2 Out Of 3 Last Week, What To Look For Against The Chargers

by Douglas O'Connor
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     Chances are that writing about Mike Evans, Jameis Winston and the turnover battle will just be a regurgitation of obvious keys to victory that you have read this week and all season long. Here are some lesser known things to watch versus the Chargers that can deliver a Buccaneers victory.

Open Field Tackling: San Diego Head Coach Mike McCoy's offense relies heavily on draws, screens, and rubs (legal picks). Getting his athletes the ball in space and letting them make a play. Outside corner backs Brent Grimes and Vernon Hargreaves are going to have to get off blocks and make solo tackles against bigger Charger receivers. When you hear "another great open field tackle by a Buccaneer", coming from announcer Sam Rosen, you know they've been doing their job.

Rush Lanes: I spotlighted this one last week as well but for a totally different reason. Rush lanes were important against the Seahawks for keeping Russell Wilson in the pocket. This weeks importance has to do with stopping the draw. Buccaneers DT need to stay in their lanes, pushing the pocket back and clogging the middle giving Gordon nowhere to go. MIL LB Kwon Alexander will also have to challenge the releasing center instead of using his speed to slip the block awarding Gordon an easy cut to get into the secondary. Here against the Rams is a 3rd and 19 that went for a 1st down. Bad lanes and slippage from Kwon left the runner uncontested until he reached the 3rd level.

Disciplined rush lanes will be a factor in keeping Gordon from doing this against the Bucs on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/1akfZvOANx

— Douglas Sean OConnor (@Ren_Daxt) December 3, 2016

Max Protection: Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter believes in protecting the passer more than spreading out the defense. Last week the Bucs threw the ball out of a 6 OL set and have used backs and receivers to chip opposing DE to ensure his quarterback remains upright. The Chargers have 20 sacks on the year with half coming from two players, Melvin Ingram and rookie Joey Bosa. Look for the Bucs to continue this trend and allow Jameis Winston to progress through his reads and pick apart a poor and beat up San Diego secondary.

     Seven out of eight experts have picked the Chargers in this game, for the record these same experts all picked the Chiefs and the Seahawks too. The more I look at this game I see a double digit win for the Bucs. San Diego is 6th against the run but their leading tackler is out this week leaving 3rd stringer Korey Toomer at ILB. I think the soaring confidence and new found nastiness of the Bucs OL puts up a nice performance in the run game. The ability to run the ball and the extra protection for Winston equates to the Bucs easily moving the ball up and down the field. The Chargers offensive scoring numbers are inflated by all the short fields their defense have been giving them. Couple this with San Diego's leading receiver will be wearing a brace on his shoulder for a torn labrum and the new look Buccaneers defense stinginess. I envision lots of smiles on the team flight back to Tampa.

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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.

Vernon Hargreaves Taking His Spot

Vernon Hargreaves seems to have officially been slotted as one of the two starting corners next to Brent Grimes and what's most exciting is it seems like he is going to be matched up with the best receiver every game. Last week VH3 seemed to shadow Panthers monster WR Kelvin Benjamin who stands 6'5 245 and the 5'10 200 lb Hargreaves faired well. Early in the game it seemed like Benjamin's size was going to be too much but VH3 stepped up and got in his face more and actually caused the interception in the 2nd quarter. After that interception, Benjamin only caught the ball 2 more times out of 5 targets and caught 5 of a possible 9 in the entire game for 70 yards. Thats pretty good for a guy that is 7 inches shorter and 45 pounds lighter.

Below is one of my favorite plays of the night from VH3. First he notices that the play is a WR screen, then has the athletic ability to dodge the pulling tackle and ultimately shows his toughness to dive in there and make the play himself instead of waiting for his teammates.

VH3 may b small but he is smart and tough. Has the awareness to allude the pulling lineman and still makes ... https://t.co/b8IQvbKRqu

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 16, 2016

That is why Hargreaves was our first pick this year and he continues to show more and more as his comfort level continues to rise. I expect to see his first interception soon if not against this offensively deprived 49ers team whose best receiver is Jeremy Kerley.

First Semester Is Over For Buccaneers Draft Picks. How Did They Grade?

