Edge Rush!!

So many Bucs fans are so centered on this concept of needing edge rush first that they many be overlooking the main focus of what the Bucs need. The Bucs greatest need is pass rush in general. That can be done with more than just an edge rusher. Yes it would be a perfect world if there was a Von Miller/Jadeveon Clowney prospect just sitting there at pick 9 waiting for us to take him but thats not going to happen.

Licht will continue to go best player available and stick to his board like he has done consistently with all his drafts, disregarding team needs. To put it bluntly there are no dominant pure edge rushers worthy to be taken at pick 9 and that should not be our pick there. The Bucs will not reach for an edge rusher if there is a more talented player on the board.

The strength of this draft is in the interior defensive line and these aren't your typical run stoppers, they are pass rushers. Big men in the middle that can push the pocket and provide pressure from the inside that will make any edge rushers day easier. Having one dominant inside rusher in McCoy is good, now picture what having two would do? How much easier would Jacquies Smith's job be?

Pass rush doesn't happen just from the outside and reaching for need doesn't outweigh passing on talent right in front of your face. Licht knows this and I'm confident he will make the right decision.

Leonard Floyd At 9th Overall?

The big topic this off-season for the Buccaneers has been finding pass rush help along with improving the secondary. With the draft less than a month away, many mock drafts have the Bucs taking fan favorite CB Vernon Hargreaves while others have the Bucs taking a edge rusher. One caught my interest today which was Charlie Campbell's mock draft on WalterFootball.com, as Campbell had the Bucs selecting Georgia  DE/OLB Leonard Floyd at 9th overall. Here is the explanation per Campbell.

In speaking with sources, the Bucs love Jalen Ramsey but he won't make it to their pick. Tampa Bay has to improve the talent in its secondary and defensive line, so here's a Plan B to address the edge rush if Ramsey is off the board.  

If the draft plays out like this, Tampa Bay could consider edge rushers like Floyd and Noah Spence. Floyd is graded higher and in the Bucs' 4-3 defense, he would play Sam (strongside) linebacker on run downs and rush the passer off the edge in passing situations. 

 Floyd totaled 74 tackles with 10.5 for a loss and 4.5 sacks in 2015. He is a speedy defender who is just scratching the surface of his potential. Floyd is a natural pass-rusher with agility and a knack for getting to the quarterback. His ability to bend around the corner is extremely rare. 

Campbell makes valid points here, as Floyd could play the SAM linebacker position on run downs and then could be used as a pass rush specialist on passing situations. I have mention before that Floyd could be a potential trade down option, if the Bucs feel there are none worthy of a top ten selection. Floyd has massive potential, but needs to add weight if he wants to be every down defensive end, has the athleticism and length to be a great fit in a 3-4 scheme. Floyd would benefit from working with defensive line coach Jay Hayes, who has made tall, lengthy type players like Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson pro bowlers, so he could do the same for Floyd. Only 28 days away til the draft, its going to be interesting.

William Gholston Is on the Rise

Last season, a case could be made that Bucs defensive end William Gholston was the best and most consistent player on defense. Now that's not saying much as the unit was poor throughout the season, but it was good to see massive growth in the big defensive end. Gholston was 4th round pick in the 2013 draft, and was only 20 years old in his first season so definitely needed time to mature as a player.

Well it look like it all came together for Gholston in year 3, putting up over 60 tackles, and 3 sacks and at times was a force on the field. Still young as he is only 24 heading into his fourth season, so still has time to grow even more as a player which is great news for the team. Gholston came on as run defender doing a better job with his run contains and shedding blocks to be disruptive consistently. His pass rush game still needs work as his moves are very inconsistent and typically goes with his bull rush the most which is average at best.

That's where new defensive line coach Jay Hayes comes in, as he has had success with guys that are similar in size to Gholston. For instance, Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson whom both are over 6'6 280lbs and have put up double digit sack seasons under Hayes as their coach. Now Lets hope Hayes can mold Gholston into his best form and be a consistent 8 to 10 sack type guy. Gholston is on the verge of breaking out as a player, and hopefully under Hayes, he can reach his true potential.

Safety Help In The Draft?

The Bucs have added veteran pieces all along the defense besides the safety position, possibly they see something they like in the draft? The secondary was poor at best last year and the only bright spot was young Bradley McDougald who managed 87 tackles but only 2 interception. The Saftey position itself only came away with a  grand total of 4 all season. That just isn't enough production.

The Bucs are in need of a ball hawk, a safety that can jump out and make plays. The best possible safety, former Jameis Winston teammate Jalen Ramsey will be long gone before the bucs are up at pick 9 but what other options could there be out there? A few names are Karl Joseph, Vonn Bell and Darian Thompson. All of which have had a 5 interception seasons, know how to be around the ball and put themselves in position to take the ball away.

The Bucs will look to upgrade every position on the roster in the draft and possibly the weakest position on the Bucs current roster is Safety.

Dirk Koetter Could Be an Better Version of Gruden

When the Buccaneers acquired Jon Gruden back in 2002 to be their new head coach, I was positive that he was going to lead us to multiple Super Bowls. Gruden didn't disappoint in year 1 as him and Gm Rich Mckay went out and acquire the necessary pieces on offense to put the team over the top leading to a Super Bowl win in his first year. However, things went downhill after that season as poor drafting and bad contracts on washed up free agents led the team into salary cap hell along with a lot of poor position depth throughout the roster. Ultimately it was Gruden's failure not drafting and developing a Qb, or not staying true to his word with players on the team plus the fact that he never had a true football guy as his Gm. Gruden still did great things for this franchise and is the winningest coach in team history for a reason.

