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Buccaneers’ Free Agent Decision Report: Bradley McDougald

By Alan Schechter

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Bradley McDougald (30) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Bradley McDougald (30) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Levine Toilolo (80) carries the ball to score a touchdown past Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Bradley McDougald (30) during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Levine Toilolo (80) carries the ball to score a touchdown past Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Bradley McDougald (30) during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Why McDougald Should Go

The Bucs were 22nd in the league in pass defense. 22nd. Both the San Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns were ranked higher than they were. Does that trouble anyone else? You know as well as I do that the Bucs are a defensive football team. They always have been and always will be. Even with a great franchise quarterback they will not abandon that principle.

That being said, 22nd is simply way too low. They needed to bring it up higher, and it just didn’t happen. If they are going to become a defense that can stop the likes of Julio Jones, one could argue that they should clean house, other than Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes. Start fresh and build the secondary around the aforementioned two, and create it to play Bucs football the way we know it to be.

It’s not like McDougald has been a shutdown cover guy. He has two interceptions in each of the past two seasons. I admit that a couple of them were big, but he is not a guy that is around the football to make a play on it through the air all that often. Usually, the receiver has caught it already, as he has not been that impressive in pass defense. He was ranked 47th in coverage by Pro Football Focus.

Is it time to say goodbye?

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