3 Moves that immediately improve the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
By Rob Leeds
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on track to being competitive in 2019, and these additional moves would improve the outlook on next season even more.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a completely different team at the beginning and the end of the 2019 season.
The beginning of the season featured a sloppiness that haunted the Bucs for the remainder of the year, and it took several weeks before the young team was able to form its own identity.
There was very clear frustration amongst the veterans, personnel changes such as starting cornerback Vernon Hargreaves getting cut, and rookies were thrust into starting positions despite not being ready to play that role.
The season fell short of the expectations to make the playoffs, but the growth that occurred across the team has the Bucs in a great position to compete in 2020.
Tom Brady is the biggest free-agent signing in the history of the franchise, and Tampa Bay has become nationally relevant overnight. The Buccaneers may finally have a home-field advantage again for the first time since the early 2000s.
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Brady will join the extremely capable Buccaneer offense that has two of the best wide receivers in the NFL as well as a more than capable tight end room.
The run game still has some work to do and at least one spot to fill, but Ronald Jones or a rookie will take on a bigger role with Brady at quarterback.
There are also several reasons to be excited about the defensive side of the ball for the Bucs in 2020. Tampa Bay is bringing back their defensive coordinator and all of their defensive starters from 2019.
That group of starters includes the 2019 NFL sack leader, Shaquil Barrett, a member of one of the most dominant front-sevens in the NFL as well as the number-one defense versus the run.
There are many bright spots for the Bucs going into 2020, but there is still work to be done. The Buccaneers would immediately improve by making the following moves.