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Buccaneers: The Biggest Mistakes of 2017

By Jerry Stalheim

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints on December 31, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on from the sidelines during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints on December 31, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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NOT ADDING ANY OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

In 2016 The Buccaneers per Footballoutsiders.com grades had the 21st ranked run blocking offensive line and the 16th ranked pass blocking offensive line, and the running game averages 101.6 yards/per game and gave up 35 sacks on 578 drop backs (5.7% of pass plays).

Prior to the 2017 season the Buccaneers chose to shakeup the offensive line in hopes of getting the proper pieces in the right places and improve their offensive line and moved right guard Ali Marpet to center, JR Sweezy in at right guard, and chose to give interior utility lineman Kevin Pamphile the left guard spot with Donovan Smith and Demar Dotson staying at left and right tackles.

Did the changes help at all? Well according to Footballoutsiders.com somehow the Buccaneers run blocking went from 21st ranked to 16th ranked which is hard to believe since they averaged 90.1 yards rushing/game but they did rush 62 less times then in 2016. The pass blocked stayed ranked the same (16th) but actually gave up more sacks (40) on more pass plays (605 drop backs or 6.2% of pass plays).

Obviously then the changes did not help much granted Sweezy missed two games, Marpet and Dotson missed five games each, and they could not seem to figure out if Pamphile or Evan Smith was going to be the left guard, but still the offensive line just did not get it done.

Then why not go out and sign a guard last free agency like Larry Warford, Luke Joeckel, Chance Warmack, Kevin Zeitler, or Ron Leary who were all available and received an average annual salary of $7.8 million for three years?

In 2017 the Buccaneers spent the 25th least amount of money on guards averaging $2.1 million on three players, and the 27th least on the offensive line as a whole averaging $12.2 million on 9 players. Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs this season nine rank in the top fifteen spenders on the offensive line and all of them in the top twenty. Hmm protect your franchise quarterback and make holes for the run game and you will be successful, who would have thought?

It was a major “Mistake” to not make additions to the offensive line last off season especially the interior left side where neither Pamphile or Smith are starting left guards in my opinion.

Next: Buccaneers 2018 Win Total Predictions Already? Pffft...

There you have it those are the four major “Mistakes” that I found that the Buccaneers committed as an organization last season that contributed to the Buccaneers disappointing 5-11 record and if they do not get corrected during this 2018 off season the Buccaneers again will struggle for a winning record.

So now you tell me fellow Buccaneers fans was signing Chris Baker over Calais Campbell one of the biggest mistakes of the off season (duh), waiting too long to draft a running back, keeping Mike Smith after last season, or not addressing the offensive line in the off season all of the biggest mistakes that contributed to the Buccaneers awful record?

Did I miss any feel free to let me know in the comments section of this article or tweet me directly @ND1Bucsfan and thanks for reading and enjoy.

Even though we did not get to see our Buccaneers in the playoffs again this season with the season over it is getting closer and closer to the start of next season where the Buccaneers will add the talent to improve so we can be excited about that and as always … FIRE THEM CANNONS!!!

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