New Culture is Making Tampa Attractive

This off-season so far has been pretty good for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the arrow is pointing up and the 2017 season could be a special one. The Bucs have kept their key free agents and in addition to that have added Desean Jackson, Chris Baker, and J.J Wilcox. With those additions, the Bucs are better football team and should be a legitimate playoff contender come this fall. The best part is all three guys wanted to be here and be apart of what this franchise is building coming off a 9-7 season last year. Bucs Gm Jason Licht said recently that players want to be here now and has been getting calls regarding other free agents who want to join as well which is a great sign. Is the culture finally changing in Tampa Bay?

Jason Licht on free agency: "It truly is, more than ever, guys wanted to be here. It makes it a lot easier when this is their top choice."

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 12, 2017

All signs are saying yes, as Jason Licht and his staff are building something special down here in Tampa. The team has good group of core players along with an excellent coaching staff and now just need those extra pieces to push them towards that next level. For Licht to say that players want to come here is a great sign as you probably couldn't say that 2 to 3 years ago. Now granted Jameis is a big reason for it as so many guys in the league already respect him and have nothing but great words to say about him.

Everyone can see that Jameis is a rising star in this league and players are intrigued by that and want to be a part of it. Desean Jackson wanted to play with a great Qb and he sees Jameis as one who can be that and above all calls Jameis a winner. That is high praise and this is great news for this team as players are starting to see this franchise as destination instead of a place for vacation. This team is on the rise and finally a winning culture is starting to take place. Finally this organization has a winning structure in place from the top to the bottom, 2017 could be the start of something special.

"I Have Never Had a Mike Evans Before"

This past Saturday the Bucs welcome their two big free agent signings in WR Desean Jackson, and DT Chris Baker to Tampa. Both were introduced to Tampa Bay and spoke with the local media on what they will bring to this team. Let's focus on Desean Jackson as he is the explosive playmaker this team desperately needed and is the perfect fit for this offense. For the Bucs to be able to get him in free agency is rare which is what  Bucs Gm Jason Licht said after signing Jackson per pewterreport.com.

“It is rare to find a player in free agency with the combination of speed and natural playmaking ability of a DeSean Jackson. DeSean is a smart, gifted athlete who has averaged more than 17 yards per reception throughout his nine-year career and brings the type of veteran experience and deep threat receiving ability that will have an immediate impact on our offense.”

Licht is right as it is very hard to find impact players like Desean Jackson hitting the open market but just like last year with Robert Ayers and Brent Grimes, the Bucs get a high level talent in Jackson this off-season. Now the Bucs have a legit threat next to the Bucs top receiver in Mike Evans who is only 23 and has put up three consecutive 1000 yard seasons. Now with an electric player like Desean next to him, the sky is the limit for this offense as it will put tons of stress on the opposing defense. Both will help each other as it could be a big year for both, possibly a career year for Desean as he really hasn't played with a player like Mike Evans before. Desean talked about this during his press conference on Saturday per Buccaneers.com.

    “As far as receivers I’ve played with in the past, I feel like I’ve played with some pretty good receivers. Jeremy Maclin for five, six years when I was in Philly, Pierre Garcon is definitely a physical, durable receiver. I give them guys credit, they’ve done some great things. Fast forward now, Mike Evans. I don’t think I’ve ever played with a Mike Evans. I’m just intrigued man, to go out on the field, to have a quarterback like Jameis (Winston) that wants to throw deep. To have another guy like Mike on the other side, he’s what, 6’5”? I’m 5’10”. You’ve got a big guy who’s kind of fast, you’ve got a smaller guy that’s very fast. This guy right here, (points to Koetter) I know he’s licking his chops to get it going. I am too, though.”

It's a power speed combo that the Bucs have now in Mike Evans and Desean Jackson. Evans can make plays anywhere on the field as can Desean so it is going to be very interesting to see how coach Koetter utilizes their abilities. Desean has been a number one WR for his whole career as he made Jeremy Maclin and Pierre Garcon into who they are which are very good number two's. Now the Bucs are paring Jackson with a elite number one WR in Mike Evans who hasn't even his is ceiling yet which is kinda scary. One thing is for sure, the Bucs offense is going to be fun to watch with the duo of Evans and Jackson working together.