Now fast forward to present time with new head coach Dirk Koetter who I think has the chance to be a better version of Gruden, and could finally be the guy this team has been searching for since Gruden left. Now Koetter is more experienced than Gruden was, and has been very successful as an offensive coordinator during his time in the league, but if you look closely both are very similar in a way. Koetter is very big on details, precise execution, and playing with tempo or as Gruden would call it "Juice", so in that way Gruden and Koetter are very alike. Now Koetter has some advantages that Gruden didn't have during his tenure, with that being a franchised Qb in Jameis Winston, and a great football mind Gm in Jason Licht. Now Koetter is great communicator and is great with Qb's which was Gruden's biggest issue, and which is why I believe Koetter could be the ultimate package when it comes to head coaches.

Not saying Koetter is perfect as he has a tendency to over think with his play calling as he did at times last year. There will be a learning curve for him, but I truly believe he could be the offensive aggressive type coach that provides leadership and balance that we were hoping to get with Gruden. Now I could be dead wrong about Koetter and could end up being terrible, but when he was hired I just felt it was a great decision. Unlike the past hires which none of them got me excited for the upcoming season, but with Koetter it just feels different, that we might finally have the right guy in place. Winning seasons are on the way, Bucs fans!

Prospect Watch: Mike Thomas

The Buccaneers could use more speed on offense as Dirk Koetter has even said that every team wants a speed receiver per Roy Cummings.

“Everybody needs to add a speed receiver, but when you talk about a speed receiver, those guys have to be able to play,’’ Koetter said.

 “There were some guys we looked at but a speed receiver still has to show up on third down. They have to be able to play in the red zone. They can’t just get behind the defense twice a game and maybe you hit it and maybe you don’t.’’ 

With that being said, the Bucs could target an receiver they are familiar with in Mike Thomas from Southern Mississippi, who played for current Bucs offensive coordinator/receivers coach Todd Monken. Thomas is another solid receiver in this draft, and is one of the better sleepers in this draft class.

Thomas at 6'1 200lbs, provides size and speed, running a 4.4 at his pro day and can return kicks as well. He was consistent deep threat averaging 19.6 yards per catch to go along with 14 tds, and would be welcomed addition to the Bucs offense. If coach Monken gives the thumbs up on Thomas, I don't see why the Bucs wouldn't take him sometime during day 3 of the draft. With Koetter wanting more explosive plays, Thomas makes sense and could provide versatility with his ability to play special teams as well. Just watch this play below, Thomas is the real deal.

Prospect Watch: Sheldon Day

One of my favorite defensive lineman in this draft is Notre Dame's defensive tackle Sheldon Day, who is just a ball of energy. In a deep defensive tackle class, where we have mention Jonathan Bullard, Sheldon Rankins, Ronald Blair, Javon Hargrave all of whom would make the Bucs better, Day would provide impact as well.

Likely to be a day three pick due to his size, as he is only 6'1 293lbs but Day makes up for it with his quick step and constant effort bringing disruption and an non-stop motor. Day has very good hands which enables him to get into the backfield often causing havoc on a lot of plays. Day has very good lateral quickness and does really well in twisting stunts with the other d-lineman. Day wont put up great sack numbers, but he will be a guy that is always around the football which will lead to making a lot of plays in the end.

Day compares to a poor man's Clinton McDonald, and if he can perfect his technique he could be a very good starting defensive tackle in this league. He would compliment McCoy very well along with the rest of the Bucs DT's. Add Sheldon Day to the long list of really good defensive tackles in this draft in which the Bucs should be getting at least one of them.

Will the change to LG from RG be simple?

One of the biggest acquisitions early in free agency was the signing of J.R. Sweezy, former right guard of the Seattle Seahawks. Sweezy is an aggressive player that made the switch from Dline to RG in the NFL and has turned into quite the offensive lineman. Now the Bucs are asking him to switch positions again from Right guard to Left guard. The transition would seem to be simple right? Looking more into it, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Pro football focus has a nice example of why the switch would be harder than people expect.

Maybe they underestimated the difficulty involved in reversing the mechanics of linemen who were changing sides of the line. It isn’t just as simple as asking a receiver to move across the formation. The entire shift in footwork is something that takes getting used to for a lineman. Everything is mirrored physically, and applying that mentally is not as easy as most people assume.

Looking around the league I found another player who made the switch and now is on another team. Jonathan Cooper a former #7 overall pick for the Cardinals made the switch from LG to RG and had to switch a lot of things around, courtesy of espn.com

After spending his entire career at left guard, Cooper has had to adjust to playing on the right side. But it hasn’t been just a few tweaks here and there. Cooper said the move was starting all over and meant rebuilding himself as a right tackle.

Cooper went through the transition with ups and downs and maybe his team didn't think the change was good enough to keep him as they traded him to the Patriots. Yes, they got a stand out player in Chandler Jones, but were they really just wanting to drop Cooper since he did adapt well to the change?

Sweezy has gone through the biggest change from D-line to O-line so I believe he has what it takes to make the switch, but don't be surprised if there are some bumps on the road to him becoming an exceptional LG as he was at RG.

Glennon for Wilkerson?

The search for trading partners for Mike Glennon is under way as QB needed teams are hunting for options to head their football teams. An interesting scenario was brought up by nydailynews.com that caught my eye.

The Jets still want to retain Ryan Fitzpatrick, but they’re considering alternate options if the veteran doesn’t return. The team has done their due diligence on available signal callers, including the Bucs’ backup. Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter all but admitted that Glennon, who won’t see the light of day for the Bucs unless Jameis Winston gets injured, can be had in a trade. 

