Do the Buccaneers have enough defense to challenge the Saints?
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are now members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But does a new-look offense have enough support from the defense?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed the most successful quarterback in league annals in terms of Super Bowl championships. They traded for one of the most prolific tight ends in NFL history. And last Thursday night in the first round of the 2020 draft, the club moved up one spot to ensure that they would get a little more pass protection help.
Welcome to the newly minted Buccaneers, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Iowa Hawkeyes tackle Tristan Wirfs. Now combine that with the likes of wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate and promising running back Ronald Jones and head coach Bruce Arians has quite the offensive unit at his disposal.
But that about the other side of the football? It’s not a unit that is lacking talent and names. There are veterans such as Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul and linebacking Lavonte David (team-high 122 stops) roaming the front seven. Inside linebacker Devin White was the fifth overall pick a year ago and finished second on the club with 91 tackles. Nose tackle Via Vea was a first-round pick in 2018.
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Outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett had a career year in 2019 in his debut season with the Bucs, led the league with 19 sacks and was given the franchise tag (he has yet to sign his tender) to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere this year. Young cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting (3) and Carlton Davis (19) led the Bucs in interceptions and passes defensed, respectively.
Meanwhile, general manager Jason Licht addressed each aspect of Todd Bowles’ unit during the draft last week by choosing defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (2-Minnesota), defensive tackle Khalil Davis (6-Nebraska) and linebacker Chapelle Russell (7b-Temple).
So can the Buccaneers get the job done defensively and compliment Brady and company? A year ago, the team ranked first against the run but 30th vs. the pass. But it’s also worth considering that Arians’ team allowed 41 offensive touchdowns — 31 during the club’s 3-7 start and just 10 in Tampa’s 4-2 finish.
Standing in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ way in terms of the NFC South are the New Orleans Saints, the team that has won the division three years in a row. That’s a formidable task. But with another year within the same system, Bowles’ unit should be able to pick up where it left off and grow.
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Meanwhile, you would expect the offense to be a lot less mistake-prone. There’s the potential for a big year when it comes to this franchise, one that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2007.