Prospect Watch: DE Derek Barnett

Last season, the Bucs pass rush was decent as they were 9th in the league with 38 sacks on the season. The Bucs had a decent edge rush with Noah Spence, Robert Ayers, and Will Gholston whom all had their moments during the season. The Bucs were without one of their better edge guys in Jack Smith who missed the entire season with an knee injury and has had trouble staying healthy recently. Point is the Bucs could use another edge rusher that can impact the game and help the Bucs get after the QB more consistently especially in the tough NFC South. This years draft is loaded with edge rushers and wanted to talk about one of the more productive edge guys in this class which is Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett.

Derek Barnett- DE 6'3 259lbs 56 tackles, 19 TFL, 13 sacks

Strengths: Barnett was outstanding during his 3 years with the Tennessee Volunteers in which he produced 198 tackles, 52 for loss, and 33 sacks. Barnett provides a physical presence on the edge and is very good against the run. Opponents would usually run away from his side making him chase the play. Barnett uses his hands well to disengage blocks and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. As a pass rusher he can really bend the edge as he does a great job of using his strength and getting low in his lean around the corner. Barnett has excellent balance and displays good pad level consistently.

Weaknesses:  Barnett needs to focus on adding a second pass rush move as he heavily relied on winning from the outside. He can get away with that in college but it is much harder to do against legit NFL offensive tackles. He uses a decent inside step rip move which allowed him to have some success when rushing inside but it wasn't very consistent. He would be wise to add a inside spin move which could help him set up his outside rush, making him a more efficient pass rusher. If Barnett had great speed and was more athletic he could be just fine with the outside rush but he doesn't process that quick twitch off the edge. Tendency to jumping off-sides due to trying to time the snap count. Struggles to redirect movements, and can at times get pushed out too wide.

Overall: Barnett is one of the solid players in this draft and could go as high as 8th overall to the Panthers. Barnett has tremendous production, has high character, great work ethic, and already has good fundamentals to work with. His game reminds me of Robert Ayers who doesn't win with speed but has good balance and technique to win the edge and is excellent in the run game. If Barnett can hone in on adding more to his pass rush arsenal, he could be something special in this league. I think he would be excellent fit for the Bucs defense, and can line up at right or left end depending on matchups. Teams can never have enough edge rushers, and the Bucs could certainly use one like Barnett. Personally, I like other edge rushers that can bring more speed like Carl Lawson and Charles Harris that would be better fits with the Bucs personnel in place already. With that being said, if Barnett is available at 19, Im sure the Bucs will consider him with the pick.

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?

Will The Bucs Get a DT to go Next to McCoy?

This time last year I really thought the Bucs were going to finally put another young DT next to Gerald McCoy to give the D-line an extra boost. Last year's draft had many promising defensive tackles in which many Bucs fans thought one of them was coming to Tampa. However, it didn't work out that way for Bucs Gm Jason Licht as he decided to go in a different direction. Now fast forward to the present, the Bucs front four made strides this season but improvement is still needed. The Bucs have a good trio with Gerald McCoy, Robert Ayers, and the rising Noah Spence but could use more depth across the board.

Getting Jacquies Smith back will help but he has been injury prone during his time as a Buc, so another edge rusher would be helpful. Let's look at the interior though as we have McCoy, Clinton Mcdonald, and Akeem Spence which creates a solid rotation plus Will Gholston and Ayers rotate inside as well. However, if the Bucs can add a young force at DT who can stop the run and get after the passer would be a big plus for this defense. There are options in both free agency as well as the draft in which the Bucs could add a player who could have a impact right away and also help McCoy get more one on ones matchups.

A few names I like from free agency is Dontari Poe and Nick Fairley from the Chiefs and Saints respectively. Poe is a big force in the middle and would instantly big a upgrade to our run defense while also able to take on double teams to free others to get sacks. There will be a good market for Poe's services and the Bucs will likely be interested. Fairley is someone we were very high on last year and surprised the Bucs didn't offer him a deal. Fairley for the Saints had a great year as he racked up seven sacks and had over 40 plus tackles and was one of the best defenders for the Saints. Bucs would be smart to take one of the better players in the division and would be an instant upgrade to the Bucs defense. Adding either one of these two would be a big help and really give the d-line the depth that is needed. I think it's time Gm Jason Licht make a play at the DT position whether it is through free agency or in the draft, there will be options.

