Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2015 Season Preview

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2014 record: 2-14

2015 O/U: 6

Off Season Overview

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found themselves at 2-14 due to lack of an identity at the quarterback position. With that first pick they found Jameis Winston and they hope that that question is now over. Winston to me is going to be a starting NFL quarterback and be adequate right away. The question is how high is his ceiling? Winston is a guy who likes to test his limits and my comparison was to a Jay Cutler, or Joe Flacco type of QB. It could be the cause for a nice offensive improvement, as Josh McCown was arguably the leagues worst starter last season. Aside from Winston, I think in terms of talent this team added some, but in terms of depth, they lost some. Additions like George Johnson, Henry Melton, Bruce Carter, Sterling Moore and Chris Conte they gain starter experience, and really a lot of potential upside in the whole. In that they lose Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson, Adrian Clayborn, DaQuan Bowers, Mason Foster and Dashon Goldson. There is a lot going, and while some was replaced it is tough to see if they got better or not for year two of Lovie Smith. It will all come down to Winston as it seems to always do, but this roster at least has decent core pieces for potential turn around.

Offensive Strength

The young core of this offense is what is going to make this team clique. You have Winston at 21, leading Mike Evans stud receiver at age 22, an emerging tight end in Austin Seferian-Jenkins at 22, and behind him you have Doug Martin and Charles Simms at 26 and 24 respectively. Mike Evans is going to be the go to man for Winston for years to come. Winston had his best season throwing deep balls to Kelvin Benjamin, and Mike Evans is basically just a faster version of the FSU wide out. Evans gets to learn from a veteran in 34-year-old Vincent Jackson, and Jackson at 6’4” should still be in the red zone mix. Evans, Jackson, and Seferian-Jenkins are all 6’4 or taller, and that should play well with Winston who tends to sling high arching deep balls. I see Charles Simms being Winstons’ dump off if the deep ball does not set up down field and it sets up well for a youngster to have all these pieces to play off of. Simms is a much better back in passing situations and provides a need for Doug Martin who has struggled since his rookie season in 2012, where he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. He now only has a career average of 4.1 and his last two years he failed to crack four yards per carry. If Simms can develop between the tackles, they have a do every thing guy to work with, but until then Martin can be a nice piece in situations. The offense that ranked 31st in both rushing and receiving should improve in both areas, but again by how much? One thing I will say is that it will be the offense that will be winning this Tampa Bay team football games.

Offensive Weakness

What will hold this team back is if Winston doesn’t even have time to drop back. The entire offensive line is in flux. Logan Mankins is the best name of the group, and he is proven to be over the hill now. The unit averaged 3.9 yards per carry as a team, and ranked 30th in sacks allowed. They added Donavan Smith in the draft who now will protect Winston and I thought he was a reach at his second round price. It will be interesting to see if this team can create enough of a rush game, that it isn’t an all out buffet at this young tackle, and his counter part Patrick Omameh. Evan Dietrich-Smith was also probably the worst center in the entire league, and you just wonder if they have any pieces that can put together a positive effort on any given week. It isn’t even a question what will hold this team back, and when it isn’t the rookie QB who is known to make mistakes, you know you have a problem.

Defensive Strengths

Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David are the teams to clear cut leaders. They make what could be a below average front seven, and turn it into a an average unit with potential to be above average. Against the run this team shouldn’t have a problem and it is really both players specialty. As far as their position, I would say the Bucs have two guys in the top five of both of their respective positions. Lovie Smith was handed those two and now has to build around them. It took overhaul, but the unit looks improved on paper. Jacquies Smith was added last season and George Johnson this year and both will be the ends in the Lovie Smith scheme. Neither have much experience, but both have upside, and apparently caught Smiths’ eye. I am hoping to see a lot of rookie Kwon Alexander next to David, and I think that between the drafting of Alexander, and the signing of Melton as well as the two ends looking at big time, that we are looking at an improved unit in year two of Smith. I think it was an overhaul, minus two guys but the direction, at the very least is here.

Defensive Weakness

While the Bucs ranked 8th against the rush in 2014, and added to it, they ranked 23rd against the pass. Smiths’ saying is usually that the front would fix the back end but the back end may still need figuring out. The have an assortment of below average safeties to choose from, and they yet to have a future in that regard either. The recently signed Moore will compete with Mike Jenkins for time, but that will be the matchup the safeties always have their eyes on no matter who it is. Luckily, Jonathan Banks can slide into the slot, but between those two he may also be needed on the outside at times. Alterraun Verner had a great year in Tennesse in 2013, but in 2014 he got paid and didn’t do much of anything to help Smith in thinking this secondary had a future. I know they added “his guys” in the pass rush, but really you think it is going to be so much better to mask this group? They are still a little bit away from being a good defense, but if Banks, or one of the outside vets can make strides, they should stay competitive in games.

Where do they rank? O/U 6

In looking at recent first round picks you see the Panthers jumping to 6 wins, the Colts to 11, the Chiefs to 11, and the Texans to 9. In seeing them you tend to think there may be a jump in this teams win total. Adding Winston should ensure that their most important position is now in better hands, and it should at least give them a chance to be competitive. All that said it wasn’t McCown alone sinking the ship, so this team isn’t going to be a complete turn around, unless Winston is a once in a generation guy like Andrew Luck was. Even Cam Newton took the first step to six wins, and six wins is where I see Tampa Bay this year. It leaves them in last in the division for one more year, but I think I high pick next year to compliment the defense will do wonders for this team going into 2016.

Parkers Pick: 4th in the NFC South, No Play

Logans Pick: 4th in the NFC South, No Play