The feeling around the league is that the Bucs don’t have to get a first-round pick in return for Glennon, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Would the Jets be willing to dole out a second-rounder for Glennon? A third-rounder is a no-brainer for a player, who can start right away and have a chance to be your long-term answer at quarterback. 

Could the Jets dodge giving up any premium draft picks if they dangle Wilkerson? The biggest stumbling block, of course, would be Tampa’s willingness to pay Wilkerson the $40+ million in guarantees that he desires in a long-term deal. Remember, the Bucs gave defensive tackle Gerald McCoy a 7-year, $95.2 million extension two years ago. Upon first glance, it seems that ponying up big-time loot for another defensive lineman would be unlikely.

 To me scoring a player like Muhammad Wilkerson would be a steal for the Bucs. Just because Wilkerson would most likely play DT in the Bucs defense isn't a negative and I bet the Bucs feel the same and would pay the price for him.

Mike Smith knows how to deal with 2 pro bowl DT's as he did with Marcus Stroud and John Henderson during his tenure with the Jaguars from 2003-2007. Wilkerson stands 6'4 315 lbs and has the quickness of a DE. He and Gerald McCoy are very similar and would the best DT tandem in the league immediately. Those that think the Bucs need edge rushers over Wilkerson are not looking at the whole picture. Adding Wilkerson would improve everyone on the line as all the attention will be drawn to the middle and any defensive end will be facing one on one's all game. Jacquies Smith would become that 10+ sack man he has the potential to be.

Wilkerson would be a perfect fit for Mike Smith who also wants to throw in multiple fronts of 4-3 and 3-4. The fit in my opinion is perfect but its hard to get a man that has 36.5 sacks and 21 pass deflections in 5 years without some luck. If Licht can pull off a trade of Glennon and some picks below 2nd round for Wilkerson you take it and run. These are all rumors and are pure imaginative thinking, but how fun a defense that would be to watch.

Is Jason Licht Thinking 2012 Draft?

The 2012 draft for the Buccaneers was a pretty memorable one as it landed three players that are top talents in the game today. That being former Buc Mark Barron, and current Bucs Doug Martin, and Lavonte David, all of whom have been impact players in the league. Former Bucs Gm Mark Dominik did some smart trades in that draft which allowed him to get three players in the top 60. With the 2016 draft coming up soon perhaps current Bucs Gm Jason Licht is thinking of recreating the 2012 draft haul.

If the Bucs could move down a few spots allowing them to pick up an extra third or fourth round pick, it would allow Licht to be more aggressive to move back into the first round or late second round. If able to move out of the top ten, could see the Bucs taking guys like Shaq Lawson, Noah Spence, or a playmaker like Corey Coleman. Then with extra picks in hand, Bucs could then target an safety like Vonn Bell, or perhaps corner William Jackson by trading back into the late first round.

I have mention before the Bucs should consider trading down because there is a lot of quality players that will fall in the 2nd and 3rd round range where having extra picks would be beneficial. Jason Licht will stay true to his board, but this could be the year Licht makes multiple trades to get more impact players for the Bucs like Dominik did in 2012. Either way, Licht has proved he knows what he is doing when it comes to the NFL Draft.

Vonn Bell Will Visit With Bucs

Its been a busy month for Jason Licht and his staff as they continue to scout players and set up visits before the upcoming draft in late April. Another visit was announced today, as highly ranked safety Vonn Bell will be meeting with the Bucs executives and staff via Rand Getlin.

I'm told #OhioState safety Vonn Bell has (or has had) meetings, workouts and/or visits with the #Browns, #Bucs, #Lions and #Saints.

— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) March 25, 2016

Bell is one of the top safeties in this years class along with Karl Joeseph out of West Virginia. Bell is projected to go late first early second round, and would be an instant upgrade to the position for the Bucs. Bell is regarded as the top cover safety and could possibly play corner according to draft analyst Todd Mcshay.

McShay on 1st draft said Vonn Bell is the best cover Safety in the draft and said many believe he could actually play Corner in the NFL.

— jbook™ (@jbook37) March 24, 2016

Vonn Bell would be a great second round pick for the Bucs, but they most likely would have to trade up back into the first round to get him. Maybe Jason Licht is looking to trade up again as he has done in the past, or is this a potential trade down target from 9th overall? Things will become clearer as we get closer to draft time, but got to like that the Bucs are exploring all options.

Prospect Watch: Ryan Smith

The Buccaneers have been busy lately as they are starting to bring draft prospects in for visits over the next couple of weeks in preparation for the upcoming draft. One of the new names added to the list is North Carolina Central cornerback Ryan Smith where the Bucs had one of their scouts at Smith's pro day workout per Greg Auman.

Bucs had college scout Tony Hardie at N.C. Central pro day today. 26 NFL teams there with DB Ryan Smith as the main draw ...

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 23, 2016

Smith is projected as late day 3 pick and could be one of the sleepers in this draft after a very strong pro day performance. Smith has 4.4 speed, to go with 36 inch vertical and did the three cone in 6.88 seconds. Smith has a scheduled visit with the Bucs according to Aaron Wilson of nationalfootballpost.com

North Carolina Central defensive back Ryan Smith to visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 23, 2016

Smith has good size for corner at 6'0 190lbs and broke school records with 168 tackles and kick return average with 28.1. Smith returned his first career kickoff for 95 yard touchdown, so Smith would bring versatility. Had 31 pass breakups (24 pass defense, 7 ints) which is pretty good in 42 starts. Smith has really work hard to get where he is now as going into his freshman year he only weighed 155lbs and only played one year of high school football. Smith is hoping to go earlier than expected per Jonathan Jones.

