Can the Buccaneers keep their defense together for 2021?
The reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some work to do this offseason to keep their dominant defense intact.
No team has repeated as NFL champions since the New England Patriots turned the trick in 2003 and 2004 with victories in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX, respectively. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope to be the team to end that drought.
But general manager Jason Licht and head coach Bruce Arians know there will be some obstacles. And the first is making sure the team can get back as many of their good players as possible as 25 performers (via Spotrac) can become unrestricted free agents on March 17.
“It’s usually the money…,” Arians said to Greg Auman of The Athletic. “If it’s close, I think our guys really want to stay. They know they have something special. I don’t think any of them want to leave. I don’t get involved in the dollars. I just let them know we want them back.”
The focus here is the defensive side of the ball and there is a trio of standouts that command the most attention. Ndamukong Suh has had two solid seasons with the Bucs and there seems to be mutual interest between the player and club (via Albert Breer of SI.com).
But what about standout linebackers Shaquil Barrett and Lavonte David? The former led the league with 19.5 sacks in 2019 and played 2020 under the franchise tender. He had four sacks in the playoffs, three in the NFC title game win at Green Bay.
David is a nine-year veteran who has totaled 100-plus tackles eight times and already has the kind of career numbers that warrant Hall of Fame consideration. Reserve defensive tackles Steve McClendon and Rakeem Nunez-Roches are also potential free agents. In fact, only nine of the Bucs’ potential 25 free agents are on the defensive side of the ball.
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But when you consider the Tampa Bay offense also has to make decisions on standouts such as wide receivers Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown and running back Leonard Fournette, as well as some other performers when it comes to depth, you can see the potential issue. In any case, few will forget the job that coordinator Todd Bowles and his unit did on the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV and Suh, Barrett and David all played significant roles. Will all be back in 2021?