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Witty's List of Offseason Needs for the 2019 Buccaneers w/ Poll


I'd kinda wanna say "goddammit, everything" but the salary cap system won't allow it.

QUARTERBACK

Our situation is still tied for good and ill to Jameis. Arguably one of the more... effective QBs we've drafted, he's still too much of a risk. If you asked me in November 2018 if we needed to keep him I would have said "HELL NO" because his reckless play style was all too apparent. But in December, he settled down, played more effectively, and did a better job managing the offense (although scoring dropped somewhat in the process).

The reasons for sticking with Jameis are obvious: 1) there are no reliable replacements available in the upcoming Free Agency and 2) there are no franchise-caliber QBs showing up in the Rookie Draft this April. With a new coach coming in who at least WANTS to work with the questionable QB - unlike the last coach in this situation when it turned out Schiano wanted nothing to do with making Josh Freeman better - this is an acceptable situation.

The only move I'd suggest making this year is drafting a rookie in the mid-to-late rounds to provide a short-term solution if Jameis doesn't work out and we'd need to draft a new QB in 2020.

FREE AGENCY: Not really.
DRAFT: Low round for backup only

RUNNING BACK

The promised talent of rookie Ronald Jones II never panned out, leaving our RB roster in a weaker situation than we'd like. Peyton Barber is solid but he just doesn't have the higher gear to make him the starting guy. Jacquizz Rodgers is aging out. The need to bring in fresh legs either in FA or the Draft is great at this spot... but with higher needs elsewhere on the roster this is a need that won't get answered so quick.

FREE AGENCY: A reliable workhorse-type back if one is on the market (there usually is)
DRAFT: Mid-round, Second Round at the highest

WIDE RECEIVER

Even with the half-season slump by Chris Godwin, our WR corps is arguably the best talented roster spot we have. Mike Evans is simply All-Pro level. Adam Humphries arguably our best slot WR since Joe Jurevicius. Even DeSean Jackson - if he stays - isn't someone to sneeze at (and here's hoping Arians can make Jameis find DJax on the field better).

The move here is to KEEP our Free Agent WR from leaving. Humps is going to be on the market, and there's a chance other teams desperate for the help will pay him the dough. Losing him won't be a major loss, but it would shake up the roster and force the Bucs to work FA or the Draft to find a replacement.

FREE AGENCY: Re-sign Humphries
DRAFT: Not needed

TIGHT END

We had a good thing going with OJ Howard until his injury, so his return from that better be 100 percent. Cameron Brate had been a reliable clutch receiver but this year had a bad case of the drops. There may be a need to draft or sign TE depth, but it's not the highest priority.

FREE AGENCY: Depth considerations only
DRAFT: Not needed

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

This is where I start banging the drums for YES BY GOD DO SOMETHING. At Left Tackle, Donovan Smith has had four years to prove himself and IMHO he's just not pass-blocker material on the blind side. Unless the numbers people can break down the stats to show otherwise, he's a liability at that spot. In terms of the Right Tackle spot Demar Dotson has been aging out and recovering from concussion woes, and I'm worried about his spot on the line as well.

Part of me argues we should slide Smith to ROT and draft a starter-caliber Left Tackle, because honestly you NEVER get a franchise LOT from Free Agency (no team in their right minds would let a guy like that go). But Smith is an unrestricted free agent, meaning he can bolt. Either way, the Bucs HAVE to make a move on Left Tackle...

This means the Bucs HAVE to sit where they are in First Round this April and hope to snag one of the two or three top names on the board (currently Jonah Williams and Greg Little are the top names).

FREE AGENCY: Right Tackle depth if available
DRAFT: First Round

OFFENSIVE GUARD/CENTER

As part of the O-line woes we STILL have - especially with the lack of a running game - all of the patchwork efforts at the Interior remain patchwork. We lost Baker to injury early I believe, Benenoch became the most cursed name at Bucs Nation, Ryan Jensen at Center was questionable, and even the good player Ali Marpet had his bad days. Coaching on the line is a serious need to fix, but getting better at the Guard spot deserves evaluation. If a better Center can be found to allow Jensen to slide back to Guard...