“I pray I get drafted at a higher round than people expect,” Smith said. “My motto is shock the world. Wherever I go, I’m going to be grateful, regardless.”

Smith is someone that you want to root for, and wont have to worry about him working hard. Bucs need guys like this similar to Ali Marpet last year, this would be another solid pick.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/football/article67826332.html#storylink=cpy

Case For Corey Coleman At 9th Overall

It has been awhile since the Buccaneers have had a freak athlete on offense, last one was probably Joey Galloway and he was on the downside of his career. Well that could change this year if the Bucs decide to take Baylor receiver Corey Coleman with their first pick. At first I had Coleman as a potential second round pick but after more research, he is definitely a top 20 talent. Coleman has outstanding measurables with decent size at 5'11 194lbs, but has off the charts explosion with a 4.37 40 and 41 inch vertical which jumps on film. Coleman has the work ethic and drive to be one of the best receivers in the game, and is determined to be the best receiver in this draft class per Max Olson.

“It’s important for me to be the best receiver,” Coleman said.

Coleman can do it all as he can play outside, inside, return kicks, and his coach Art Briles feels he should be the first receiver taken with no questions asked.

“Of course I do. Yeah, that’s an easy answer,” Briles said. “You look at production on the field over a three-year period. We’re not talking 18 months; we’re talking three years. His production has been pretty much unmatched over the last three years.”

Cant argue there, Coleman's production was outstanding especially in 2015 where he had over 1,300 yds and 20 tds. However, criticism is still thrown his way as critics say he's the product of the Baylor system and Coleman doesn't run NFL routes, well Coleman had a answer for that.

“I explained it to them. I think I did a pretty good job,” he said. “I learned everything I need to learn. If you’re a receiver and you don’t know how to run routes at this level, I don’t know what to tell you. I think I proved to them that I can run NFL routes.”

History shows Baylor receivers haven't had great success in the NFL, but there have been a few that have done pretty good in Kendall Wright and Terrence Williams. Wright put up great numbers in 2013, has just struggled with staying on the field due to injuries. The big difference with those two and Coleman is athleticism as Coleman is just far superior in every way. Coleman has the competitive fire and determination to be great which is the right mindset teams look for in players.

“He’s a very determined-minded young man, which is pretty uncommon today, unfortunately,” Briles said. “He had a goal, he had a plan and he knew how to follow through with discipline on and off the field. That’s why he’s where he’s at today.”

If the Bucs feel Coleman is the best available and select him, I wouldn't have one issue with it. He will provide explosiveness, down field speed, versatility, and would be an excellent compliment to Mike Evans. Coleman will make opposing defenses nervous, especially if paired up with Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, the Bucs offense would be scary good. As I have said before build your strengths to hide your weaknesses and the Bucs offense would be pretty strong. More fire power for Jameis Winston is always a good thing, and yes the Bucs need defense but this is a deep defensive draft. Coleman is a rare athlete who can change the game with one play which I can't recall the last time the Bucs had a player like that. Not saying he will be the pick at 9th overall, but the Bucs could do a lot worse than Corey Coleman.

Is Ryan Griffin Ready To Be The Backup Qb?

With the trade rumors swirling around Qb Mike Glennon, the Bucs would need his replacement if they decided to trade him before the upcoming season. Enter third year Qb Ryan Griffin, whom the Bucs picked up off waivers last year and was on the 53 man roster throughout the 2015 season. Head coach Dirk Koetter talked about Griffin today at the Owner's meetings, and feels Griffin has a chance to be a rising player per Scott Smith.

Re QB Ryan Griffin, Dirk Koetter says "he has a chance to be an ascending player at quarterback," but still many unknowns.

— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) March 23, 2016

Koetter went on to say Griffin has worked really hard with quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian, and possesses a strong arm to go with a very high football IQ. Koetter likes the touch Griffin has on his throws and that he asks a lot of questions per Rick Stroud.

 He spent a lot of time with Mike (Bajakian). He really throws the ball well. He's got nice touch, we call it ‘turn the ball over.‘ He turns the ball over nice. We're always looking for guys who can ‘turn it over,' is how we say it. He works at it every bay. We're in our game plan meetings and this guy is asking as many questions as Jameis. Sometimes I have to say, "Griff, relax a second.' But we have a limited amount of film to look at in the preseason (with the Saints) but we like what he did."

It feels like Mike Glennon is going to be moved before the draft or on draft day, and it looks like the Bucs have his replacement already in place.

Vincent Jackson Has Plenty Left In The Tank

Dont tell Dirk Koetter that wide receiver Vincent Jackson is done and that cant be a playmaker anymore. Koetter said the complete opposite today and believes Jackson has more gas left in the tank per Roy Cummings.

#Bucs HC Dirk Koetter "I'm not a believer that Vincent (Jackson) is anywhere close to being done.''

— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsTBO) March 23, 2016

Vincent Jackson is heading into his last year of his 5 year contract he signed back in 2012. If Jackson at age 33, can stay healthy as last season injuries were freak accidents, he can still be a consistent target for young Jameis. Having Jackson and Evans on the field together opens up the offense so much, and should be even better this year. With all that being said, Bucs should still draft a receiver in the upcoming draft, as they could use another playmaker to add to the offense.

