With the 2017 NFL free agency period ramping up soon, the Buccaneers will surely be very busy. How they will do remains to be seen, but for now, we’ll take a look back on how things went in year one for the 2016 free agency class.
Every offseason, teams have to address needs and roster gaps through free agency and the draft. In the last couple of years, it seems like general manager Jason Licht and his Buccaneers front office are still looking for a healthy split between both of them.
We all remember the 2014 free agency class. It turned out to be a heavy disaster, with Josh McCown, Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson, Alterraun Verner all gone. Only Verner and Clinton McDonald lasted more than one season with the Bucs. 2015 wasn’t much better, with the main signings being Chris Conte, Henry Melton, Sterling Moore and Bruce Carter. It seemed like, for two years, head coach Lovie Smith had a heavy say in Licht’s decision-making. Once Smith was fired, Licht had his first shot at running the team completely his way.
The team’s 2016 free agency class turned out to be a pretty good one. We’re here to evaluate each of the “major” signings, with a grading scale from A to F. We’ll start with the players that the team already had before the period, then move on to those who were new to Tampa Bay in 2016.
Doug Martin (Grade: C-)
The Bucs had a decision to make on running back Doug Martin last year, as the 2012 first-round pick was heading into free agency. Because he was coming off of an outstanding season in which he rushed for 1,402 yards and six touchdowns, the team decided to give him a five-year, $35.8 million contract.
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The signing seemed smart at the time, but one year later, it’s not looking so good. Martin struggled early in 2016 before going down with an injury. Upon his return, he was still ineffective. Then, the big news hit in late December that the NFL was giving him a four-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. Martin then announced in a statement that he would be entering rehab to get some help.
At this point, Tampa Bay has another decision to make regarding the 28-year-old. There’s seems to be a high likelihood that he gets let go, but the team won’t take a cap hit due to the circumstances surrounding it. Since his guarantees in the contract were voided due to the suspension, the Bucs would actually save $7 million by cutting him. So, the signing gets a C-minus just because it didn’t work out whatsoever. The grade would be lower, but since the deal won’t hurt in the long run, the front office dodged a bit of a bullet.
Chris Conte (Grade: C)
After playing some decent football under head coach Lovie Smith’s scheme, the Bucs gave Chris Conte a one-year, $3 million contract. Whether or not that was a reasonable contract for the 28-year-old safety depends on who you ask. At the time, it didn’t seem like too high of a price for him, but looking back on his 2016 season, it seems like way too much.
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For the record, I’m not picking on Conte. A lot of people, including myself at times, got into a habit of that throughout the season. But, I think most would objectively say that he had a down year. He definitely had his moments and even helped the Bucs win a game or two, but he was a liability in the secondary far too often. He wasn’t difficult to beat in coverage (more often than not) and he missed his share of tackles.
There was an injury late in the season, which ended up costing him some playing time down the stretch. Keith Tandy played exceptionally well in Conte’s absence, which may give him some stronger consideration heading into the 2017 season. Either way, the return on last year’s deal with Conte turned out to be okay. The Bucs got some average to below-average play from No. 23 for just $3 million. It’s a deal that wasn’t a major problem, but likely not one the team will want to make again this year.
Brent Grimes (Grade: A-)
The Bucs had severe needs in their secondary heading into the 2016 free agency period. They looked for their answer in the form of ex-Dolphin Brent Grimes. The four-time Pro Bowler signed with Tampa Bay on a two-year, $13.5 million contract. It turned out to be a solid investment for general manager Jason Licht and his front office, as Grimes turned in a good first season with the team.
It’s fairly safe to say things didn’t start out in the greatest of ways, with some early struggles and the built-in controversy that came with his wife, Miko. However, Grimes found his footing. He finished the season with 57 tackles (51 solo), four interceptions and a league-best 24 passes defended. His pick six in week 17 against Carolina sparked Tampa Bay and eventually led to a 17-16 win and a 9-7 record.
Going forward, it looks like he’ll still be a major part of the Buccaneer secondary, at least in 2017. He figures to be a leader on the team’s defense this season, while also helping young cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III come into his own. For the deal that the Bucs gave him, they got a great return. The 33-year-old veteran is still a solid player and has been around for a while now, which makes him a valuable guy to have on the roster in the future.
Robert Ayers (Grade: B+)
Much like the aforementioned secondary problems heading into the 2016 free agency period, the Bucs had an issue to address with their pass rush. They looked to solve at least part of that problem by signing former New York Giant Robert Ayers to a three-year, $21 million contract. $10.5 million of that was guaranteed money for the veteran defensive end, but the deal looks like a pretty good, at least through year one.
Ayers didn’t necessarily have the impact that the team hoped he would, considering he was coming off of a 9 1/2 sack season in 2015. He struggled with injuries early on in the year, leading him to miss four games. When he returned, though, he was a force to be reckoned with. Five of his 6 1/2 sacks came after he returned from injury. That includes a three-game streak of picking up a sack.