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     There was plenty of opinions on how the Buccaneers 2016 draft went. Claims that the Bucs had found 4 new starters, if you count a kicker as a starter. To cries calling for Jason Licht's head for drafting a Kicker in the 2nd round. I'm going to recap each pick and assign it a letter grade based on where the player was taken and how they have impacted the the team.

Vernon Hargreaves: Touted as the best cover corner in the draft, fell to the Bucs when they moved down 2 spots from 9 the the 11th pick. Hargreaves was inserted as the starting nickle back during training camp while playing the outside on the 2nd team. During the preseason Vernon was grading out as the best corner in the league, due mostly to a 2 interception game against the Jaguars. Only a few games into the season and VH3 has moved to a starting outside corner spot. Essentially benching Alterraun Verner and his $6.7 million contract. He's 4th on the team with 23 TOT and caused an interception on Monday night, deflecting a ball into the air that LB Daryl Smith circled under to complete the turnover.
My Grade: I'm giving Hargreaves an A. Besides all the reasons mentioned above there is no other position in the NFL that is a harder transition from college to the pro's, besides quarterback, than corner. Recently Head Coach gave Vernon high praise, when he mentioned that Hargreaves was low maintenance. Translation, you can treat  him like a veteran. He knows his assignment, he's where he's supposed to be in the defense, you don't have to hold his hand.

Noah Spence: Considered the best pure pass rushing defensive end in the draft and was linked to the Bucs with their 1st pick, early in mock drafts. Taken in the 2nd round as an answer to the Buccaneers decade drought of not having a 10+ sack man. Noah was praised for having great hands and an array of rush moves during training camp. His edge speed is undeniable, but fans quickly learned that he is to small to stand up against the run. Even with all the injuries along the defensive line Spence is still being used as a situational pass rusher.
My Grade: Noah earns a B. You may think this is a little generous but he does have one sack, one off the team lead. If that's still isn't enough to convince you checkout this clip. Spence is at the top of the screen.
  

Noah Spence here with a nice swim move getting pressure. If he holds it 1/2 a second longer he's on the gro... https://t.co/gZinztOiWO

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 16, 2016

He's going to be special.

Roberto Aguayo: Regarded as the best kicker, well ever. The Bucs gave up their 3rd round pick and the 4th rounder that the acquired in the Giants trade to move up and take this once in a generation kicker. The Bucs let loose of all his competition before training camp. Aguayo couldn't lose his job unless his leg fell off. That didn't keep him from trying though.
My Grade: D. The game winner against Carolina on Monday night saved Roberto from a failing grade. Actually I like the pick of Aguayo, but he has to kick for the Bucs for the next 10 years to ever grade out as an A draft pick.

Ryan Smith: Picked in the 4th round from North Carolina Central University. Brought into play safety even though he played corner back in college. A broken hand in the preseason has slowed Smith's progress. Mike Smith is bringing him along slowly in hopes that he's ready to go if the injury bug bites.
My Grade: C. Hard to give him a grade due to the lack of playing time. It is a bit concerning that he isn't getting any snaps at the position that is easily to worst on the team. On the plus side Ryan does return kickoffs for the Bucs and not a skill everyone possesses.

Caleb Benenoch: 5th round pick Benenoch came out his junior year when most draft experts thought he would improve his stock with another year at UCLA. There is some obscure NCAA rule about being in school and practicing with an NFL team. It's only a problem if your university grade on a trimester system. Guess which system UCLA uses? Due to this Caleb missed OTA's and fell behind.
My Grade: B. Caleb got a slow start but did make the team at the deepest position on the team. He also can play all 3 line positions and has been active for every game.

Devante Bond: Was all primed to have a breakout senior year at the University of Oklahoma. An ankle injury derailed most of his senior season but the Bucs found him and drafted Devante in the 6th round. Bond was drafted to take over for bridge free agent signee Daryl Smith once he learns the SAM LB position. Bond was put on IR with a hamstring injury and might return later this year.
My Grade: Incomplete. Bond could be the starting strong side linebacker next year or he could be on the street. Time will tell.
    I found this highlight reel of Devante back in his JuCo days, he was a man amongst boys.



Dan Vitale: Best fullback in the draft was the buzz. Jason Licht has used late round picks to try to find his team a lead blocker. Buc fans thought they had their man in the 6th round draft pick from Northwestern. Even though Vitale was an instant fan favorite his lack of blocking ability doomed him in the end.
My Grade: I'm giving Danny a C. Now hear me out. Late round draft picks aren't supposed to make good teams. Also, others must like his skill set because he's been picked from the Bucs practice squad twice. If Vitale was drafted in any earlier rounder his grade would be lower.

