Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy signs with Carolina Panthers

Today the worst fears of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were realized after former defensive tackle Gerald McCoy signed with NFC rival Carolina Panthers.

After weeks of speculation after Gerald McCoy‘s unceremonious departure for the Buccaneers the former first team All Pro defensive tackle has found a new home in North Carolina. With this move McCoy has made it clear that if he is not going to play for the Bucs then he is going to make them pay for it twice a year.

Despite the fact that Carolina has been a likely landing spot for McCoy from the start this move still hurts Bucs fans everywhere. McCoy has been linked closely with the Cleveland Browns who could be the breakout team in 2019 but ended up settling a little closer to his previous home. McCoy had made it known that he wanted to sign with a contender and he found one in Carolina with arguably better weather than one could find in Ohio.

Last year Carolina started out the season 6-2 and appeared in place to prove a challenge to the New Orleans Saints. After a Cam Newton injury that he continued to play through the Panthers lost seven games in a row ending their season at 3rd place in the NFC South and out of the playoffs.

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This offseason the Panthers have had the opportunity to regroup and to heal. Carolina also added Brian Burns to their edge from the draft to further remind the Bucs of their offensive line woes.

McCoy wanted a contender and when this team is healthy it certainly is one. This defense will be able to carry McCoy if he has an off day and it has enough talent that McCoy could take easier matchups than he had to take with the Bucs.

The loss of the McCoy hurts the Bucs but having him go to a divisional rival hurts even more. Regardless of your view in the Sun-McCoy debate, McCoy going to a twice a year opponent sours the moment even further.

McCoy paired up alongside Kawann Short, Brians Burns, and Dontari Poe makes for one of the best pass rushing groups in the league, and the Buccaneers offensive line will now have to bear the consequences of the front office cutting McCoy. With McCoy gone and looking for revenge the spotlight now becomes even brighter on Suh.

If there was a time for a replacement to step in and show out this would be it. Suh is getting the exact treatment that he wanted and will get to wear 93 for his new team. With everything going right Suh may be incentivized to play at the top form that he has been known to play at, but any lapses in play like he had in 2018 for the Rams will be very clear. Here’s to Bucs fans hoping that Such is going to play angry this year because Gerald McCoy sure will be at least twice a year.