bucs could be looking at an annual value in the $20-25 million range.
If the Bucs can't retain Barrett's services, edge rusher will be the Buccaneers' most pressing need. And even if they can bring Barrett back, Jason Pierre-Paul is 32 years old and has one year left on his deal contract, so one way or another the Buccaneers will have to add a younger player to the outside linebacker rotation.
Georgia's Azeez Ojulari, Miami's Jaelan Phillips, Houston's Payton Turner, Penn State's Jayson Oweh, Oklahoma's Ronnie Perkins, Texas' Joseph Ossai, and Washington's Joe Tyron are just a handful of edge rushers expected to go within the first few rounds of the draft and in the Bucs' range.
Swing offensive tackle
Around the midway point of the 2020 season, it was fair to wonder if Tampa Bay would opt to upgrade from Donovan Smith and his $14.25 million price tag at left tackle in 2021. Up until that point, Smith had allowed a fair amount of pressure on quarterback Tom Brady, and his performance in pass protection had up and down throughout his career.
Smith put together the best football of his career down the stretch of 2020 and throughout the playoffs, however, allowing just one sack and six pressures following the bye week (PFF). Both Arians and Licht have voiced their admiration for his leadership and toughness, as well.
It sounds as if Smith will be sticking around, and perhaps rightfully so given his recent play. Opposite of Smith, Tristan Wirfs played like an All Pro during his rookie season at right tackle, so the Buccaneers' bookend offensive linemen appear to be set for 2021.
Should Smith take a step backward next season, or even simply for injury purposes, the Bucs could benefit from drafting a swing tackle regardless. Backup tackles Joe Haeg and Josh Wells are set to become free agents, too.
It wouldn't need to be with the first round selection, but Tampa Bay could zero in on an offensive tackle on day two or early on day three to develop over time as a capable depth piece and spot starter. North Dakota's Dillon Radunz, Wirfs' former Iowa teammate Alaric Jackson, Notre Dame's Liam Eichenberg, and Stanford's Walker Little, and other tackle prospects could be worth monitoring.
Running back
Playoff Lenny - now Lombardi Lenny - running back Leonard Fournette is set to be a free agent this offseason and could look to sign a big deal that Tampa simply can't afford to play a committee running back. Fournette served a large role when Ronald Jones II dealt with injuries that lasted into the postseason, and now stands in second on the Buccaneers' all-time playoff scrimmage yards list.
Unless Fournette is willing to sacrifice some cash for a chance to repeat with Tampa Bay, the Bucs will need to find another running back to pair with Jones. Considering running back value and Tampa's other needs, the first round isn't the place to look for such a player, but perhaps throughout the early-to-middle rounds.
Trey Sermon of Ohio State resembles Fournette's bruising, physical rushing style at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds. Mississippi State's Kylin Hill exploded as a rusher during his junior season and emerged as a pass-catcher in an Air Raid offense this past season, which is something Tampa Bay lacks at the position currently. North Carolina's Javonte Williams would be an ideal fit as a do-it-all back but might be selected higher than Tampa Bay would prefer to address the position.
Cornerback
The entire Buccaneers secondary took steps forward during the postseason, most notably nickel cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and safety Jordan Whitehead who combined for five postseason turnovers. Carlton Davis III had a strong season at outside cornerback and rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. played like a seasoned veteran more often than not.
If there's one spot among the defensive backs Tampa Bay could use an upgrade, though, it's at outside cornerback opposite of Davis. Jamel Dean was solid throughout the year, but fell victim to agile No. 2 receivers at times and fell off a bit after a strong start to the season.
Licht, as he expressed on the Pewter Report podcast, and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles tend to favor physical, lengthy cornerbacks who can win in press coverage. Assuming cornerback won't be the Buccaneers' first round target, early-to-mid-round prospects such as Georgia's Tyson Campbell and Eric Stokes, South Carolina's Israel Mukuamu (and their projected first round corner Jaycee Horn), and Stanford's Paulson Adebo, among others, fit that profile.