The Bucs will be able to attack all three levels of the field and finally will have a diverse and versatile passing attack. The hot topic has been Desean is going to make Jameis better which he will, but the bigger topic is that Mike Evans is going to make Desean better which is great news for the Bucs offense. Evans will be able to draw defenders away from Jackson which will give Jackson more one on one matchups which is bad news for opposing defenses. More importantly, Jackson will have space to use his speed to create big plays down the field which will make the Bucs offense more effective in 2017. It is a great time to be a Bucs fan as we could see something very special this year on offense.

Bucs Offense Will Have Room to Operate

Big day for the Bucs especially the offense as they have added much needed speed with the signing of former Redskins WR Desean Jackson. Jackson has been a dynamic playmaker his whole career and was really good last season producing another 1000 yard season in which he led the NFL in yards per catch with 18. Even at 30 years old, Jackson still has top notch speed and hasn't slowed up yet as he continues to produce big plays. Jackson had 4 catches of 50 yards or more last season so definitely provides big play ability and can be that explosive playmaker for them.

More importantly, now having Desean the Bucs offense is going to have more space to operate as an unit. The run and passing game are going to get better looks when he is on the field because of his speed. Opposing defenses will be forced to play more zone looks which means more cover 2 and cover 4 looks which means safeties are playing back. In other words, the Bucs will get more 7 man in the box looks which will allow the Bucs to be a more effective running team. If the Bucs can run the ball which Koetter wants to do, then that will open up the play action passing game for Jameis Winston. That's where Winston is at his best when he can use the play action giving him and his receivers more space in the middle of the field.

Jackson should also see favorable matchups as well because they can't double him and Mike all the time. So I would expect to see Jackson be moved around and working in the slot at times to exploit certain matchups. This offense just got way better with the addition of Desean Jackson and guys like Cameron Brate, Mike Evans, and Adam Humphries are all going to reap the benefits. His veteran presence, swagger, and playmaking ability will help the Bucs take a big step towards that next level.

Bucs Get Their Guy in Desean Jackson

Update: Here is the official deal for Desean Jackson per Adam Schefter.

Buccaneers reached agreement with DeSean Jackson on a three-year, $35-million contract that includes $20 million guaranteed, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2017

The Bucs knew once the off-season started they needed to add speed to the offense as there was not enough explosive plays last season. Both HC Dirk Koetter and GM Jason Licht said they wanted to add more playmakers and it looks like they have done that today. Bucs are expected to sign WR Desean Jackson who was their top free agent target per NFL Network's Ian Rapport.

The #Bucs are expected to sign #Redskins WR DeSean Jackson, source said. A deal they’ve expected, but a big one.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2017

Expect this deal to become official right at 4pm once free agency begins which is great news for the Bucs offense and Jameis Winston. The Bucs needed another receiver to pair up with Mike Evans, but most importantly someone who is dynamic and can make big plays. Well the Bucs are getting just that in Desean Jackson who still has plenty of speed and led the NFL in yards per catch at 18. Jackson, 30 is a big time playmaker as he had 4 catches of 50 yards or more last season while the Bucs as a team had none in 2016. With Jackson now, the Bucs have the capability to produce more explosive plays down the field which creates quick strike ability for the Bucs offense. More details expected later today stay tuned. Right now it's a great day in Tampa Bay!

Here it is...Touchdown to Jackson. Two plays! And Redskins have 7. #explosive. #Bucs pic.twitter.com/yz1XWzJhdA

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) March 5, 2017

Bucs Will Look to Add Playmakers

The hot topic this off-season for the Bucs has been about adding more weapons for Jameis and the offense. Well today Bucs Gm Jason Licht spoke in front of the media at the NFL Scouting Combine and started it off by saying this per Gregg Rosenthal.