Bucs Won Third Down in 2016

Yes it's sad our Buccaneers are not playing today but huge progress was made towards building a contender for 2017. The Bucs finished the season at 9-7 which is quite an accomplishment after starting the season 3-5. There were a lot of areas where this team improved but winning third down was the biggest improvement for this team. In 2015, the Bucs were 30th in opponent third down conversion allowing 46% which is awful. In 2016, the Bucs were 1st only allowing 34.5% conversion rate which is outstanding. The Bucs offense improved as well going from 10th to 6th converting on third down 44% of the time.

There are a few factors to the defense improving so much in one year. One is the free agents brought in with Brent Grimes and  Robert Ayers who have helped this defense tremendously. The Bucs were far more aggressive on third down which is coaching hence Mike Smith's aggressive nature. The secondary was in better position which led to more breakups and interceptions. Consistent pass rush and tighter coverage does a lot, but also better scheme and personnel goes a long way. As for the offense, it was just Jameis Winston being more precise on third down. Winston had probably some of his better plays this season coming on third down. Overall, the Bucs won third down in 2016 and it is definitely something they can build off of for 2017.

There is No Tomorrow!

Today is it for the Bucs as they have to win against the Saints if they want a shot at the playoffs. The team is coming off a tough loss against the Cowboys in which they didn't bring their best but still had a shot to win the game. That can't happen today as the Bucs need to bring their best and play their best game of the season. Jameis says today is do or die as the playoffs start now for them against the Saints.

“Absolutely and we start on the road. We know that we’re going to be on the road in a tough environment against the Saints, so yeah, it starts now. We’ve got to start preparing for the show.”

All three phrases as in offense, defense, and special teams need to help each other and play physical, smart Bucs football. Be aggressive and don't let off the pedal, run the football with authority and use play action as much as possible for Jameis Winston who is at his best in play action throws. The offensive line needs to man up and come to play today. Coach Koetter needs to creative but also simplistic in the redzone, use more fades and slants inside the 20.

As for the defense, the front four just needs to win their one on ones and get after Drew Brees. Attack them, dont defend them be aggressive and jump routes all day. The defense has been really good lately and needs an awesome performance today. Gerald McCoy, Noah Spence, Robert Ayers, Kwon Alexander, and Lavonte David all need to step up today and be star performers. Now for special teams just make good kicks and please have a big return as we could use one today. There is no tomorrow and let's hope the Bucs come out and play like it.

Spence Continues to Get Better Every Week

Lately, the Bucs pass rush has been coming on strong as they have 10 sacks over the last three games with 6 coming in their last game against Seattle. With Robert Ayers and Clinton Mcdonald back, the Bucs finally have a complete unit across the defensive line which has been causing havoc lately. However, one player has raise their game dramatically and that is rookie DE Noah Spence. He has 5.5 sacks on the year, and ever since the Panthers game he has improved every week. His run defense has been significantly better as he is holding his contain and making plays in the backfield. This last game against the Seahawks was probably his best game as he had 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an forced fumble.

Spence is getting more confidence with each week, and now knows he can get to the Qb which has been showing on the field with his recent surge in play. Spence is showing that he was a top ten talent going into the draft as not many rushers have his speed and athletic ability off the edge. For the Bucs to get him in the second round might be Jason Licht's next greatest steal alongside Kwon Alexander. The scary part is Spence is playing through pain with a bad shoulder and is doing this while not being 100 percent. Fellow teammate Kwon Alexander said Spence is on a mission to get double digit sacks this season and with the way he is playing right now it is doable. With Spence doing this well as a rookie is great news for the future of the Bucs defense and should be one of the top sack guys in the league throughout his career if healthy. Watch these quick hands by Noah Spence below, speed kills!

