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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training camp battles to watch: Defense

By Brian DeFeo

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 29: Vernon Hargreaves III of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defends a pass intended for Devin Funchess #17 of the Carolina Panthers in the first quarter of a game at Raymond James Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 29: Vernon Hargreaves III of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defends a pass intended for Devin Funchess #17 of the Carolina Panthers in the first quarter of a game at Raymond James Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 15: Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 15: Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

The NFL offseason is ending soon and training camp is right around the corner. Let’s take a look at some of the most compelling defensive training camp battles for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The old adage, “defense wins championships” didn’t apply to the 2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay had the worst defense in the NFL last season, allowing 378.1 yards per game. They were dead last against the pass surrendering 260 yards per game and their run defense ranked 23rd in the league. It’s easy to see why general manager Jason Licht invested so much money and draft capital in the hopes of turning the defense around.

The massive amounts of yardage given up had much to do with a non-existent pass rush. The Bucs only managed 22 sacks for the entire year. The appalling numbers had to be addressed immediately.

Licht went to work this offseason. He hired Brenston Buckner to coach the newly revamped defensive line and used three top picks to take players on the defensive side of the ball. Licht was also very active in free agency. Signing multiple players to beef up the front seven.

Related Story: Tampa Bay Buccaneers camp battles to watch: Offense

The new-look defense has created open competition at numerous spots along the Buccaneers defense.

At the moment, the defensive line rotation is unclear as there are eight legitimate starters on the roster. Depth is a good thing, but there aren’t enough snaps to go around. The battle in the trenches will be one to watch.

The secondary is also a crapshoot with Brent Grimes as one of the few solidified starters in the back end. Three draft picks will be entering the mix and the unit could be due for a major shuffle.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest defensive position battles the Bucs will have in the upcoming training camp.

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