Bucs GM Licht: we want to add playmakers. (I expect them to be very active in FA)

— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) March 1, 2017

It sure seems like Licht agrees with the fans in that this team needs more weapons around Winston and the offense. I believe the Bucs will be aggressive in free agency and the draft but will be smart and focus on value as well. The team needs to add players with more speed, someone who can be a game changer, especially at the RB or WR position. The Bucs have Mike Evans and Cam Brate but need more around them to become a more complete offense. The NFL is about big plays and last year the Bucs offense didn't have enough, so look for the team to look for players that can make defenders miss and create big plays. This is why I believe the Bucs will target FA WR Desean Jackson once free agency begins as he brings speed and big play ability plus being a great number 2 next to Mike Evans. Others that I think the Bucs look at include S Tony Jefferson, DE/DT Calais Campbell, WR Cordarrelle Patterson, TE Jack Doyle and S Duron Harmon. These are players I can see the Bucs targeting to help fill needs and add depth.

Again not expecting the Bucs to sign every free agent, but similar to last year in which they will add four to five which will include some high level starters. This team is very close and I think Jason Licht understands that and will be aggressive in his efforts to improve the personnel. In addition, this year's draft has good depth at positions that the Bucs need to add to which should help this team take that next step if the proper moves are made. I will say this if the Bucs can add a Desean Jackson, then in the draft pick up a combo of TE D.Njoku, WR C.Henderson, and RB K.Hunt, the Bucs would become instant playoff contenders. Only eight days away till free agency begins, lets hope Licht and his staff come out throwing the heat.

FA Target: WR Desean Jackson

It's starting to get closer to that time where we start getting a idea of what direction teams are going to take during the off-season. For the Bucs it is pretty simple as they have to add more weapons on offense for Jameis Winston and company. The unit needs more speed and dynamic playmakers to compliment Mike Evans and Cameron Brate. Recently, I mention the possibility of signing Redskins WR Pierre Garcon who is set to become a free agent as he could be a solid number two option for the Bucs. However in the article, I also mention Desean Jackson who is also a free agent and is already a hot topic among Bucs fans as they really want more speed added to the team. Well earlier today, Espn's Josina Anderson got Bucs fans excited with this tweet about a possible connection with the Bucs and Desean Jackson.

I’m told #Bucs could be a posb destination for impending FA WR Desean Jackson. Understanding is Jameis Winston has an existing rapport w/ DJ

— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 21, 2017

This just shows what kind of man Jameis Winston is as it looks like he has build multiple connections through his football career. This also shows that many veterans around the league respect his game and wouldn't mind being on his team. I think adding a player like Desean Jackson would be a solid move for the Bucs as he could be that veteran WR plus provide speed that can open up the field for Mike Evans to operate. With that being said, Jackson has been on record that he would like to stay in Washington but also left the door open to go elsewhere as well per Redskins.com.

“I do want to still be here,” Jackson said Thursday, via Redskins.com. “My family and my house, I have everything here and I don’t want to be in a transaction and move. First things first, I do want to be here and hopefully we can make it work. But once again this is a business so things happen. I’m just really excited about the opportunity I have to sit and now the ball’s in my corner a little bit and see what we can do. I’m just excited and I’m going to let my agent care of all that. Ready to just sit back and whatever offers come in but obviously, like I said, I do want to be here.”

Jackson is coming off a 1000 yard season in which he averaged 18 yards per catch which still shows even at age 30, he has the speed to make big plays downfield. Critics tend to point out his size and injury concerns but I would say he has done a good job to overcome those and only missed one game last season. I feel Jackson could have the type of impact that a former Buc had back from 2005 to 2007 if healthy. That former Buc would be Joey Galloway who put up three consecutive 1000 yard seasons and at the time was the Bucs go to guy. He did this while being in his mid 30's and without much help as well. Galloway was the offense for the Bucs during that time and that was with Brian Griese, Chris Sims, and Jeff Garcia as his QB.

 

I think Jackson can make a similar impact as he still has top notch speed and is in great shape. 

Plus he will have a coach who can scheme to his strengths and a legit number one Wr next to him in Mike Evans which will allow Jackson to face single coverage which is already a mismatch. Now some would say the Bucs need someone younger and with more size who has a bigger catch radius since Jameis struggles with the deep ball. Those are valid points and there are signs that Dirk Koetter's offense does work better with bigger wideouts and Jameis is used to taller targets i.e Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin. However, I feel Desean is a rare athlete and would only make this offense better and ultimately help Jameis grow as a QB and take that step towards elite.

