NFL Playoffs: Two Cardinals the Buccaneers Could Target in Free Agency
It’s the time of year where the best teams in the NFL are all competing for a chance to shower in confetti, and hoist a banner in their respective stadium. These are also the days that the other teams are looking to get better. The Buccaneers are no different, watching each game for potential free agents.
Saturday night will be no different as the Arizona Cardinals host the Green Bay Packers. Next season, the Buccaneers will look to unseat one of these teams in the playoffs, and pursue their own legendary moments.
For this post season however, the Buccaneers are on the outside looking in. Unfortunately, it’s a feeling the teams fan base has grown accustomed to, but it’s not a feeling the team wants to stay accustomed to any longer. There is talent to be had in the NFL, and some of those talents are currently wearing Cardinal red, but could be running in Buccaneers’ colors next season.
S, Tony Jefferson:
Jefferson is the Cardinals’ safety who has been tasked with the impossible assignment of replacing All-Pro Tyrann Mathieu.
Jefferson has played well in Mathieu’s absence, and will be a key to the Cardinals’ post-season success moving forward. In the regular season Jefferson started seven times for this years’ NFC West winners, totaling 78 tackles, two interceptions, and five passes defended.
At just 23, Jefferson has 17 starts since making the Cardinals’ team as an undrafted free agent in 2012. The Oklahoma standout has finished fourth on the team in tackles for two years in a row, and has shown the ability to tackle effectively with more than 80% of his tackles being credited as solo tackles.
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The Cardinals will almost certainly look to retain the services of Jefferson, especially considering Mathieu’s torn ACL and Johnson turning 31.
If Jefferson is looking for a starting job now though, he will be looking to teams with a need at the safety position. With his ability to play either safety position for one of the NFL’s best defenses, the Buccaneers could be just one team looking to provide him that opportunity.
WR, Jaron Brown:
Brown was another undrafted free agent who has been able to make himself a regular member of the Cardinals’ roster. However, with the presence of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, and John Brown, the third year pro has been limited to less than 25% of the team’s offensive snaps.
Despite the lack of playing time in one of the league’s best passing offenses, Brown has still been able to make an impact when needed by hauling in 44 catches for more than 500 yards, and four touchdowns in his career.
As the playoffs progress, the Cardinals may need to spread the ball more against stiffer and stiffer defenses, meaning this Cardinals’ Brown may get more chances to showcase his abilities.
The Buccaneers have a significant lack of depth at the receiver position with few prospects looking to secure the third receiver position. Louis Murphy hasn’t played in a regular season game since week 14 of the 2014 season, and after suffering a significant knee injury, there are questions about him returning to form any time soon.
With Brown’s limited time on the field, he’s going to be fairly low on the free agency list. This should mean his price tag would be worthy of taking a chance on a young player who has shown efficiency with a 60% career catch per target percentage.
Brown is 6’2” and has speed comparable to the Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett. His ability to stretch the field and open up underneath routes for big targets like Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins makes Brown an attractive addition to the Buccaneers roster.
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General Manager Jason Licht is looking to score big in free agency and the draft to bring the Buccaneers back to relevancy in the NFC South and end the team’s current playoff drought. Both Jefferson and Brown could provide talent and depth to two of the teams’ weakest areas on both sides of the ball. If the Cardinals advance deeper into the 2016 post-season, then both players will have more chances to display their abilities, and the Buccaneers will have more chances to evaluate their potential as future Buccaneers.