The NFL Draft Countdown is where we take a closer look at an NFL franchise to see what its transactions have been and what its needs are.
Franchise
Draft Position: 3
2009 Season Result: 3-13 (4th in NFC South; Missed Playoffs)
2009 Head Coach: Raheem Morris
2010 Head Coach: Raheem Morris (3-13; 0-0)
Key Transactions
WR Antonio Bryant (to CIN)
S Sean Jones (from PHI)
S Will Allen (to PIT)
P Josh Bidwell (to WAS)
Draft Picks
1-3
2-3
2-10
3-3
4-3
5-22
6-3
7-3
7-10
7-25
7-46
Analysis & Outlook
That entire “let’s put the youngest HC ever in charge” thing last season hasn’t really worked out. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers who won a Super Bowl not too long ago are now in complete disarray. The offense was poor and the—once mighty—defense ranked dead last in run defense.
Defensively, they’ll need to get back to their old form, and that means building up the quality on the D-Line and in the secondary. They signed S Sean Jones, but the Buccaneers have some late-round picks to expand there.
On offense, they need more playmakers in the passing game. It’s been very up-and-down throughout games and the running game was far from spectacular as well. The O-Line is good, they just need more big plays.
On the bright side, the Buccaneers have plenty of picks, including three selections in the top 42. They’d like to land a DT like Gerald McCoy to help boost that D-Line again. They can add a LB or a WR in round two, another group of defensive players in rounds three to give and close out with additional need/value players.
I think the Buccaneers will continue to struggle for another two years. That’s when I think they’ll have turned that defense around to becoming young and competitive again. The offense will follow as QB Josh Freeman develops.
2010 NFL Draft Countdown: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Franchise
Key Transactions
Draft Picks
Analysis & Outlook
That entire “let’s put the youngest HC ever in charge” thing last season hasn’t really worked out. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers who won a Super Bowl not too long ago are now in complete disarray. The offense was poor and the—once mighty—defense ranked dead last in run defense.
Defensively, they’ll need to get back to their old form, and that means building up the quality on the D-Line and in the secondary. They signed S Sean Jones, but the Buccaneers have some late-round picks to expand there.
On offense, they need more playmakers in the passing game. It’s been very up-and-down throughout games and the running game was far from spectacular as well. The O-Line is good, they just need more big plays.
On the bright side, the Buccaneers have plenty of picks, including three selections in the top 42. They’d like to land a DT like Gerald McCoy to help boost that D-Line again. They can add a LB or a WR in round two, another group of defensive players in rounds three to give and close out with additional need/value players.
I think the Buccaneers will continue to struggle for another two years. That’s when I think they’ll have turned that defense around to becoming young and competitive again. The offense will follow as QB Josh Freeman develops.