FREE AGENCY: Depth if available
DRAFT: Center would be a better get than Guard this year

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

The Bucs infamously went with a DT in last year's First Round with Vita Vea, so another pick for that roster spot would be the Gods laughing at us while other needs wither on the vine. Granted, there is a possibility the Bucs cut Gerald McCoy due to his cap-heavy contract, but getting a solid DT in Free Agency isn't a certainty (and I'm not sure if any good ones are available that way). What IS certain is that the incoming Rookie class for the Draft is reportedly very talented and deep along the DL, meaning the Bucs could snag a quality Tackle and get better at the scrimmage line. It's just... too many greater needs elsewhere.

Also in play is the incoming DC coach. Bowles may flip the defense from 4-3 to 3-4, meaning the role of the DT will change.

FREE AGENCY: All depends on what happens with McCoy and with the new defensive coordinator.
DRAFT: Same deal, if McCoy goes Bucs may well draft a player here between the First through Fifth Rounds

DEFENSIVE END

The trade for Jason Pierre-Paul may prove to have been one of the best in Bucs history. All he did was make the DL threatening again and racked up the first double-digit sack season in 13 years. Picking up Carl Nassib off waivers in September was another bold move as he proved a disruptive (and being young, improving) presence.

What matters here is the depth situation: a lot of the backup players may get cut to make cap space or may not fit the incoming defensive schemes. If we flip to 3-4, this may run the risk of weakening JPP's skill set (which fits the 4-3 better). In terms of bringing in talent, the need to bring in STARTERS is not there right now. More a need for depth (until we can be sure what system we've got).

There is the argument to draft Best Player Available, which this year seems to be a long line of Defensive Ends. With the Bucs drafting fifth overall, the temptation to get a pass-rusher who will rack up 15 sacks for 8-12 straight years may be too tempting...

FREE AGENCY: Until we know for certain it remains a 4-3 front.
DRAFT

LINEBACKER

A roster spot challenged by inconsistency, usually due to injury woes and questionable coaching, anchored by two good LB talents in Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander. The problem here again relies a lot on the new schemes the team may implement. If we switch to 3-4, shifting the needs from DL to LB.

Also in play is Kwon's free agency status: He's unrestricted, and arguably a great catch to get. If the Bucs flip to 3-4, re-signing Kwon is a top priority. If the Bucs stick to 4-3, re-signing Kwon would be nice, but the costs of that may hit the cap all wrong.

It all depends on Kwon. If he goes, Bucs may need to consider drafting high for Inside/Middle Linebacker to fill the gap. Beckwith and Bullough are still question marks.

FREE AGENCY: Re-sign Alexander, if not find quality veteran to anchor the middle of the backfield.
DRAFT: Depends on if Kwon goes and if Bucs flip to 3-4. Otherwise, not a high need.

CORNERBACK

What's happening here is the lack of veteran skill. Brent Grimes has aged out and is likely gone. But that leaves most of the starting players - Hargreaves, Carlton, Stewart - as questionable youngsters struggling to adjust to the pro level (yes, even Hargreaves). DRAFTING more such players would be a bad idea... so if anything needs happening here, the Bucs should scan the Free Agency boards for Best Available CBs.

FREE AGENCY: Replace Grimes with 1) someone younger and 2) a better turnover machine
DRAFT: Not recommended. We have young talent, some of them worth developing.

SAFETY

The important thing is, Chris Conte is likely gone. Justin Evans at Free Safety and Jordan Whitehead at Strong are young and have already shown flashes of talent. IF ONLY THEY CAN STAY HEALTHY... Depth is the primary concern here, best resolved through FA.

FREE AGENCY: Depth needs
DRAFT: Not likely

KICKER/PUNTER

NO MORE DRAFTING KICKERS OR PUNTERS. Please.

We may need to consider Free Agency moves to bring in younger punters and also another Kicker or two to challenge Cairo Santos (if we keep him).

FREE AGENCY: Re-sign Santos - he wasn't TERRIBLE - but bring in others for camp tryout
DRAFT: ARGH PLEASE NO MORE

So... that's what I got.

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