Noah got some violent hands, he just drives right under the tackle here. If he dips a little more he probab... https://t.co/BoVBr49gvZ

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) November 30, 2016

Time For The D-Line to Take Over

Tomorrow is an huge game for the Bucs as the team needs to keep winning if they want meaningful games in December. The Bucs are coming into this matchup with an two game winning streak and have played their best ball these last two weeks. The Seahawks are legit super bowl contenders and are probably one of the more complete teams we are going to face all year. Looking at the Seahawks offense, most would say their offensive line is their weakness as they don't have much of an running game and Wilson faces constant pressure. However, they don't give up a lot of sacks as Wilson has great escape ability with his legs and the ability to make something out of nothing.

This is why the Bucs need their front four to have their best game of the season by being in the face of Russell Wilson constantly. The DE's need to keep contain along with the interior lineman getting push up the middle to force Wilson to back up which will allow the ends to get the sacks from the outside. It's time for this unit to take over, the talent is there and now they got to put it all together tomorrow. Gerald McCoy, Robert Ayers, Noah Spence, William Gholston all need to be at their best and make Wilson to force some throws which will hopefully lead to interceptions. Usually when the Bucs D-line is getting consistent pressure the team usually does well so lets hope that happens tomorrow at 4pm.

Bucs Getting Healthy at the Right Time

Usually at this time of the year most teams are beat up and are missing key pieces throughout their roster due to injuries. However for the Bucs, it seems they are getting healthy at the right time as they are starting to get close to being at full strength. They finally have their key guys back along the defensive line with Ayers, McCoy, and Mcdonald plus Noah Spence has been getting better each week. The offensive line and the running back position is going to be close to full strength for these final 6 game stretch as we are going to find out what this team is made of. With the Seahawks coming into town, the Bucs might be getting Kevin Pamphile and possibly Jacquizz Rodgers back this week which would be huge for the offense.

Bucs coach Dirk Koetter definitely left door open for RB Jacquizz Rodgers to return to practice Wednesday from foot injury ...

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) November 21, 2016

Not only would Rodgers returning be huge but getting back Pamphile too to help the O-line which probably had their best game against the Chiefs would be a big boost. With Martin and Rodgers along with Barber that would give the Bucs great depth at the RB position plus allow the Bucs to be more creative with their run and screen game. This team is starting to get back to full strength and Jason Licht and his staff have done a great job of adding depth throughout the season. If this team can continue to get better they have a chance to make these final 6 games very interesting. Hopefully they can continue to stay healthy down the final stretch.

Key Matchups For Sunday

Tomorrow's game is an big opportunity for the Bucs as they can get above 500 and get one step closer to first place in the division. Their opponent the Oakland Raiders are coming to Tampa with an record of 5-2 and have probably one of the better offenses in the league. With that being said, lets take a look at the critical matchups in this game that we feel the Bucs must win if they want to win the game at Ray Jay tomorrow.

1. Bucs D-Line vs Raiders O-line

The Bucs defensive line has a big task ahead of them tomorrow against the big Raiders offensive line whom have done a great job protecting Qb Derek Carr. Carr has been sacked only seven times and hit 15 times this season. The good news for the Bucs is that DE Robert Ayers is coming back giving the Bucs more depth up front. Look for the Bucs to move Ayers and Spence around a lot to give the Raiders different looks. Gerald McCoy has been a beast all season along with Will Gholston and that must continue tomorrow for the Bucs defense to be successful. Bucs D-line has to get pressure on Carr which should create opportunities for interceptions.

2. Mike Evans vs Raiders Secondary

Evans has been sensational this season and that must continue for the Bucs offense to be successful. Evans has a great opportunity to have a big game this week going against a secondary that has been giving up over 300 yards in the air per game. Evans will be going against Sean Smith and David Amerson whom both are bigger corners but at the same time lack speed which is something the Bucs must take advantage of. Expect the Bucs to move Evans around like they did against the 49ers and hopefully can create some big plays down the field.