The signing of the 31-year-old looked like a bust at first, when he missed four games early in the season, but his productiveness in the last 10 games of the season was a good sign. He was able to spark his sack numbers, but also provide consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, something that Tampa Bay has struggled with for years. And, he seems to have endeared himself to Bucs fans in a big way. The defensive line still isn’t where it needs to be, but as the Bucs continue to build, Ayers is certainly a great piece to have.
J.R. Sweezy (Grade: D)
Tampa Bay tried to replace retired guard Logan Mankins through free agency last year. It didn’t pan out at all in year one. The team inked former Seattle Seahawk J.R. Sweezy to a five-year, $32.5 million contract (with $14.5 million guaranteed). The deal, at least right now, looks like a bad one.
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Sweezy didn’t play one down of football for the Bucs during the 2016 season. He came into training camp with an injury and was never able to recover. There were a lot of question marks about the injury during camp, with many wondering whether he already had the injury when he signed with Tampa Bay. Regardless, he wasn’t able to suit up in 2016, leaving a lot to be desired on the Buccaneer offensive line. Injuries happen, but the fact that he didn’t play one snap for the Bucs this season makes the deal, one that guaranteed $14.5 million, look awful.
However, there’s still time for this to work out. Sweezy was recently cleared, meaning he could figure into the Bucs’ plans for the 2017 season. He obviously has talent, as not too many would be able to sign that kind of contract if they didn’t. If he comes back this season and ends up playing well, this deal won’t look nearly as bad. For now, simply through one year, it does. But there’s no doubt that the front office, coaches, fellow players and fans hope that it’ll all work out for the soon-to-be 28-year-old.
Daryl Smith (Grade: C)
With Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander leading the Bucs’ linebacker corps, it’s not too hard to forget about the other players in the group. That was the case in 2016 for veteran Daryl Smith, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Tampa Bay last offseason. He had an okay season, with 35 tackles (28 solo) and an interception, but there never seemed to be a time that he made a major difference.
That’s not to say Smith wasn’t worth it. Sometimes when you hardly notice a guy, it’s a good thing. He wasn’t bad, but he also didn’t make a major impact. His veteran presence was likely a factor in signing him, especially considering the youth of Alexander. If Smith was able to help him along, then it’s hard to say that he wasn’t worth the one-year deal that he received. He played under defensive coordinator Mike Smith in Jacksonville, so the familiarity helped. There weren’t many memorable moments for the (almost) 35-year-old in a Buccaneer uniform, but he provided value to a young defense easing its way into yet another new system.
While the team likely won’t re-sign him this offseason, Smith was a good piece to have for what was somewhat of a transitional year for the franchise, as it ushered in a new head coach and defensive coordinator.
Josh Robinson (Grade: A-)
Talk about low-risk, high reward. That’s exactly what Josh Robinson was for the Bucs in 2016. The team signed him to a one-year, $2 million contract as a depth piece. He looked good in the secondary at times during training camp, but he ended up not fitting into the plans for the secondary. Instead, he found his role with special teams and had an outstanding season.
With punt coverage, there aren’t really any eye-popping stats to look for. But with Robinson, it was the eye test. For those who watched the Bucs all year long, they saw that Robinson a consistent knack for making a big impact on special teams. He was a huge playmaker, helping punter Bryan Anger in a big way. Nearly any time an opponent started a drive with poor field position, it was because of Robinson.
The former UCF Knight may have come on board to play cornerback, but once that didn’t work out, he did a fantastic job of settling in with special teams. He didn’t get a whole lot of league-wide recognition, as not too many special teams players do, but he definitely wowed Bucs fans throughout the season. At only 26 years old, Robinson still has a lot left in him. Whether the Bucs are able to re-sign him or not remains to be seen, but if he returns in 2017, it would be a big bonus for Tampa Bay.
Bryan Anger (Grade: A)
Heading into 2016, the Bucs badly needed to upgrade their special teams unit. Their change at the kicking position didn’t go too well this past season, but the switch at punter was an outstanding one. The team brought in 2012 third-round pick Bryan Anger on a one-year, $1.75 million contract. He came into training camp to compete with Jacob Schum and eventually beat him out.
Anger was one of the most consistent players on the Tampa Bay roster all year long. He punted 70 times, finishing with an average of 45.9 yards per punt. 37 of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line, while just five went for touchbacks. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate, with some (including myself) feeling that he was a big-time snub.
The Bucs were clearly happy with Anger’s 2016 production, as they signed him to a five-year, $17 million extension on New Year’s Eve. The low-risk one-year deal that they gave him before the 2016 season turned out to be a great one, as it gave them a consistent punter for the first time in a while. He proved a lot, which earned him a spot on the Tampa Bay roster for years to come.
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How would you grade the 2016 free agency class, Bucs fans?