     You can follow us at our official Twitter feed @realbucstalk. As always thanks for reading and Go Bucs!

Good Test For the Defense This Week

The Bucs defense has been solid so far in their two preseason games but not perfect as their redzone D needs some work as they have allowed 3 Tds in 3 attempts. This week they go against a good test in the Cleveland Browns who have athleticism across the board at their skilled positions. Starting with the Qb in Robert Griffin who has a big arm and is dangerous on the run, so it will be interesting to see if the Bucs front four can harass him and make him make mistakes. The Browns have plenty of speed with Corey Coleman, Josh Gordon, and Andrew Hawkins. Then they have versatile guys in running backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson along with a reliable tight end in Gary Barnidge.

With the defense playing at least the first half we should see a good preview of what this defense is going to bring this season. The Bucs are very athletic on defense and should match up well with the Browns athleticism on offense. Hopefully we can see the pass rush return and play like it did against the Eagles. The secondary was pretty good last week so hopefully they can put a complete game together in which the rush and coverage play well. The Browns will run some spread option along with some zone read with RG3 which will be good for the defense to see as the Panthers do similar things in their offense.

The key matchup I will be watching is Noah Spence against pro bowl left tackle Joe Thomas which will be good work for the rookie. Another matchup will be Hargreaves vs Corey Coleman which will be a great battle of two superior athletes. The main things to watch though is can the defense get off the field on third down and make some stops in the redzone because that will be key in the regular season. Tomorrow will provide some answers but most of all it will be a good matchup and test against the Browns.

Young DB's Have a Good Day

Yesterday the Bucs secondary came away with 4 interceptions and 3 were from rookies Vernon Hargreaves (2) and Ryan Smith (1). Hargreaves has looked as good as advertised in these first 2 preseason games and might even be pushing to be one of the top 2 corners. Ryan Smith made his first big splash of the preseason as well as icing the game with his late 4th quarter interception. Smith spoke to the media after the game describing how his progression has been.

I'm still learning the plays, its slowing down a little bit but I'm making the best of it at safety. Just gotta keep leaning and I'll be ok.

On him and VH3 getting interceptions.

Were getting better everyday. You know we came in here, they put a lot on us, in our books and film, The more we learn, the faster we play, the better we look. So we keep learning were going to be great. 

Smith has a long way to go before he see's any substantial playing time during the season but he has the right mindset moving forward. He was delayed early in training camp due to an injury but he has all the athletic ability to be a fast pace safety that can also play a little corner. The bucs have young talent on the rise and all seem to have their head on straight and have a goal of being great.

Better Secondary Play is Due to Coaching

Last year there were too many times where opposing receivers had open space and separation from Bucs defenders leading to big plays every Sunday. The root cause of this was mainly due to the secondary having no clue where to be on the field most of time, too much thinking going on instead of reacting and playing fast. The Bucs had three secondary coaches last season which is way too many and there were just too many voices in the room causing confusion and leading to guys doing things they are not comfortable with on the field. The Bucs had talent in the secondary last year but failed with poor communication and not being detailed in where to be on the field.

Going into this off-season, the Bucs secondary improved just by hiring secondary coaches in Jon Hoke and Brett Maxie respectively. Jon Hoke is one of the more respected defensive backs coaches out there in the NFL, and Brett Maxie helped developed some good corners when he was with the Titans including Bucs CB Alterraun Verner. Now the Bucs did add talent to the secondary by adding Brent Grimes, Josh Robinson, Vernon Hargreaves, and Ryan Smith which has brought more speed and athleticism to the group. However, the Bucs also kept pretty much the same group from last year which was quite telling that the coaching staff was not doing a good job with the secondary.

Just by re-watching the Eagles game from last week, I could tell the players on defense were more comfortable and every player was in position and able to make plays on the football. It was assignment football as guys got to their spot and everyone was working together on the field. It also helps to have smart football players like Vernon Hargreaves watch below.