3. Vernon Hargreaves vs Amari Cooper

This is the matchup everyone is talking about and it should be a great one to watch. Cooper is an excellent route runner and is very creative. Hargreaves and Cooper have gone against each other in college so familiarity is there between the two. The Bucs need Hargreaves to contain Cooper and not let him make the big play downfield. Hopefully if the d-line is doing their part, then Hargreaves will have an easier time containing Cooper.

Defense is Coming Around

The last two games the Bucs have won have been mainly due to the offense taking better care of the football, but more importantly the improved play of the defense. The defense had it's growing pains early on during the first few games but it looks like the switch has been turn on as players look more comfortable in the new scheme. It started with the Broncos game in which the defense had probably their best first half of the season as they were making plays and getting pressure up front.

One key move the coaching staff made was put rookie CB Vernon Hargreaves on the outside and let him go against the opposing top receiver. Hargreaves has been outstanding since being move to the starting role as he has been excellent in coverage and stout against the run. Him and Grimes have been a steady combo along with Jude Adjei-Barimah holding the nickel position down as well. The Safties are playing much better as well especially Bradley Mcdougald who has been a force in run support.

The defensive line is starting to get healthy with McCoy back along with Ayers and Mcdonald on the way back. In addition, the Bucs are getting great play out of their 2013 picks in Will Gholston and Akeem Spence whom both have been very consistent throughout the season so far. Most could make a case that Gholston has been the Bucs best d-lineman this year as he had a big sack yesterday against the 49ers. Plus rookie Noah Spence is coming around as he probably had his best game yesterday in which he applied consistent pressure and showed his edge rush potential.

Nice inside move here by Noah Spence to get his 2nd career sack. He tried different techniques later in thi... https://t.co/agFgZ67XRA

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 25, 2016

Overall, the defense is coming around and are heading in the right direction. The unit is holding opposing Quarterbacks under 60% completion percentage with an 58.3% which is major improvement from last year's percentage of 70%. Third down defense has been really good as opposing offenses are converting only 32.9% of the time which is very good and only the Dolphins are better at 31%. This defense is getting healthy at the right time and continues to get better each week. They are going to have to be at their best against an good offense in the Oakland Raiders this Sunday.

Bucs Depth is Being Tested

The Bucs have had some tough injuries to deal with during the first four weeks of the season. Losing Jacquies Smith for the season, Doug Martin, Luke Stocker, and Robert Ayers these past three games has been tough blows to overcome. Now Bucs DT Gerald McCoy, Rookie DE Noah Spence and TE Brandon Myers are now on the injured list. The Bucs depth has been tested and it has hurt the running game and pass rush the most.

Backups in Howard Jones, and Devonte Lambert have done ok so far but they are no Ayers or Smith. Then on offense the Bucs are missing Stocker's run blocking and their best player in Doug Martin who can break tackles and bring power in the ground game. Sims has done a decent job as his strengths are in space and tends to struggle running between the tackles, but for the most part has done great as a pass catcher. Bucs Cb Jude Adjeh-Barimah talked to the media yesterday, and said it's no excuse as injuries happen.

“It’s hard because those are your brothers and you don’t want to see them go down, but at the same time it’s an opportunity for guys to step up. As I think about it last year, part of the reason why I got on the active roster is because of an injury. It’s an opportunity for guys to step up and to really make a comfortable role for themselves on this team and help us win. It’s the NFL, injuries are going to happen. We’d love to have [defensive tackle] Gerald [McCoy] and all those guys out there every day, but we need to the next man to step up because the standard remains the same and we have to keep up the level of play as if he were in there.”

Players and coaches have to do a better job as injuries will continue to take place and it's up to the backups to raise their games and play like starters. Bucs depth needs to rise up to the challenge because it's being tested right now.

Pass Rush is Just Not There

A good pass rush is essential to playing good defense in this league unless you have an outstanding secondary which the Bucs do not. The Bucs pass rush has struggled as the front four has lost several key defenders to injury. Hopefully Robert Ayers can return for the next game because the Bucs really miss his presence. Gerald McCoy has been dominating but is getting no help from his other line mates which is allowing teams to triple team McCoy. Rookie Noah Spence is just not there yet as his speed rush is just getting pushed past the Qb. William Gholston is a monster vs the run, but struggles to beat his man when it's a pass play. Have not seen anything from Clinton Mcdonald which is not like him as he is usually a good pass rusher.

