Usually when a team finishes a season 3-13, they do as much as possible to change the culture within the organization. Whether players come and go or coaches are given their walking papers, something is usually done to let the fans know that they are committed to winning, but given the lack of progress made by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this off-season, it looks like it’s going to be another long season for the retirees in South Florida.
The dynamic duo of Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson come back to battle for the starting quarterback job, but at this point, does it really matter who the quarterback is for this offense? Things don’t look good when the number one option is the tight end. Granted Kellen Winslow is a great tight end in this league, but teams that don’t have options at the wide receiver position will get burned.
If the Bucs have any chance of being successful, they are going to have to pray that Cadillac Williams finds his rookie form again. After busting out in his first season, Williams has had nothing but problems staying healthy, but after only playing a combined 10 games in 2007-2008, he suited up all 16 games last season. However, his numbers were sub-par and simply not good enough to warrant having a starting spot in the NFL.
The game-plan for the Bucs will be to rely on their defence to do a lot of the work and hope that their offense can put just enough points on the board to secure victory. A lot of hype surrounds Gerald McCoy as he was selected third overall in this year’s draft. However, the Bucs are relying on one veteran and three rookies on the D-line to try and get pressure on the quarterback. They also have to find a way to improve on their run defence as they were last in the league in rushing yards allowed per game at 158.
The starting linebackers should be a competent group led by Barrett Ruud and Geno Hayes, but don’t expect them to be game-changers. The retirement of Derrick Brooks really hurts this group and the Bucs didn’t really have time to go out and replace him, so they’re stuck with what they have.
The biggest strength this team offers is an ability to shut down passing offenses with their secondary. Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber offer a good 1-2 combination at the cornerback spot. Sean Jones and Tanard Jackson offer good skill and veteran experience at the safety positions. If Tampa Bay can ever force an opposing offense to be one-dimensional because of their secondary, they have a much better chance of winning.
The two players I’ll be looking out for in the early part of the year will be Cadillac Williams and Ronde Barber. Both have something to prove but for different reasons. Williams has to show the form that he had in his rookie year and Barber has to show that at 35 years old, he can still be a playmaker in this league.
2010 Prediction: 3-13 yet again...