Fun to watch Vernon Hargreaves move. Carries into one zone, releases back into his assignment. https://t.co/fjIU1HlBAn

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) August 14, 2016

This is perfectly executed as he drives the wideout to his teammate's zone then gets back into his area and cuts off the open option for the Qb. This is what we call team defense and on Thursday it was fun to see that again. Players understanding their jobs and going out on the field and actually doing them was refreshing. Still long way to go as it is just preseason, but I saw a lot of positive signs from the defense in that first game.

VH3 is Displaying Why He's a First Round Selection

The Bucs have been missing playmakers in the secondary during the past few seasons as they really haven't had a gamechanger back there since Ronde Barber or even Aqib Talib. This is why the Bucs drafted corner Vernon Hargreaves with the 11th selection because one thing is for sure he is a playmaker. Hargreaves had 10 interceptions for his college career at Florida and so far all he has been doing during practice is making plays on the ball for his new team. He could be the missing piece on defense as it could use players that can make game changing plays. Coach Koetter sees it every day up close via buccaneers.com.

"Over the course of these OTAs and camp there is at least one thing every day that Vernon shows up making a play," said Koetter. "He has a real knack for the ball. Some guys can be in position and never seem to make a play on the ball. When Vernon gets his hands on it he’s going to catch it."

Hargreaves is just a playmaker and the Bucs definitely need that in the secondary as the unit has been a weakness the past few seasons. Hargreaves provides versatility as he will play on the outside and inside at the nickel position and coach Koetter says he will play often whether that is at nickel or on the outside remains to be seen.

“He’s going to play," said Koetter. "The guy has made plays every single day. Vernon is a football player, everything we thought when we drafted him. He’s going to play. It will all fall in place. A lot of that will be determined by health, but I’m very confident that Vernon can either play inside at the nickel or play outside. For whoever doesn’t know the difference, the nickel corner plays over the slot and regular corners play outside on the wide out and Vernon can play both."

Look for Hargreaves to become a guy the Bucs can count on to make a big play when needed on defense.

What Does Koetter Think About Short Corners

The Bucs roster is mostly filled with smaller more quick twitch athletes at corner in Brent Grimes, Alterrraun Verner, Josh Robinson and Rookie Vernon Hargreaves but that doesn't seem to bother head coach Dirk Koetter as he gave one of the best quotes ever about his smaller guys. Via Greg Auman Tampa Bay Times.

"They're not going to grow, alright? So we've got 5,000 stories out there about short corners. You can't bitch about your players. They're the ones you've got. These guys aren't going to grow."

Koetter is a straight shooter and obviously doesn't beat around the bush. If a guy can play he can play and obviously by collecting all these guys with similar traits means that's the type of corner that fits this defensive scheme. Koetter went on to describe the research of the ratio between shorter and taller corners.

"There's plenty of research both ways about size and corners. There's some misnomers out there," Koetter said. "There's just as many corners that are 5-10 that have been successful as corners that are 6-4. So the guys are who they are. We're happy with our guys and we're going to keep working with them."

All that matter's is who is on your team right now. You work with what you got and you make the most of it and that seems like what Koetter's mind set is. Looking at the roster right now the only corner above 5'11 is Jonathan Banks (6'2) so who is the outlier? The bucs seem confident with the height of their corners right now, lets see if that confidence shows itself on the field come game day.

Hargreaves to Start at Nickel?

Bucs rookie corner Vernon Hargreaves is ready to show his skills in the NFL, and that might be at the nickel/slot corner position to start off his career. Coach Koetter feels Hargreaves can be a perfect fit at the inside position, but can play outside as well. Due to the Bucs depth at cornerback, Hargreaves best chance to play in 2016 could be at Nickel which is ok because defenses are in nickel/sub packages over 60% of the time.

“Well, his quickness and how good of a tackler he is (make him suited to play inside)," Koetter said. “We’re going to start him off both inside and outside. We’re – both with the vets and the rooks – trying to find that perfect nickel and he’s one of the guys we’re looking at for sure.”

Koetter is spot on in his analysis of Hargreaves as his versatility is there for the Bucs to use him in multiple ways. However to make things easier for him. starting at nickle could be the best spot for him, and will also allow Hargreaves to maximize his ability on special teams coverage as well.

 “I’m excited for (playing nickel),” Hargreaves said. I want to play wherever I can play, wherever I fit in. It’s perfect for me.”