One positive from yesterday was the rush from Howard Jones who effected some plays and even got a hit on the quaterback. Something has to change though as there has to be a pass rush for this defense to succeed or it's going to struggle to keep teams from scoring 30 points a game. The secondary is just too inconsistent right now to be counted on to just shut down opposing pass offenses without a pass rush. The Bucs need to get creative whether that is through rush games, stunts, or even more blitzing it needs to be better.

Time to Unleash The Front Four

There has been a lot of hype surrounding the Bucs defensive line due to new additions and the overall depth of the group. Then it got more hype after the Bucs front four led the preseason in sacks with 16 which shows this group has the capability to get after the passer this season. This front four has the pieces in place to be an very effective group which is led by all-pro Gerald McCoy. With an healthy McCoy, this d-line has the potential to be very good, and I believe McCoy finally has the help around him to have a career season in 2016. By adding Robert Ayers who had 9.5 sacks last year plus rookie Noah Spence who is showing flashes every day, the Bucs might finally have something with this defensive line.

With the regular season starting this Sunday against Atlanta, who has a dangerous passing attack with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, the front four is going to have to bring their best game. It's time unleash the pressure and bring the heat on Matt Ryan whom can get rattled easily if the hits start piling up. The key for the front four is going to be collapsing the pocket and forcing Matt Ryan to move around as he doesn't like to reset to throw the ball.

It will be Key for the #Bucs Dline to get Ryan moving. He doesn't like to reset. #BucsvsFalcons pic.twitter.com/mUtTM3k5DP

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) September 7, 2016

I think the Bucs strength at defensive end should show up in this game especially going against the Falcons tackles who struggle against speed off the edge. I think Jack Smith could have a big game as he will be fresh coming in for Will Gholston on passing situations and can use his speed to get around their right tackle in Ryan Schraeder. The Bucs should be able to wear down the offensive line with the rotation they are going to use which will keep key guys like McCoy and Ayers fresh when it comes to the 4th quarter. If this defense wants to be one of the best in the league, then it's time for the front four step up and be the force that it is capable of being starting this Sunday against Atlanta.

Post Game Thoughts

Well last night didn't go exactly how the Bucs would have liked to start the preseason opener, but even though there were negatives there were some good positives as well. Most important thing about preseason is evaluation and see what needs to be improved for the next game in efforts to get better as a team. Last night's game did just that as it show some really good things and that there is still work to be done. With that being said here are some of my thoughts from the game.

Kenny Bell is in trouble- Bell did not help himself last night with an opening the game with a fumble on kickoff return. Plus didn't make any impact in the passing game so overall it wasn't the start he was looking for. Good news is he has three more games to prove himself and that he is capable of being a dependable wideout.

Screen game is in midseason form- The Bucs offense struggled to move the ball, but had great success with their screen game which produced most of the passing yards last night. It was just fun to watch, and when ever it was called a big play happen. Now again it's preseason but it was good to see it being properly utilized.

Defense looked properly coached- What impress me most about the defense is they all looked like they knew where to be on the field. It was assignment sound football as all three levels of the defense were working together. The front four had a pass rush plan and guys in coverage were in their spots which led to some coverage sacks. This defensive staff is big improvement.

Robert Ayers looks like a good FA signing- Robert Ayers was probably the best player on the field last night. He was being physical at point of attack and was consistently winning his one on one matchups. If healthy, he is going to have a solid year for the Bucs.

Penalties and Turnovers are still an issue- This will be improved due to Dirk Koetter's mentality, but it was not pleasant to see last night as it was one of the big themes of the offseason. The good news it is preseason and none of this counts and there are still more preseason games to correct it.

Overall, I don't look too much into last nights game because it is preseason and its just a glorified scrimmage, Now just look for improvement in next week's game against the Jaguars and if we don't take a step forward in that game then it might be time to worry a little.