With Jameis and Desean already having that connection, it should help the Bucs if they do decide to target Jackson in free agency. I have said multiple times that the Bucs are going to add multiple receivers this off-season and getting a player like Desean Jackson wouldn't be a bad start. Now there will be competition for his services as he will have multiple suitors so it could come down to how much the Bucs are willing to pay and if they think he is the right fit for the team. I say the Bucs will be definitely one of the first teams to call Jackson once free agency begins.

1st Edition: Real Bucs Talk Mailbag

by Douglas O'Connor
follow me on Twitter @Ren_Daxt by clicking HERE 

      Here at RBT we spend a great deal of time on Twitter answering questions and talking Bucs football. Sometimes we feel that 140 characters isn't enough to let you know exactly what we are thinking and/or saying. So we created The Mailbag. Tweet out your Buccaneers questions with the #RBTMB and get your inquires answered with the thoroughness it deserves.

     What's the best way to handle the Mike Evans contract? Renegotiate now or wait one or possibly two more years and try to resign him then?

     Good question. I guess it comes down to what's best for the team, long term salary wise, and what's best for Mike. On one hand the Buccaneers would save a ton of money over the next two years if they decided to let Evans contract play out. On the other hand there is no question that Mike has out played his rookie deal and deserves a big pay raise. Plus, in the long run the sooner the Bucs sign Evans to a long term deal the cheaper he is going to be. My guess is that Evans gets his big contract this off season and here's why.

     Mike Greenberg, Directer of Football Administration, which is a fancy word for capologist, which in turn is another fancy word for accountant, has overseen, with GM Jason Licht four long term deals. Gerald McCoy, Lavonte Davis, Doug Martin and J.R. Sweezy. With all these contracts Greenberg has front loaded the deals with all the guaranteed money so if something goes awry after two years or so i.e. serious injury, dramatic drop of in play, PED suspension, the Bucs can cut bait and have zero dead money against the cap. After the 2017 season, out of these four players only Gerald McCoy will have any guaranteed money against the cap and that amount is only $500k.

     The Bucs have the cap space this year to front load a 5 year deal for Mike. A 2017 & 2018 guaranteed contract will come of the books just in time for Licht and Greenberg to front load offers to Kwon Alexander, Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet. Now is the perfect window Evans to cash in and it makes the most sense for both parties involved. Mike gets his millions two years early and the Buccaneers get his guaranteed money off the book in time for the next wave a long term deals.

     Do you think Keith Tandy's last five games are what we can expect next season or do you see him more as a flash in the pan?

     Hmmmmm... I had to think about this one for a bit. Finally after switching off from searching the web and staring blankly at my screen I think I came up with a pretty good answer. It might not be the right one but here is what I came up with.

     Tandy has been nothing more than a special teamer and fill in safety since he was drafted by the Bucs in 2012. The next year, 2013, he put up really solid numbers. Especially from a player with only 5 starts. 40 TOT, 3 PDEF, 3 Int, 1 FR and 1 FF. The next two seasons he was banished to the bench under Lovie Smith. But it's hard to put much stock in Lovie's defensive back evaluation skills, with the way his defenses were torched in the passing game. Fast forward to 2016, now under new DC Mike Smith, once Tandy hit the field his numbers only improved from 2013. 5 starts, 57 TOT, 9 PDEF, 4 INT, and 1 FR.

     It would appear that Kieth only needs a chance to prove himself and he does. I also think that it just takes longer for some players to get "it". Finally something just clicks and the game just starts to come easier for them. Whether it was about never getting a fair shake at a starting job or he finally is playing without hesitation I can't say for sure. I will say the he has earned the right to line up with the first defense on day one of training camp.

     Pierre Garcon or DeSean Jackson, which one would you rather the Bucs sign?

     The quick answer, neither!

     But in the spirit of the question and my promise to you as the RBT Mailbag guardian of opinions, here goes.

     I like to play a little game when I come up against a decision I'm struggling with. I pretend that my life is depending on it. The only rule is that I have to be honest with myself. The almighty power that is dangling over the bottomless abyss can see into my soul and will know if I'm lying. That way when I think about one answer and I feel safe, then that's the right choice. If I felt the slightest bit scared or threatened, then I know I'm lying to myself and the other answer is correct.

