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Buccaneers 2018 Off-Season Position Preview: Quarterback

By David Harrison

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs for 17 yards 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: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs for 17 yards 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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ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 26: Ryan Fitzpatrick #14 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drops back to pass during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 26: Ryan Fitzpatrick #14 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drops back to pass during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

Potential Free-Agent Targets

Personally, I enjoy speculating about who the Buccaneers might draft more than I do about who they might sign.

Still, the free-agency period begins before the draft, so I’ll go in order of the calendar to keep things a bit more simplified.

Here are two potential free-agent targets the team could add to the roster for 2018.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Previous Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

No need to stray away here. Fitzpatrick came in, in relief of the injured Winston and won two of his three starts.

This doesn’t mean he should be the starter, it means he got to play against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. Perfect games to rest your ailing starter honestly.

Still, he did well. As well as you could ask a backup on a struggling team to do anyway.

He turns 36 during the next season, but he’s not a guy expecting the keys to a franchise who can get your team some wins. At a minimum, he can at least prevent himself from losing the game most of the time.

He’s said he wants to come back, and the Bucs could do a lot worse.

Must Read: Bucs' Biggest Mistakes

Drew Stanton

Previous Team: Arizona Cardinals

Before you completely dismiss this, look at the list of free-agent quarterbacks. Unless you want the Buccaneers to go pay for Sam Bradford to come in and backup Winston, this is probably as good as it gets.

Stanton is experienced and has been in the league for ten years. This means a number of things. For one, it means he knows how to stick in the league. You don’t do this without being, at a minimum, a positive locker room presence and hard worker.

If he can impart some lessons he’s learned from playing with guys like Carson Palmer, Matthew Stafford and Andrew Luck then there’s value added before he ever steps into a live game.

Hopefully he’d never have to. At a minimum, he’d push Griffin a bit more to show he has real NFL potential.

Must Read: Gator Prospects for 2018

In the end, my preference has to go to Fitzpatrick. He knows the team, the playbook, the coaches, and he’s shown at least a reasonable level of success in the same.

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