"Jameis Work Ethic Is Never Going To Be A Problem"

Today at the owner's meetings, head coach Dirk Koetter took some time to speak with the media and provided some insight on what is going on behind the scenes at one buc place. Koetter specially highlighted how hard Jameis has been working this offseason, and is doing all the right things.

Koetter said Jameis told him that he needed to change his body, and has been working out with a personal trainer, and on his own as well. Per Roy Cummings, Winston was running sprints with the parachute on at one buc last week.

#Bucs HC Dirk Koetter says he looked out his office window last week and saw Winston in pre-dawn pulling a parachute, working out alone

— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsTBO) March 23, 2016

Koetter went on to say that Jameis work ethic will never be an issue, and the kid just wants to continue to get better. This is what we called a franchise quarterback folks, Jameis is the real deal and he is being a leader at all times which will lead this team to getting more wins.

Bucs Had Multiple Coaches And Scouts At UF Pro Day

The Buccaneers coaches and scouts have been busy this offseason as it seems they have been at every pro day so far. Today was no different as according to Jenna Laine, the Bucs had at least four of their staff in attendance for Florida's pro day.

Just saw Bucs area scout (southern region) Brian Hudspeth here at #UFProDay. That's at least four representatives from Tampa.

— JennaLaineBucs (@JennaLaineBucs) March 22, 2016

In addition to Hudspeth, the Bucs had secondary coach Jon Hoke, assistant defensive line coach Paul Spicer, and national scout Bryon Kiefer to get a closer look at guys like Vernon Hargreaves, Keanu Neal, and Jonathan Bullard. Secondary coach Jon Hoke was seen working out Hargreaves and Neal and could be potential targets for the team. Jonathan Bullard had a big day and was talking with coach Spicer after the workouts, and realbucstalk is a fan of his and have said he could be a potential second round target if he is available.

Its good to see the Bucs scouts and coaches getting in front of these prospects which is probably why Jason Licht has had two great drafts since he has been the Gm. I can see the Bucs taking any of these top guys out of Florida as Hargreaves is a real possibility at 9th overall. The Bucs staff will have their homework done, that's for sure.

Hargreaves Impresses At Pro Day

Vernon Hargreaves was considered a top ten pick before today, and will no doubt be a top ten pick after his excellent pro day performance he had today. Gil Brandt of NFL.com said he was very impressive in his positional drills.

Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves -- 5-foot-10 1/2, 207 pounds -- was outstanding in his positional drills. He has everything you look for in a corner, quickness and cover skills. I think he just cemented his top-10 status in the 2016NFL Draft.

Hargreaves is a very solid corner, and has great athletic ability which allows him to make a lot of plays on the ball. Scouts question his size and think he will struggle with the bigger receivers but with a 40 inch vertical in his back pocket, I don't see teams seeing that as a major weakness. Hargreaves could go as high as number 5 to Jacksonville, and should be a solid pro for whoever takes him.

Bucs Add Power By Signing Punter Bryan Anger

The Buccaneers upgraded their special teams today by signing former Jaguars punter Bryan Anger per Buccaneers.com.

The #Bucs have agreed to terms with P Bryan Anger!

READ MORE --> https://t.co/Pya9XVTjY7 pic.twitter.com/J8c7Q4bgkJ

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) March 22, 2016

Bucs already have last year's starter in Jacob Schum, who did a decent job with an 42.0yds per punt average. Schum will have to up his level of play if he wants to beat out Anger to keep his starting spot. Anger had a riduclous career punt average with 46.8yds per punt and has been really consistent in his first 4 years as a pro. Another smart signing by the Bucs as this brings in a healthy competition to the punting position, in which field position is always important in today's game.

What Will Daryl Smith Bring?

What kind of player did the Bucs get when they signed LB Daryl Smith. Lets throw some numbers around. Daryl Smith has over 1000 tackles in his career to go along with 30.5 sacks 11 interceptions and 69 pass deflections. What all those numbers mean is that the guy is always around the football. Yes, Smith just turned 34 but that doesn't mean he level of play has dropped off yet. His last 3 years with the Ravens he had over 100 tackles with a sack and a pick.

Why would Smith come to Tampa then? Most likely its due to the familiarity with coach Mike Smith whom he played under at Jacksonville for 2004-2007. Smith is a proven player in the NFL and the Bucs need players like that. He will bring a strong work ethic to an already strong group of LB's with Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander.

Smith stands 6'2 250 and plays the game the right way. One word to describe him is consistent. He will consistently be around the ball and bring a veteran leadership to a weak willed defense that is used to folding in and losing. Jason Licht has improved this Defense with upgrades at 3 different levels (DL,LB,CB) and will only continue that trend in the draft.

Here a glimpse at what Daryl Smith can bring to Tampa.

Bucs Free Agent Signings Have Winning Past

The great Vince Lombardi used to say that "winning is habit, but unfortunately so is losing", and the Bucs have made losing a habit since 2007 which is their last playoff appearance. Bucs Gm Jason Licht is trying to change the culture and build a winning organization. That started last year by getting franchise Qb in Jameis Winston, who has stated before that in 2016, the team is going to create a winning mindset. So far this off season, it looks like Jason Licht wants to accelerate that winning mindset by bringing in free agents who can not only play at a high level, but have a history of winning and playoff experience.

The Bucs have signed J.R Sweezy, Brent Grimes, Robert Ayers, Josh Robinson, and Daryl Smith whom all have been apart of winning organizations, and have won in the playoffs. Sweezy and Ayers have played in the Super Bowl which was in 2013 as they went against each other with their former teams in Seattle and Denver respectively. This free agent group is very talented with winning experience which will hopefully rub off on this roster, and can help this team learn how to win and finish games. The Bucs have a high quality veteran at every level of the defense as Ayers,(defensiveline), Smith(linebackers), and Grimes (cornerbacks). This is key as young guys like Jacqueis Smith, Kwon Alexander, and Johnthan Banks can learn from them and become better players as a result.