     It's the same thing as assigning each choice to a side of a coin and then flipping. If you are happy with the outcome then that the right choice for you. If you are disappointed then the other choice is what you should do. Get it? I hope so 'cause that the best way I can explain it.

     Now after all that it really an easy choice for me. I don't even have to flip the coin. I like Garcon and there isn't much to say about why. In my opinion Jackson is a one trick pony. If he didn't have his speed he'd be a WR4 on some NFL team. Now he's 30 and eventually his speed will disappear. It might be tomorrow, it might be in 5 years, who knows. I just don't feel comfortable with Jackson at the WR2 for the Bucs going into the season. It's just that simple.

     WINNER Pierre Garcon, by Default.

     Well that's it Buc fans, our 1st Mailbag post. Hey that was fun let's do it again, saaaay next Sunday? OK cool it's a date!

you can follow @realbucstalk on Twitter by clicking HERE   
Thanks for Reading and as Always GO BUCS!

FA Target: WR Pierre Garcon

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about the Bucs and Desean Jackson as the team is definitely looking to add more speed to the offense. The team here at realbucstalk are fans of Desean Jackson as we believe he would be a solid number two behind Mike Evans, but what about his teammate as an option. Redskins WR Pierre Garcon is also a free agent to be, and could be the veteran presence and the quality number two receiver the team is looking for. Jackson would be nice to have but could have many suitors which could make him tough to acquire plus has history of injuries.

With that being said, the Bucs could target Garcon who has put up consistent numbers throughout his career and has been very reliable as he has only missed two games over the last three seasons. Garcon will be 31 in August, but has shown no signs of slowing down as he put up 79 receptions, 1,041 yds, and 3 tds. Garcon still has enough speed too as he had a long of 70 yards and can still get behind the defense if presented the opportunity. Garcon spoke recently with the washington post about that he is not a possession WR and that he is a player that can do it all to get the job done.

“I’m a football player, not a categorized football player,” Garcon continued. “I’m not one thing. I’m not a one-trick pony. I do it all, so it’s not, ‘Hey, you’re a possession receiver.’ I can go deep, I can go short, I can break tackles, I can block, I can make plays — big plays, short plays, crucial plays. It’s what I do on the field, not what box they try to put me in, especially when I was coming out of college, saying, ‘Hey, you’re a D-III player.’ Especially when I was coming from Indy, saying, ‘Hey, you’ve never been a number one receiver.’ Especially when I led the league in catches and they’re like, ‘Hey, you just got lucky because you were on a bad team.’ ”

I have stated before that the Bucs will likely add multiple receivers this off-season as they need to rebuild the wide receiver core. Signing a player like Garcon would give the Bucs offense someone who can make other teams pay when they double Mike Evans and provide another weapon for Jameis Winston. Now Garcon is going to have competition for his services according to NFLUpdate which could make him tougher to sign.

Redskins Free Agent Pierre Garcon is expected to command $9M annually.

Redskins, Rams, Eagles, Bears, Cowboys & 49ers reportedly interested

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) February 12, 2017

The same could be said for Desean Jackson so either way I would expect the Bucs to go after one of them. Personally I feel Garcon is better fit as of now with his ability to make tough catches plus still being explosive as well. If the Bucs can land a player like Garcon, and then add young dynamic receiver via the NFL draft then all of sudden the WR core looks that much better. Only 22 days until free agency, will the Bucs make a call to Mr. Garcon? I say open up the check book and see if you can get him in red and pewter.

Prospect Watch: WR John Ross

There are some things that can be taught and then there are some things that just can't be taught. I believe one of those things that can't be taught is speed as it is something that you either have or don't. Right now, the Bucs offense doesn't have much speed if any at all right now and head coach Dirk Koetter feels that is something the Bucs need to add this off-season. Talking on the Buccaneers radio last month Koetter talked about how he would love to add a home run guy opposite of Mike Evans via bucswire.usatoday.com.

"Absolutely, could not agree more," Coach Koetter said. "You know, it was unfortunate when we lost Vincent Jackson and, you know, we had to fill in with some guys. And it’s nothing against them, but we definitely would love to add a guy with some home run speed on the opposite side of Mike Evans, I totally agree. I think it would help Jameis a lot. And it’s very high on our priority list. I can promise you."

