Just one season removed from having the number one pick in the draft, are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers already in a position to push for the playoffs?
This time last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had just chosen quarterback Jameis Winston with the first overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft and were preparing to go forward with him as the face of the franchise. The following year, could that same Bucs team have made enough progress to be a dark horse challenger for the playoffs?
The first season in the pros for Jameis Winston was not without its struggles. At times during the season, he looked very much like a rookie who was in way over his head, which is to be expected to some degree. Winston struggled mightily early, with two of his first three games finishing with a completion percentage below 50 percent, and two games with just slightly more than 200 yards passing, while throwing five interceptions in those three games.
However, towards the end of the season, you saw flashes of what made Winston the top selection; why the Buccaneers were confident with him as the face of the franchise. Winston finished the season strong, throwing for over 300 yards in two of three games down the stretch, with four touchdowns and five interceptions.
Winston finished the season with over 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns, while throwing 15 interceptions, and is looking to improve upon those numbers in his sophomore season. Winston has reportedly shown up to camp having lost nearly 20 pounds, seeking to improve upon his conditioning and cut down on the 27 sacks he accrued in his rookie campaign.
Cutting down on turnovers will be key for Winston as he progresses from year one to year two. 15 interceptions isn’t terrible, but having a healthy Vincent Jackson this year to go along with Mike Evans should help Winston cut down on the costly mistakes he, and all rookies, made. Jackson missed five games last year due to injury, not seeing the field long enough to build a rapport with Winston.
What held the Buccaneers back in the 2015 season though wasn’t the play of their rookie quarterback, but rather the sub-par play of their defense. The 2015 Buccaneers defense gave up the seventh-most points in the league at just over 26 points per game.
To the front office’s credit, they spent the majority of their focus in the off-season on correcting these issues and did so in a big way.
During free agency, the Buccaneers brought in former Miami Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes, after the relationship between him and the team went south. Grimes steps in and immediately becomes the team’s top cornerback.
They also went out and signed defensive end Robert Ayers away from the New York Giants to pair with William Gholston and Gerald McCoy on what is now a formidable front four.
The front office wasn’t satisfied with the additions in free agency and made moves in the draft to sure up the defense even further, grabbing two of my favorite players in the entire 2016 NFL Draft. With their first selection, they chose to pair Brent Grimes with Vernon Hargreaves III, out of Florida.
With their next pick, they again addressed the front line of the defense, selecting whom I believed to be the best pure pass-rusher available in the draft, Noah Spence, from Eastern Kentucky. Though some character issues caused him to fall out of the first round, this could wind up being a stellar pick for the Buccaneers for years to come.
In a rather confusing move, the Buccaneers also chose to address their special teams unit during the draft. Shortly after picking Noah Spence in the second round, the Buccaneers decided to trade back up into the second round to grab Roberto Aguayo, a kicker from Florida State.
Aguayo was hands-down the best kicker available, but conventional wisdom would have you believe that he would have been available much later in the draft. That being said, he should provide an upgrade at the position, and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.
While the Buccaneers have improved the defense, and the offense should improve with another year together, it is not going to be an easy road for the Bucs in their hunt to make the playoffs. They play in a division that saw the Carolina Panthers finish 15-1 last year before ultimately losing in the Super Bowl. The division also houses Drew Brees with a new stock of talented receivers, and an Atlanta Falcons team that can’t be counted out while they still have Matt Ryan and Julio Jones.
must read: Oakland Raiders in 2016
Looking beyond their division, they have plenty of contenders if they are competing for a Wild Card spot, as well. The New York Giants look to be much improved next season, as do the Dallas Cowboys if star quarterback Tony Romo can stay healthy.
They should also receive some heavy competition from the likes of the Minnesota Vikings or Green Bay Packers (whoever finishes second in that division), and a stacked NFC West with the Seahawks, Cardinals, and a Los Angeles Rams team who could be much improved from a season ago.