How the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should utilize remaining cap space

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 06: Jay Ajayi #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field on September 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 06: Jay Ajayi #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field on September 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders is hit by Corey Liuget #94 of the Los Angeles Chargers during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders is hit by Corey Liuget #94 of the Los Angeles Chargers during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Sign Muhammed Wilkerson or Cory Liuget

On the other side of the trenches in Tampa Bay, the defensive line has a ton of name recognition and star power, but very little depth. Behind Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh sit only William Gholston, Beau Allen, seventh rounder Terry Beckner, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches.

It is damning enough that one of the four mentioned have to start for the Buccaneers at this point, let alone the rest make up the completed rotation for Bowles’ defensive front. Maybe the most worthwhile investment the Buccaneers could make with the remaining $3 million in cap space would be to sign a veteran defensive lineman who can come in and start up front.

The two biggest names still on the free agent market are Mo Wilkerson, most recently of the Green Bay Packers, and Cory Liuget, who has spent the entirety of his career to this point with the Los Angeles Chargers. Either of these guys would give the Buccaneers some much needed flexibility and depth in the defensive trenches to help a run defense that struggled a year ago.

Wilkerson has been named to one Pro Bowl in his career as a member of the Jets, and while Liuget has not made a Pro Bowl, he has been responsible for being a consistent gap plugger up front so the likes of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram can get into one-on-one matchups off the edge.

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