The good news for the Bucs is that there are some options if they are looking for a homerun threat via free agency or the draft. However, in this article we are going to take a closer look at player that the Bucs could target with the 19th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. This player is all about speed as he has that rare ability to break away and can instantly change the game with one play. The player I am talking about is no other than Washington Huskies WR John Ross.

John Ross- 22 years old, 5'11-190lbs  81 receptions, 1150 yds, 14.2 ypc, 17 tds

Strengths: If there is one word to describe Ross it would be electric as he can change the game with the ball in his hands. Ross has one gear and that is being fast at all times as he can go from 0 to 60 real quick. He has solid hands as drops are rare and does a good job of tracking the ball on deep passes. He knows how to use his speed to create separation and make defenders miss in the open field. He has the ability to play on the outside or in the slot and can also bring return ability to special teams.

Weaknesses: Even though there are routes that Ross runs very well, he needs to work on all his routes especially in the short and intermediate levels to make him a three level player. He needs to attack the football more with his hands as he tends to catch with the body too much. Overall balance needs to improve as he sometimes falls for no reason. Injury concerns as he has had two surgeries on his knees so that is something to keep an eye on. He is not the biggest guy as he is listed at 5'11 190lbs, might need to add some more strength to help with the riggors of the NFL.

Overall, John Ross is one of the special playmakers in this years draft as he has rare speed and the ability to create separation which is very important in today's game. His size and past injuries are concerning but with the ability to change the game with one play is a reason he is being considered as a first round pick. Ross has been compared to Brandin Cooks and Desean Jackson whom both are very explosive players and consistently make big plays in the passing game. Ross has the right mental makeup as he is very competitive and some would call him an edgey type player. If coach Koetter and Gm Licht want to add some speed, then Ross might be there guy at 19. With Ross on the team, opposing defenses would have to decide who to double. Do you double Evans, leaving Ross and Brate with one on one's or do you not double Evans, either way with Ross the Bucs would be more dynamic and explosive.

Is it Time to go All in?

With the off-season about to get into full swing in a few weeks, many Bucs fans are talking about what direction this team should take. Personally Im excited to see what route Bucs Gm Jason Licht decides to take as the last two off-seasons he has built the foundation through the draft while adding key depth and role players through free agency. The question I ask now, "is it time to go all in"? I say yes and no as I believe it is time to be more aggressive in free agency and the draft as long as it is what is best for the team. With expectations growing, along with the core players having more experience and are now ready to take that next step, it might be time to speed up the process and go for it all.

I expect Licht to follow what he did last off-season in terms of re-signing his own, adding good starters/role players via free agency and then finding core players through the draft. The big topic has been about adding more weapons on offense in which the unit had some setbacks and could be much better with a few more pieces to work with. With that being said, I would like to see the Bucs go after these positions via free agency: WR, DL, DB and perhaps OL. Then go after those positions in the draft as well including the RB and TE position which are probably the two deepest positions in this years draft.

The Bucs did this last year by adding CB Brent Grimes and DE Robert Ayers via free agency and then went on to draft CB Vernon Hargreaves and DE Noah Spence. This allowed Hargreaves and Spence to grow into their roles and eventually became big pieces of the defense in their rookie years. At the same time, the defense got instant impact from Grimes and Ayers whom both helped this defense become one of the better units in the league down the stretch of the 2016 season. Now the Bucs can do the same on offense this year by adding some impact players via free agency.

Some names I like for WR are Desean Jackson, Kenny Stills, and Pierre Garcon. Any of those 3 would be a big help then in addition add a guy like Cordarrelle Patterson to help with special teams and the team instantly becomes more dynamic. Then add some pieces to the defense by going after a Dontari Poe or even Calais Campbell to help the front four, and then go after a playmaking safety in either Eric Berry or Tony Jefferson to help solidify the secondary. If the Bucs could pull off some of these moves and then go into the draft and double down on a few of these positions there depth would be tremendously improved. So will the Bucs go all in? Is it time Bucs fans to go for more than just making the playoffs?