2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Overview: Complete Roster Outlook
By Leo Howell
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive End
- Adrian Clayborn
- Da’Quan Bowers
- Daniel Te’o-Nesheim
- Aaron Morgan
- Markus White
- Lazarius Levingston
- Ernest Owusu
The Buccaneers are likely not done at defensive end, but Clayborn and Bowers figure to play a majority of the snaps in 2013. Daniel Te’o-Nesheim will be a good backup, but more help is needed. Morgan is likely to stick on the roster, the remaining players don’t likely start the season on the first team.
Defensive Tackle
- Gerald McCoy
- Gary Gibson
- Corvey Irvin
- Matthew Masifilo
- Richard Clebert
McCoy, Gibson, and Irvin are all going to be on the team in 2013, and will be joined with at least one more player. That player to be added will be someone who can be an anchor next to McCoy, and help keep blockers off the linebackers. Irvin and Gibson are both solid backups.
Linebacker
- Lavonte David
- Mason Foster
- Jonathan Casillas
- Adam Hayward
- Dekoda Watson
- Jacob Cutrera
- Najee Goode
- Joe Holland
David and Foster are certain starters in 2013 at Will and Mike linebacker, respectively. Casillas will compete for time at Sam linebacker, but I feel like he’d be a better fit as a nickel situation linebacker. Either way, he could certainly earn a job. If he fails to earn the starting job at Sam linebacker, Hayward and Watson will have an interesting battle for the job. This will be one of the best camp battles heading into 2013. Cutrera and Hayward will likely make the team based on their special teams contributions.
Cornerback
- Leonard Johnson
- Danny Gorrer
- Eric Wright
- Anthony Gaitor
- Keith Tandy
- Myron Lewis
- James Rogers
Wright is almost certainly heading elsewhere in 2013, so Johnson and Gorrer would likely be the starters in 2013 if there were somehow no further additions at this position. That being said, there will be more additions to this position before the season starts. But Johnson and Gorrer will be backups at the position regardless of any further changes.
Safety
- Dashon Goldson
- Mark Barron
- Ahmad Black
- Cody Grimm
- Sean Baker
- Nick Saenz
The safety position is more than set for 2013. Goldson and Barron provide a solid starting duo, with Black and Grimm both experienced backups. Baker will fight for a spot on the practice squad.
Special Teams
- Connor Barth (K)
- Michael Koenen (P)
- Andrew Economos (LS)
- Chas Henry (P)
- Andrew DePaola (LS)
Ho hum. Barth, Koenen, and Economos will be the core of the special teams in 2013. Henry and DePaola will not make the team.
Summary: As I see it, there are 40 roster spots solidified. That means there’s still plenty of room for players to be signed, traded for, or drafted. Obviously cornerback remains a huge question mark, but the rest of the roster seems to have a “week one” core of players in tact. It will be interesting to see how the roster pans out, but the losses suffered this offseason don’t seem to be showing up when the entire roster is spelled out, outside of defensive back.