It's amazing how much different the secondary is going to look with now having Grimes, Banks, Verner, and Hargreaves. On paper it looks strong, hopefully it plays that way on the field.

What Will The Bucs Do With Alterraun Verner?

Now that the Bucs have a new found depth at the cornerback position with the addition of Vernon Hargreaves in the draft, what will the Bucs do with high priced Alterraun Verner? Many Bucs fans are pushing to cut Verner since he is due 6.75 million this year, yet only 2 million of it is guaranteed. In my opinion that is a pointless move.

The Bucs have roughly 14 million still remaining in cap space this year and can still look to sign or trade for other high priced players, so the fact of his contract shouldn't matter. Verner is also a past pro bowler who knows what it takes to play at a high level and now is reunited with his old CB's coach from the Titans who made him that pro bowl corner. Another point to note is by looking at the current corners the Bucs have collected all look very similar to Verner in stature, as they all are smaller and quick in space.

Just because he has a high price tag doesn't mean he can't fit somewhere on this roster. If the Bucs have the luxury of cap space then use it. Let him play until that cap number needs to be fixed but until then let iron sharpen iron and let him compete with all of our corners.

Potential 4 Starters

Now that the draft is over with whats the best way to sum up the Bucs draft picks? To me its to look at how much they have improved the roster and did they get potential starters. That answer is a complete yes and if you look at the picks they have a potential for 4 starters right off the bat in Hargreaves at CB, Spence at DE, Aguayo at K and Vitale at FB.

Licht set off to try and match or even surpass last years home run of a draft they produced 4 key starters on the team and he may have done that this year. No, this draft isn't the caliber of a Winston or Kwon Alexander but they are crucial starters that the Bucs needed and didn't have going in. They potentially have a shot at also getting a starting Saftey and kick returner in this draft as Ryan Smith will be given every opportunity to compete at those positions.

As a whole the draft is a success in my opinion. The team got better and is definitely more athletic. Spence will have all eyes on him not only because of his past but because of his incredible potential to become an edge rush talent the Bucs have not seen here since Simeon Rice. It's early but Jason Licht comes out of this draft smiling again knowing that he has made his team better.

Bucs Want Speed on the Edges

One thing is for certain after the draft concluded, the Bucs want speed on defense, especially on the edges. The Bucs added athletes in Vernon Hargreaves, Noah Spence, and Ryan Smith all of whom have outstanding quickness and speed. Spence runs a 4.60 40 when healthy to go along with a 1.62 ten yard split which is extremely quick for a defensive end. Hargreaves and Smith both run 4.40's and both have great short area quickness allowing them to be aggressive on the ball. The point is the Bucs are adding speed to the outside of the defense allowing them to be multiple and very aggressive.

In free agency, the Bucs added defensive backs in Brent Grimes and Josh Robinson both are very athletic and have great short area quickness plus great speed. To me this shows the Bucs are serious about showing 3-4 looks this season due to the changes in personnel. The Bucs already have great speed at defensive end, linebacker, and in the secondary now with the new additions. The Bucs already had pretty good speed at defensive end with Howard Jones and Jacquies Smith, and now adding Noah Spence only makes it that much scarier.

The Bucs could easily play a 3-4 look with three man line of Gholston, A.Spence, and McCoy, having Spence and Smith playing as the standup rushers. This would allow new DC Mike Smith to get very creative with his pressures and allow the team to play a more attacking style. The team now has the speed in the secondary to play more aggressive coverages which should generate more pressure on the Qb, due to more blitzes being called. Not sure how much we will see of this, but it obvious the Bucs want speed on defense, and will be attacking much more this year than in previous seasons. One thing is for certain, the Bucs defense is much faster than it was last week.

Hargreaves Introduced to Tampa

The bucs officially introduced 11th pick Vernon Hargreaves to Tampa and local media today during his press conference. Hargreaves Spoke a little about himself and didn't shy away from stating how confident he is in his abilities.

Confidence isn't something that leaves you, its with you. It's something that you have. It's kind of a trial and error thing. I'm going to go in and whatever happens, happens. I'm going to get beat, if I get beat I got to bounce back, make more plays and I'm going to learn.

Hargreaves is all of 20 years old and doesn't turn 21 till June. He will have one of his favorite player's in Brent Grimes to learn from, to help speed up his learning curve and Grimes isn't short of confidence himself. When asked what best describes him, his answer was short, sweet and straight to the point.