Hungry For Wins

It's been a long time since the Bucs have had a winning record in the regular season and this current roster wants to change that this coming season. New defensive end Robert Ayers has taken notice of how the players are very hungry to win and are competing every day to make this team better. Ayers spoke about how the competition is helping this team on both sides of the ball and guys just want to win per Buccaneers.com

"The more guys you get like that, the better. We're hungry, man. I see it in a lot of guys' eyes. I see the way Gerald McCoy is out there – that dude's setting the tempo out there. That dude's a monster. And to the offense's credit, they've been competing with them. They're not just taking it, they're giving it back to them. You may see Gerald kicking a lot of [butt] but they're going back at him, too, and that's a good thing. Me, I want to follow his lead. I want to kick [butt] just like him, and Lavonte and Kwon. Competition is contagious. You want to get it, man. You want to win."

Ayers is bringing that veteran presence that this team needs but he is also bringing a fiery attitude in which he wants to destroy his opponent every time. It's great to see that Ayers wants to kick butt like McCoy has been doing and others like David and Kwon are following suit as well. Ayers believes this team is ready to prove the doubters wrong and is hungry to get wins and will do whatever it takes to get this team on the right path.

It's time to prove the doubters wrong."Nobody's believing in us," said Ayers. "'Oh, they're Tampa Bay, whatever, whatever.' But we believe in ourselves and that's all that matters. Nobody's giving us a chance. People are picking us to finish third, fourth in the NFC South. Nobody's picking us to make a run. But we believe in each other. We're going to go out there and kick some butt, and that's how we look at it. We don't care about the projections and this, that and the other. We're here to work, we're here to win."

Ayers should be a big piece this year for this defensive front just like Clinton Mcdonald has been the past two years, and forming that winning mentality throughout the team.

Bucs D-Line Showing Versatility

NFL games are usually won in the trenches and over the past few years Bucs Gm Jason Licht has done a good job of building up both lines. The offensive line has tremendous depth with at least 7 capable starters, and now this past offseason it was the d-line's turn to acquire much needed depth. The Bucs added veteran Robert Ayers and drafted heralded rookie Noah Spence giving the Bucs defensive line more quality depth. Today at training camp we got a look at a possible rotation for the d-line as the first team was Ayers, J.Smith at end with McCoy and Mcdonald at tackle which is a quality starting line.

Then the second unit had Noah Spence, Howard Jones at end with A.Spence and Will Gholston at tackle which gives the Bucs a very athletic second group.  The Bucs were rotating Gholston and N.Spence in with the first group as Gholston was being used at tackle and end usually during run situations while Spence was coming in with nickel personnel. It is going to be exciting to see how creative Mike Smith gets with his personnel as he should be able to put pressure on the qb with his front 4 especially in passing situations. 

The Bucs can put N.Spence, J.Smith at the end and then move Ayers inside next to McCoy which gives you 4 capable pass rushers and one of them should win a one on one most of the time. Last year the offensive line became a strength of this team perhaps this year the defensive line becomes a strength as well, and if the Bucs want to make playoffs this year they are going to need a strong d-line. This d-line has everything from athleticism, strength, versatility, and most importantly quality pass rushers. To bring winning back to Tampa, this d-line will have to be one of the strengths of this team, or it will struggle to win consistently.

Defensive Side of the Ball

During a piece of NFL network, NFL's Jeff Darlington gave his insight on the expectations of the bucs defense and had a few pieces of what newcomer Robert Ayers thinks about this new defense.

This team was quite frankly terrible at the start of OTA's, they weren't where they needed to be. Now as minicamp wrapped, he noted that we're less terrible now, but he said that we got the pieces in place to be a really dominant defense.

Ayers coming from the giants defense from last year obviously knows what terrible looks like as they ranked dead last in overall defense last year to go along with last against the pass. He is also right in saying that we have all the pieces in place with cornerstones in McCoy, David and Alexander, not to mention young talent that could play huge roles this year in VH3 and Noah Spence. The bucs have a full rotation of defensive lineman finally and one of the strongest groups of linebackers in the NFL to go along with it. The biggest key is bringing all of it together and working as a team and it seems as if Ayers notices that they are improving. No one is expecting the defense to go from worst to first but we need to see some progression with every game.

