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.

Jason Licht Finds Hidden Talent

Jason Licht has done a great job with his drafts so far in his 2 and half years with the team. His three drafts all look very promising starting with Jameis Winston, Mike Evans, Kwon Alexander, Ali Marpet, Vernon Hargreaves, Noah Spence, and much more. Licht is a big believer in building your team through the draft and he has done that so far. More importantly he has built a foundation in which the team can continue to add pieces to it making this team a deeper one.

Having depth is key in the NFL and this team is heading in the right direction as they are starting to build depth on both sides of the ball. Jason Licht not only puts together strong draft classes but it's the hidden talent he finds from undrafted players or other players that teams give up on too early. Here are 5 players whom Licht has found over the last 2 and half years, some important pieces for this team.

TE-Cam Brate
WR-Adam Humphries
DE-Howard Jones
DE-Jacquies Smith
CB-Jude Adjei-Barimah

That's a pretty good group right there and most would say that's better than some draft classes that certain teams put out there. The Bucs have kept four undrafted guys for this year's team which is DE Channing Ward. DT Devonte Lambert, OT Leonard Wester and FB/TE Alan Cross. Perhaps one of these 4 are the next hidden gem for the Bucs and Jason Licht because he just continues to find hidden talent every year.

Freeney/Mathis Combo?

The combination of Jacquies Smith and Noah Spence has looked really good this preseason as you can frequently see both of them flying around the corner getting after the quarterback. There once were 2 shorter speed rushers in Indianapolis that were really a terror for QBs and actually won a super bowl together. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis formed quite a duo in their prime with Indy and the bucs might have the makings of something similar here.

Smith and Spence resemble the duo as they are both 6'2 and weight about 250 lbs which is considered smaller for a defensive end. What made Freeney and Mathis so special were their get offs and ability to get Tackles off their base so that they could manipulate them however they would please. Tampa's duo have been showing that get off and speed off the edge consistently this preseason. Again its preseason but you have to give credit where its due.

Spence is still a rookie and has to learn more pass rush moves to master his craft but he already is showing the makings of being a pure edge rusher. They may or may not be starters come the regular season but you better believe when its 3rd and long those two will be on the field together with ears pinned back ready to fly to the quarterback.

Will The Front Four Dominate Again Tonight?

Last week against the Eagles, the Bucs defensive line stood out as they racked up 4 sacks and were applying pressure on the Qb throughout the game. Bucs d-line coach Jay Hayes had the front four humming and the use of the rotation was fun to watch. Robert Ayers and Noah Spence showed flashes of what they can do for this front four this season. Clinton Mcdonald and Howard Jones had big games as well with a sack each and were in the backfield often. The big question though is can the front four do it again tonight against the Jaguars whom have a more potent offense.

The answer is yes, the Bucs D-line has been the best position group throughout this training camp and I expect that to continue tonight. The Bucs finally have a rotation in which they can roll out multiple guys that can be productive and not lose much when the top guys go out. Bucs DE Will Gholston will make his debut tonight which makes this d-line even more stout especially against the run. I think he will show his impact right away and hopefully he can display something as a pass rusher. The key guys tonight will be Noah Spence and Jack Smith whom both should have good games tonight as they have been dominating in the joint practices with the Jaguars this past week. Here is Spence against LT Luke Joeckel via Jenna Laine.

Bucs rookie DE @nspence94 going up against Luke Joeckel one-on-one. Been working on his spin move... #Bucs #Jaguars pic.twitter.com/BFY7CmkEJb

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 18, 2016

Spence still has work to do in the run game as that is his weakness but is already a natural at pass rushing, I expect him and Jack Smith to be disruptive tonight. The Bucs D-Line is becoming a strength of this team and hopefully they can bring the intensity again and pressure the Qb tonight.

Noah Spence is Shining Bright

Bucs Gm Jason Licht had a big smile on his face, watching Noah Spence dominate like he did as the players went full pads this morning. For Licht to be able to not only get Hargreaves but Spence as well in the second round is just not fair. Spence is a first round talent and was the best pass rusher from this draft class. It showed in camp today as Spence was unblockable and was in the backfield often today. He has a lightning quick first step to go along with the ability to turn the corner coming off the edge. Here is a couple tweets on Spence's big day as his potential and ability was shining bright today.

Smith and Spence have a diff level of twitch to them! They can not be blocked consistently in the pass game right now! #Bucstrainingcamp

— Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) July 31, 2016

The pads are on and DE Noah Spence is among the shiniest stars of #Bucs practice. He's been in the backfield a lot.

— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsNFL) July 31, 2016

Spence is clearly showing he is ready for primetime and the Bucs are going to need him to produce this season and help this pass rush get back to the days of old. It's still early in camp and Spence needs to show he can be consistent and put together good practices back to back. This defense already had good speed but now with Spence added to the mix the d-line is just that much more athletic and quicker all the way around. If Jack Smith can stay healthy, him and Spence should dominate off the edges with McCoy getting most of the attention. The Bucs needed to get G.McCoy some help and it looks like it has finally arrived.

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.

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 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.

Edge Rush!!

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

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

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

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

Glennon for Wilkerson?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Did We Learn?

Ok now that the Super bowl has been played what can we take from the game? Yes, Defense wins Championships!

Anyone who watched the game will remember one thing and that's how much Cam Newton was rushed, hurried and sacked. Denver's defensive ends completely abused Carolina's Offensive line. Von Miller and Demarcus Ware dictated the game based purely on their ability to rush the passer.

So given that, what was the weakest area of the Bucs defense this year? Was it the secondary or was it really the defensive line?

It all starts up front and obviously if the quarterback has all day to throw any secondary would look bad. Other than Gerald McCoy who had 8.5 sacks, which is phenomenal from the defensive tackle position, the Bucs have no true pass rushers. Jacquies Smith with 7 sacks and Howard Jones with 5 sacks were serviceable yet not good enough to provide a consistent pressure. Considering the amount of times Gerald McCoy is double and even sometimes triple teamed someone else should be able to break free and capitalize.

The #1 priority this offseason for the Bucs should be to find a pure pass rusher from any place they can look. That starts with free agency where there could be a couple that may hit the market in Bruce Irvin (Seahawks) and Olivier Vernon (Miami). Another route may be the draft where Noah Spence looks like a pure natural pass rusher that is shooting up draft boards.

Jason Licht has already done half the battle by bringing in possibly the best Defensive line coach in the NFL with Jay Hayes, the rest is bringing in the talent to be used. Jason Licht has proved he knows how to draft with home runs in his first two draft with the Bucs, lets see if he can finally hit a home run with free agency as well.