Jason Licht knows this team needs to start winning as 8-24 over the last two years are just unacceptable. It looks like Winston's end of the year press conference hit home with Licht, as it is time to create a winning mindset because this team has had a losing one for too long. With now having key quality veterans in place on defense, hopefully they can help Jameis instilled a winning culture into the rest of the team.

The Return Of The Rocket Backfield?

Rocket backfield is a term that former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden use to say quite a bit and even used it at times during his tenure. Rocket backfield is when the offense features two running backs in the backfield instead of the traditional halfback and fullback formation. It can be quite effective as it creates more headaches for the defense and can cause more mismatches in the passing game. Gruden used it heavily when he was with the Raiders and Eagles, and it help those teams put up a lot of points.

Now fast forward to today, where the Bucs have maybe the best running back duo in the NFL with Doug Martin and Charles Sims. New Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter is very creative as he came out last year with a very effective six man line formation and using a three tight end formation to help lead the Bucs to the 5th rank rushing attack. Could Dirk get more creative and bring back the rocket backfield formation, and utilize the talents of Martin and Sims even more, that remains to be seen. 

One thing is for sure that we will see more of is Sims being used more in the slot and out of the backfield to create mismatches for the opposing defense. Sims has natural hands and is a pretty good blocker as well. So it is possible that we could get a rocket backfield look from the Bucs offense this year which could make the offense more dynamic. Koetter wants more explosive plays so the rocket backfield might just be in the works for 2016.

Breakout Player for 2016?

Buccaneers Gm Jason Licht has done a great job of finding talent from the undrafted pool or through waivers. For instance, Jacquies Smith, Howard Jones, Jude Adjei-Barimah, and Cameron Brate just to name a few. Licht speaking with NFL.com writer Marc Sessler today, feels that Brate could be the breakout player for the Bucs in 2016.

Asked Licht if the Buccaneers had one player he saw as a potential breakout guy for 2016.

He went with third-year TE Cameron Brate.

— Marc Sessler (@MarcSesslerNFL) March 21, 2016

Realbucstalk agrees as we feel Brate has upside and can grow into a very good balanced tight end. He brings size, good hands, underrated speed, and is a decent blocker. If ASJ can stay on the field to go along with Brate, the Bucs could have something similar to what the Patriots had 2010 with Gronkowski and Hernandez. Having Brate become a breakout player in 2016 would be a big boost to an offense that will be pretty potent already.

Deeper look at Robert Ayers

Robert Ayers looks to be a late bloomer as he is 30 years old and had his first breakout season last year that happened to be a contract year. What were the reasons behind this? He described a little about himself and why he feels he will do better in Tampa during his conference call last week.

"When I first came into the league I wasn't as mature as I needed to be." went on the say "I was asked to do things I wasn't comfortable with." "I had 4 defensive coordinators my first 5 years."

Ayers seems to have finally found his stride and knows what he's best at in the NFL. Some may say his stat increase was due to Jason Pierre-Paul, but looking at a breakdown of all his sacks here, courtesy of NJ.com you will see he was disruptive in multiple positions.

He seems to believe in this new Bucs defensive staff just as all of our other defensive signings do.

"scheme fit." "the right situation, with a staff that understands what they are getting to utilize me the way they saw me being successful." States "Allow me to do the things I do well."

Mike Smith has stated in the past that he will put his players in a position to be successful and it appears that it caught Ayers eye. His versatility is his best trait as he will be able to play inside and out helping McCoy and company get to the QB. Ayers no doubt is a welcomed addition and an improvement from the D-line talent the bucs had on the roster last year. Most likely another DE/DT will be on their way in the draft to solidify Tampa's front, as it all begins and ends in the trenches.

Bucs looking at Emmanuel Ogbah

The Bucs search for pass rush continues as former Oklahoma State edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah states the Bucs are taking a peek at him, Per Profootballtalk.com

He said the best advice he’s gotten is to know when to say no. Fortunately he didn’t say no giving us a few minutes of his time.
During those few minutes of his, Ogbah said he has visits lined up with the Bears and Buccaneers.

Ogbah has the measurable's standing 6'4 273 with a 4.63 forty and was super productive in college as well with 26.5 sacks in 3 years. What's confusing is that Ogbah didn't display that speed in game tape. Here at realbucstalk.com we aren't big fans of Mr. Ogbah's show on the field as he doesn't have many pass rush moves and often gets lost during plays. I view this as the Bucs not leaving any stone unturned and making sure that they don't over look talent. Also with having such a great D-line coach in Jay Hayes, maybe he sees something in Ogbah that he can bring out as he did with Carlos Dunlap and Bucs favorite defensive end (pure sarcasm) Michael Johnson. As of right now Ogbah should be looked at as a 2nd round talent, nothing more.

A Trade In The Works?

Bucs Gm Jason Licht has said multiple times this offseason that he doesn't want to trade backup Qb Mike Glennon, but could his mind on the matter be changing. The Bucs have discussed possible Glennon trade with the New York Jets but it looks like talks have cooled for the moment per NFL Update.

Source: Jets and Bucs discussed a trade involving QB Mike Glennon this morning. My understanding is talks have cooled down.

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) March 13, 2016

It looks like the Bucs want a first round pick but would accept a high third round pick if offered for Glennon per Luke Easterling and Matt Miller of Bleacherreport.