Jacquies Smith Role Undefined?

Jacquies Smith has been recovering from an injury that has kept him off the practice field and not on the eye of coaches and maybe that has swayed the minds of coaches. Everyone is quick to mention new addition Robert Ayers or highly touted 2nd round pick Noah Spence but the forgotten man seems to be Jacquies Smith.

Assistant D-line coach Paul Spicer made quite a statement during his interviews last week when asked if he envisions Smith as a starter or more of a rotational type guy.

Well we'll let that play out in the preseason and training camp.

Maybe Spice was just going with the normal politically correct response but is he not giving Smith the respect he deserves? Smith has been the only outside pass rush the bucs have had the past 2 years. He's managed 13.5 sacks in 2 years and 7 last year as the primary starter in 12 games. Smith needs to stay healthy to prove his worth but saying he will have to play it out in the preseason is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. As we have stated before, it truly looks as if the competition at all positions is the highest its been in some time and players will need to earn their jobs this year.

Bucs Finally Have 8-man Rotation at D-Line

The Bucs need more production from the defensive line if they want to improve on defense in 2016. Well so far this off-season the Bucs have added one of the best d-line coaches in Jay Hayes along with adding veteran Robert Ayers and elite prospect in Noah Spence. With these additions, the Bucs will look to have a true 8 man rotation which has been a staple for the d-lines that Jay Hayes has coached in his career.

Projected starters are Robert Ayers, Clinton Mcdonald, Gerald McCoy, and Jacquies Smith which is a solid front four for the Bucs. Then the next four would be Noah Spence, Akem Spence, William Gholston, and Howard Jones which is an impressive reserve group that will bring athleticism to the table. That is pretty good depth for a defensive line that a few years back didn't have anyone worthy coming off the bench or starting outside of McCoy.

All I know is I'm excited to see what these guys can do under Jay Hayes and Mike Smith, both will allow the lineman to play to their strengths which will be fun to see. Also good to know that if someone gets hurt the team has capable depth to step in and pick up the slack. The Bucs have been missing that depth up front for some time now, and to have it on both sides of the trenches is a really good sign. Look out for the defensive line this year, it could be the most improved unit this season.

William Gholston to Play Inside More?

The 2016 NFL Draft has concluded and the Buccaneers did not draft a defensive tackle which has fans and local media confused as the position was fairly deep. Perhaps it is just the way the draft fell for Bucs Gm Jason Licht or maybe the team has eyes on a DT from another team whom they think might get cut here in the upcoming months. Currently at defensive tackle the Bucs have Gerald McCoy, Clinton Mcdonald, and Akeem Spence which is a solid trio. Bucs just added defensive ends in Robert Ayers in free agency, and Noah Spence through the draft, giving the team more depth at defensive end.

Going back to Ayers, he has the capability to play inside or outside, and so does 4th year defensive end William Gholston. Gholston is a player I think is on the rise as he had his best season last year, and could be even better this year. Due to the flexibility of Ayers and Gholston, this is perhaps why the Bucs passed on drafting a defensive tackle this year, and will ask both Ayers and Gholston to play more at the defensive tackle position. I personally think Gholston will get more defensive tackle time this year, due to his size at 6'6 290lbs pairing him with McCoy who is 6'4 300lbs.

This would give DC Mike Smith a similar duo to the one he had in Jacksonville with Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. Gholston will still play often at DE, but could be a regular in the rotation at defensive tackle given his strengths at stopping the run and being able to push the pocket with his power bull rushes. With the Bucs loading up on athletic defensive ends like Jacquies Smith, Howard Jones, and Noah Spence, it tells me the Bucs are serious about playing the 3-4 scheme. This is great news for Gholston, as he can be a base end in the 3-4 or even play DT in the 3-4 as well. Keep an eye out for Gholston this year, the big kid could have a major impact this year.