While we're all talking about all the defensive end prospects in this year's draft, the Bucs have a big need at another position as well: offensive line. Jeremy Trueblood and Davin Joseph are both free agents, and it's possible neither of them will be back. Joseph had a poor 2010 season, possibly because of injuries, but is expected to do very well on the free agent market. The Bucs may not want to give him the big contract he would demand, although based on pre-2010 play he certainly deserves it. The same can't be said for Trueblood, though, who has never been a particularly good player and got Wally Pipped when James Lee replaced him after an injury. James Lee held on to the starting job even when Trueblood was healthy, and rightfully so. While Trueblood is a better run blocker, James Lee is a much better pass blocker and this is very important.
Still, both Derek Hardman and James Lee who were asked to start toward the end of the year aren't anything more than serviceable starters with little upside. I like Lee better than Hardman, but neither one really stands out. If the team wants to improve the offense this where they need to start. They need to re-sign Davin Joseph or draft a good guard, and they need to add competition for Lee at the Right Tackle position. It's possible the Bucs do this as early as the first round if no first-round caliber pass rushers are on the board but someone like Mike Pouncey is. The Bucs keep saying they're building the team around Josh Freeman, and what better way to do this than by protecting him on the field?