Press Man, end of discussion

The bucs grabbed themselves the most fundamentally sound corner on the board in Hargreaves. VH3 showed willingness to sacrifice his body in game tape and of the tackling fundamentals he will bring to the bucs and how he's excited to showcase them on Sundays.

Most important thing in the game, If you don't tackle you definitely don't win. Can't be scared, got to throw your face in the fan and get the guy on the ground.

Hargreaves is saying all the right things and seems to be an extremely confident dude. Will he be a shut down corner the bucs desperately need? Time will tell but he sure does have the swagger and confidence of a shutdown guy and he is more than welcomed here in Tampa.

Bucs Secondary Has Quality Depth Now

With the selection of CB Vernon Hargreaves at 11th overall, the Bucs have quality depth at the cornerback position for 2016 and beyond. The Bucs added free agent corners in Brent Grimes and Josh Robinson whom both bring athleticism, playmaking ability, and toughness to the position. Don't forget about last year's group in Alterraun Verner, and Johnthan Banks whom both should be way better in Mike Smith's aggressive defensive scheme.

Now with Hargreaves on board, the Bucs can be very flexiable in their schemes and can be more creative with their corners. Grimes, Verner, and Hargreaves all have the ability to play outside or inside which allows the Bucs to play more dime and nickel packages which means 5 dbs or more. With the corners that have been added, it looks like Mike Smith is looking to bring a mix of press man coverage along with some off zone which plays to the strengths of the corners mentioned. 

Bucs are definitely more athletic and quicker in the secondary than they have been in past years which should lead to more interceptions. The Bucs only had 2 interceptions last year from their corners which is unacceptable, expect a higher total in 2016. The Bucs secondary now has solid depth, better coaching, and could be a strength for the team this season.

Bucs Select Vernon Hargreaves

Your newest Tampa Bay Buccaneer is Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves. Hargreaves was the popular pick for Tampa since mock drafts first started coming out and now it has become true. The biggest knock on Hargreaves has been his height (5'10) and being able to cover the taller receivers in the NFC South (Julio Jones, Kelvin Benjamin). I'll say this, he has 2 6'5 receivers to practice against everyday in VJax and Mike Evans. Hargreaves has all the fundamentals and competitive fire you want in an NFL starting corner and he gets to learn under new addition Brent Grimes who is very similar to Hargreaves.

Welcome to Tampa VH3 and bring the confidence and competition you showed every game at florida the past 3 years. Time to be a part of the culture change and turn this pitiful defense around.

VH3 Getting No Love

Home town boy Vernon Hargreaves is widely considered the 2nd best corner in this years draft according to many draft experts but he didn't get much love from a fellow SEC wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, per seccountry.com

He admitted there was a trio of players who made things difficult: Alabama’s Cyrus Jones, Mississippi State’s Taveze Calhoun and “the guy from Florida.”
Treadwell made it clear: “Not Vernon Hargreaves.”

Treadwell made it a point to mention that it wasn't Hargreaves and I wonder why? Yes, Hargreaves is smaller around 5'10, but he is fundamentally sound and a proven playmaker. Maybe it was more of a compliment for the other "guy from Florida" who is Jalen Tabor, a sophomore who had quite a season himself but thats a hit to Hargreaves either way. Going back and looking at game tape, Treadwell and Hargreaves were mainly on different sides of the field and maybe if they had more one on ones he would change his tune on VH3. Hargreaves continues to be an option for the Bucs at number 9 and most likely would be a safe pick if taken.

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.

Will The New Signings Affect the Draft?

Will the Bucs change their approach to the draft after going out and spending some money on new additions J.R. Sweezy, Brent Grimes and Robert Ayers? Most likely the answer is no. Although the new players added to the roster will help, the Bucs need an influx of talent across the board except for QB.

Grimes, 33 and Ayers, 30 are already past their prime and will be players to help right now. So that won't factor into what the future holds for the number 9 pick as the Bucs will not pass on a talent like Shaq Lawson, Noah Spence or Vernon Hargreaves if they value them as one of the top rated players on their board. Without question the pick will most likely be on the defensive side of the ball and that fits well with the strength of the draft.

Free agency is still young and the Bucs will still bring in more pieces, but I believe the big spending is over and most of the attention will reside on the draft.