#Bucs would accept a high-3rd for QB Mike Glennon, from what @nfldraftscout is hearing: pic.twitter.com/a1lVmwfBhF

— Luke Easterling (@LukeEasterling) March 11, 2016

Translation is Bucs wont hesitate trading Glennon if the price is right, and with them talking with teams already it shows that a trade might be on the way sooner rather than later. Another interesting nugget I came across via walterfootball.com is that the Bucs ran a workout with Arkansas Qb Brandon Allen, and had Qb coach Mike Bajakian at Penn State's pro day which featured Qb Christian Hackenberg. It might be just due dilligence, but it is interesting that the Bucs are working out Qbs as Mike Glennon trade rumors continue to float around. I say if the Bucs can get third round pick or higher, take that deal and don't look back.

Prospect Watch: Xavien Howard

The Buccaneers secondary last year was a disaster as it allowed 31 passing tds and 70% completion percentage for opposing Qbs. Poor scheme and coaching played a factor in that as well as the constant shuffling among the corners and safeties. Well so far the Bucs have improved that area this offseason with new coaches in defensive coordinator Mike Smith, secondary coach Jon Hoke, and defensive backs coach Brett Maxie. The Bucs also signed pro bowl corner Brent Grimes, former Vikings third round pick Josh Robinson along with bringing back safeties Chris Conte, Keith Tandy, and Bradley Mcdougald. In addition to having Johnthan Banks and Alterraun Verner return back to form, the secondary looks much stronger on paper then it did a few months ago. This current group should be much better in this aggressive scheme and it should allow the secondary to make more plays on the ball.

With that being said lets take a look at Baylor cornerback Xavien Howard who is expected to have a private visit with the Bucs per walterfootball.com. Howard has prototypical size for a corner at 6'0 201lbs which allows him to use his length to get his hands on the football often. In his two seasons as a starter at Baylor, he had 23 pass breakups and 9 interceptions along with 93 tackles. Howard plays very aggressive and loves to play press man coverage. He has "see ball, get ball" playing style and brings a physical playing style that NFL teams will covet. Sometimes his aggressiveness can be his weakness as he does get handsy at times if he thinks he is getting beat which led to 14 pass interferences calls over the past two years. He needs to work on his technique and run support as his play was uneven during his two seasons as starter.

I think he would be a great fit for the Bucs defense, and would bring more depth to the corner position. Howard has everything teams want in a corner with size, 4.4 speed, and an ballhawk mentality. Howard would be solid late day 2, early day 3 pick and in time could be a really good starting corner in this league.

Prospect Watch: Jason Spriggs

Last year the Buccaneers invested two second round picks in left tackle Donovan Smith and right guard Ali Marpet, and are now consider two cornerstones of the offensive line. Gm Jason Licht likes to take athletic physical lineman and so far he has done just that. By adding free agent center Joe Hawely last year, and now new left guard J.R Sweezy this year, giving the Bucs 4 starting linemen under the age of 28 giving the team a strong foundation for years to come. However the Bucs could use an youth injection at right tackle as both Demar Dotson and Godser Cherlius are over 30. The Bucs do have Kevin Pamphile who is 25 and could be the future at right tackle, but lets take a look at tackle prospect Jason Spriggs out of Indiana.

Spriggs, 21 is an athletic tackle at 6'6 305lbs, he is a natural pass blocker and can move well in space for run blocking. He has good length with 34 inch arms, and loves to play to the whistle providing some nastiness which is what you want in a lineman. Spriggs has been a 4 year starter at Indiana, and has been durable for his team. Now Spriggs isn't perfect and needs to add more playing strength as at times he can be over powered and struggle to find his re anchor spot. Has tendency to play tall at times which can allow speed edge rushers to beat him around the corner instead of using his length to his advantage. He did however do pretty well vs Ohio State DE Joey Bosa per college scout Scott Bischoff.

More Joey Bosa: Versus Indiana: 90 total snaps, 78 lined up on right side and 12 on left side, most vs. Jason Spriggs. Bosa won 1. (2/4)

— Scott Bischoff (@Bischoff_Scott) March 14, 2016

Spriggs fits that mold that Jason Licht wants in his lineman which is athletic, physical, and finshers. Spriggs is a first round talent who could fall to the second round due to the depth on defense, and if he is there at 39th overall it would be a great value pick for the Bucs. Gm Jason Licht and the Bucs are building something special along the offensive line unit, and it would be even better with a talent like Spriggs.

Buccaneers Have Signed LB Daryl Smith

The Buccaneers had Daryl Smith in today for an visit and have come to agreement hours later via Peter Schrager of FoxSports.

Buccaneers have agreed to a 1 year deal w/ LB Daryl Smith. @NFLonFOX

— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 18, 2016

This is another good move by Jason Licht as Smith has familarity with DC Mike Smith and LB coach Mark Duffner. Even though Smith is 34, he has been playing quality football the past three years and can be a veteran leader for this defense as he will likely be the new starting strongside Linebacker. This will be good for fellow linebackers Lavonte David, Kwon Alexander and possible rookie pick as I expect the Bucs still to draft a linebacker possibly Aaron Wallace or Deion Jones. Now with Ayers, Grimes, and Smith the Bucs have a veteran at every level of the defense.  Smith has been a consistent player his whole career and should bring an impact to the Bucs run defense as well being able to make a play or two in the passing game.

Buccaneers meeting with LB Daryl Smith

Buccaneers are meeting with former Ravens Lb Daryl Smith per Adam Schefter of Espn.

