Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Summary and Grades
By Scott Carasik
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Key Losses
Traded QB Byron Leftwich
RB Byron Storer, WR Brian Clark, WR Antonio Bryant, DE Jimmy Wilkerson, OLB Matt McCoy, LB Rod Wilson, S Jeremy Phillips, S Willl Allen contracts expired
Released CB Torrie Cox, P Josh Bidwell, P Dirk Johnson
Trades
The Buccaneers traded 2011 6th round pick for WR Reggie Brown
The Buccaneers traded 2010 2nd round pick (#42 overall - traded to New England) and 2010 5th round pick (#153 overall - traded to Jacksonville) to the Raiders for 2010 2nd round pick (#39 overall - used on WR Arrelious Benn)
The Buccaneers traded QB Byron Leftwich for 2010 7th round pick (#232 overall - traded to Broncos)
The Buccaneers trade 2010 7th round pick (#225 overall - used on CB Syd'Quan Thompson) and 2010 7th round pick (#232 overall - used on OLB Jammie Kirlew) to the Broncos for a 2011 5th round pick
Free Agency
Signed OLB Jon Alston, S Sean Jones
Re-signed WR Maurice Stovall, WR Mark Bradley, OLB Angelo Crowell, MLB Barrett Ruud, CB Elbert Mack
Signed as undrafted free agents QB Jevan Snead WR Preston Parker TE Jeron Mastrud T James Williams T Derek Hardman G Sergio Render G Vladimir Richard DE Brandon Gilbeaux DE James Ruffin LB Rico McCoy S Dennis Rogan K Hunter Lawrence
Draft Grade = B
3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DT Gerald McCoy - 6'4-1/8" 295 - Oklahoma
The Buccaneers need a true UT to make their defense run. McCoy is just as big of a beast as Suh. Grade: A+
35 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DT Brian Price - 6'1-1/8" 303 - UCLA
The Buccaneers really needed to upgrade the center of their Defense. Barrett Ruud will love having Price and McCoy in front of him disrupting plays. Grade: A+
39 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Arrelious Benn - 6'1" 219 - Illinois
Tampa trades up, not giving up too much and takes a WR who can be their #1. They are having a great draft so far. Grade: A
67 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Myron Lewis - 6'1-5/8" 203 - Vanderbilt
They got scared and reached for a backup caliber guy because he fits their defense. Grade: C
101 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Mike Williams - 6'1-1/2" 221 - Syracuse
They didn't need a WR anymore with Benn selected and took a character issue. Grade: D-
172 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - P Brent Bowden - 6'2" 202 - Virginia Tech
P is a bad pick this high in the draft. Especially the #2 Punter. Grade: D
210 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - LB Cody Grimm - 5'10-7/8" 203 - Virginia Tech
A bit of a reach here but fits the Tampa 2 OLB spot very well. Grade: C
217 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OLB Dekoda Watson - 6'1-3/4" 240 - Florida State
The Buccaneers excellent draft continues with the absolute steal of Watson here. Grade: A+
253 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DE Erik Lorig - 6'3-1/2" 281 - Stanford
They get someone who can lock down the run and rush the passer from their LDE spot here. Grade: A
Overall Grade based on talent acquired and team needs met: B
They had an excellent draft getting two guys who can both stop the run and rush the passer at the DT spot. Their Free Agency activity was minimal as usual, but they did a solid job of addressing their needs. They are still a few years away from contending again and are in full rebuilding mode.
Projected Depth Chart heading into training camp:
QB - Josh Freeman/Josh Johnson/Rudy Carpenter/Jevan Snead
RB - Derrick Ward/Cadillac Williams/Earnest Graham/Clifton Smith/Kareem Huggins
3DRB - Derrick Ward/Cadillac Williams/Earnest Graham/Clifton Smith
FB - Chris Pressley
WR Featured - Arrelious Benn/Michael Clayton/Mark Bradley
WR Possession - Mike Williams/Maurice Stovall/Mario Urritia/Preston Parker
WR Slot - Reggie Brown/Sammie Stroughter/Michael Spurlock/Terrence Nunn
TE - Kellen Winslow/Jerramy Stevens/John Gilmore/Ryan Purvis/Jeron Mastrud
LT - Donald Penn/Xavier Fulton/James Williams
LG - Jeremy Zuttah/Vladimir Richard/Marc Dile
C - Jeff Faine/Jonathan Compas
RG - Davin Joseph/Sergio Render
RT - Jeremy Trueblood/Demar Doson/James Lee/Derek Hardman
LDE - Tim Crowder/Erik Lorig/James Ruffin/Brandon Gilbeaux
NT - Brian Price/Dre Moore/Michael Bennett
UT - Gerald McCoy/Roy Miller/Ryan Sims/Kyle Moore
RDE - Stylez G. White/Kyle Moore/Maurice Evans
WLB - Quincy Black/Jon Alston/Lee Robinson/Rico McCoy
MLB - Barrett Ruud/Geno Hayes/Adam Heyward
SLB - Angelo Crowell/Dekoda Watson/Niko Koutouvides
LCB - Ronde Barber/Myron Lewis/Derrick Roberson
RCB - Aqib Talib/Elbert Mack/Brandon Anderson/E.J. Biggers
FS - Tanard Jackson/Myron Lewis/Corey Lynch/De'von Hall/Emanuel Cook
SS - Sabby Piscatelli/Sean Jones/Cody Grimm/Dennis Rogan
K - Connor Barth/Hunter Lawrence
P - Brett Bowden
LS - Andrew Economos
KR - Clifton Smith
PR - Clifton Smith
Starter is Bolded
Free Agent/Trade Acquisitions are Italicised
Draft picks are Underlined
