Buccaneers: Devin McCourty a possible free agent target

The Buccaneers are in need of a veteran safety to help lead their young secondary and Devin McCourty appears to be a great match.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneer secondary struggled to start the 2019 season. The defense as a whole was bailed out by a stellar front seven, but the Bucs do need to make some changes against the pass for the 2020 season.

The Buccaneers do have some good safeties on the roster as of now with Jordan Whitehead, Justin Evans, and Mike Edwards, but they still do need a more veteran member to lead their secondary.

Career New England Patriot, Devin McCourty, seems to be a prime candidate to come to Tampa Bay and serve as a mentor to the young members of the secondary on the roster.

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McCourty is coming off of a very impressive season with five interceptions, seven passes defended, and two forced fumbles. Despite being 32 years old, McCourty is showing no signs of slowing down and would certainly be an upgrade for Tampa Bay.

This move would certainly not be a long term solution due to age and the talented roster that Tampa Bay posses, but a more experienced leader would make a big difference. Devin McCourty would be a big time free agent and this move could help both parties.

While he has spent his entire career in New England, it is not etched in stone that Devin McCourty will stay a Patriot. Bill Belichick has shown that he is not afraid to cut bait with players and it should be known that no one is fully protected.

If signed, McCourty would be one of the oldest players on the team depending on how the Bucs handle free agency with Demar Dotson and Ndamukong Suh. This veteran status and playoff experience would go a long way with the extremely young Buccaneer defense.

McCourty would likely not be a cheap acquisition, especially after the start to the 2019 season that he had. The Bucs would likely have to move on from some of the more expensive free agents and draft replacements if they were to truly see McCourty as a viable option.

In all likelihood, this move would be a temporary one if it occurred, but would still be necessary. The Buccaneers look ready to compete in 2020 and McCourty will bring the playoff experience that the team desperately lacks as well as a consistent high level of production.

If the Buccaneers are concerned about injuries or are unable to go after a player like Jamal Adams in a trade, Devin McCourty would be an excellent option to target in free agency.