Former Ravens LB Daryl Smith visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2016

Smith came into the NFL under new Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith, so there is a connection there, and Smith can still play as he has put up good numbers the past three years per Greg Auman.

Daryl Smith is 34, but had at least 120 tackles in each of last three years with Ravens. 30.5 career sacks, 11 career INTs ...

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 17, 2016

It looks like the Bucs want more veterans on defense, and that is never a bad thing as long as they are quality players, and Smith is definitely one of them. Smith would be an instant starter at the SAM linebacker position.

Options

During Brent Grimes press conference Jason Licht shed a little light on his way of working the draft. He was asked how the draft would be affected since they have now addressed some of their needs and Licht came back with a quick direct answer.

"In the Draft were going to have the same approach. Its going to be best player, wether were picking at 9, moving up or moving back. Its going to be the best player that makes us better."

He later went on to comment about how having "quality" players like Brent Grimes and Robert Ayers, can open up different options in the draft.

"Helps give us options and we always like options here."

 Funny how Licht talks about moving up or down in the draft. Moving down would obviously produce more options in the form of additional picks but for that to happen it takes two to tango. The defense all though improved with the additions of Ayers and Grimes still needs an influx of talent and the best way to do that without over paying in free agency is through the draft. The strength of this draft is on defense so lets see if Licht decides to wheel and deal to pick up some more draft picks to drive competition up across the board.

Robert Ayers Is Looking To Make A Big Impact

New defensive end Robert Ayers talked with the media today via conference call, and is ready to show he can be that pass rusher that the Bucs have been looking for. Ayers is coming off a career season in which he had 9.5 sacks, and he feels he could have had more per Greg Auman.

"Nine and a half sacks in 12 games is pretty impressive, and if you really study my film, you'll see I could have had a lot more. It takes a lot to get those sacks," said Ayers  

Ayers might be a late bloomer as it looks like he has figure out how to get to the Qb with 20 sacks over the past three seasons. The key is for Ayers is to stay healthy as when he is on the field he has consistently produce good numbers. Hopefully for the Bucs he can continue to trend upward, and be a double digit sack guy that the team desperately needs. I like Ayers's versatility in how he can rush inside or outside and that he can be a mentor for the young players on the team as well. Hopefully Ayers will pan out as Jason Licht's past two free agent pass rushers have been duds.

Bucs Looking At The Other UCLA LB

Yesterday, the Buccaneers were in attendance for the UCLA pro day as most were watching big names in LB Myles Jack, RB Paul Perkins, and DT Kenny Clark. However, the Bucs had their eyes on another linebacker not named Jack, and that was one year starter Aaron Wallace. According to Tony Pauline the Bucs have set up an official visit with Wallace.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns & Oakland Raiders set official visits with UCLA's "other" linebacker. https://t.co/TDrZlY5ZKh

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) March 15, 2016

Wallace, 22 is an intriguing prospect as he is only a one year starter, in which he had 65 tackles and 7 sacks. Instincts are lacking, but showed his high athletic ability at his pro day, just look at the results per NFL.com

PRO DAY RESULTS

40-yard dash: 4.57 seconds 

Vertical: 36 inches 

Broad jump: 10 feet, 10 inches 

Short shuttle: 4.27 seconds 

3-cone: 7.35 seconds 

Bench: 25 reps of 225 pounds

Those are really good numbers, and with the Bucs Lb coach Mark Duffner being in attendance per Jenna Laine, it shows the Bucs want to get more athletic on defense. Wallace could be someone to watch for in the later rounds.

Drafting Sheldon Rankins at number 9?

Every Bucs fan realizes that the pass rush needs to be upgraded this offseason and that process has already begun with the signing of Robert Ayers, but what about the draft? The top local source to all Bucs news Pewterreport.com has the Bucs taking defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins with the ninth overall pick. Per Scott Reynolds of Pewterreport.com

ROUND 1 – Louisville DT Sheldon Rankins – 6-1, 299 – Junior Why a defensive tackle with the ninth overall selection when defensive end is the more pressing need? This pick probably comes as a surprise to most Bucs fans, but drafting for need rarely leads to success in the NFL. Defensive tackle is the strongest position in this draft and the Bucs are poised to grab the best prospect. Great three-technique defensive tackles like Rankins, who compares favorably to Pro Bowler Geno Atkins, who was coached by new defensive line coach Jay Hayes in Cincinnati, are hard to find, and typically go in the first round. 

I stand to agree with Pewterreport on this one as he has done nothing but produce at the college level with 18 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss in 4 years. What makes Rankins special is his quickness and strength. The way Rankins can move for a man 300 lbs is very rare. Although only 6'1, Rankins rarely gets pushed back away from the play. He has a natural nose for the ball and a consistent motor that can be seen as he frequently runs the play down from behind. Louisville didn't utilize Rankins to his fullest abilities as he was often split out wide to take on longer left tackles in space which isn't his game.

The comparison to Geno Atkins fits the bill in my opinion. Both stand 6'1 but Rankins arms are longer (33 5/8 inches) which will only help with leverage. Rankins is best at using his quickness inside where he abuses slower guards and centers. He would be an upgrade to the pass rush but wouldn't solve the lack of edge rush the Bucs need. Drafting Rankins would be a prime example of drafting talent over need as the Bucs have Clint McDonald and Akeem Spence who are both better than average defensive tackles.

The Bucs are sitting in a good position at number 9 as they will have a tough yet welcomed decision to choose between Rankins and most likely the best defensive end that will be on the board in Shaq Lawson.