Panthers Team Model

The Bucs are no doubt on the rise and have high ambitions moving forward but every team has someone they model themselves after and head coach Dirk Koetter wants to look like the Panthers. Courtesy of Rick Stroud of Tampbaytimes.com

"Time will tell how much we narrowed it,'' Koetter said. "Shoot, I think Carolina is a great team for us to model. I’ve said that multiple times. If you look, they drafted their quarterback, they drafted their middle linebacker. We’ve done the same thing. They’ve kept their coaching staff. I hope we keep our coaching staff. They’ve developed in the system, they’ve drafted well, they’ve hit on their free agents. They’ve kept their guys.''

Koetter is saying all the right things and has a nice young foundation with Winston leading the offense and Kwon the defense. He is right with the continuity of keep the staff together so that the team can grow as a unit. That was the biggest reason I wanted Koetter above any other coaching candidate, not only for Winston but for the team as a whole. The team has gone through so many changes in the last 5 years and are begging for consistency.

The biggest difference between the Bucs and the Panthers is a dominant defense. If the Panthers are the model, then the Bucs have a lot of work still in order to fix this defense. There is talent on that side of the ball with McCoy, David and Kwon but after that there hasn't been much contribution. Hopefully with the additions of Grimes, Ayers, Smith and help from the draft this defense can begin to shape up. They have the right man in charge with Mike Smith who will bring an aggressive style of play that Tampa hasn't seen in years.

Licht is doing his part in bringing in the talent its up to the coaches to get them to their full potential. Tampa is begging for something to root for again, as the endless losing seasons has run the fan base away. The ship is sailing in the right direction and Tampa will soon have the team they have been waiting to root for again.