What Does One More Season Do for the Buccaneers?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defence of the early 2000’s is gone. The power running game led by Mike Alstott is also gone. The genius and former head coach Jon Gruden, who led the franchise to its first Super Bowl title, was shockingly let go last year. The Buccaneers followed suit with a 3-13 season. The franchise has dropped well off the mark and is dwelling in the cellar of the league along with the likes of the St. Louis Rams, the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs. So what’s different about this year?
The Buccaneers have started a rebuilding process, or as the team likes to call it, “a youth movement." This youth movement included a rookie quarterback/head coach combination. Raheem Morris is 33 years-old and sophomore QB Josh Freeman is only 22.
Tampa Bay has begun its building of the future with the draft this year. They took two wide receivers in Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams. They also began rebuilding their defence as they drafted Gerald McCoy third overall and nose tackle Brian Price to stop the bleeding. Both will be instant starters and will try to help the Bucs improve their run defence, which finished last in 2009.
You can expect this youth movement to have its growing pains in 2010. Rookies will not lead a team to championships, but they may lead it to success in the future. The Bucs had better hope that the future builds properly because they do not want to go back to the days of relentless losing. It appeared they overcame their futile history with their win in Super Bowl XXXVII, but now they are back to square one.
On offence, the Bucs have a respectable backfield with Derrick Ward, Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham. If Williams builds on the burst he showed us last year then the Bucs running game can be a solid weapon for them and give them a chance to win some games.
It is too soon to tell whether Josh Freeman is a franchise quarterback. If he was on a better team, he’d probably be learning from the sidelines. Due to the Bucs lack of depth at the position though, it forces the team to develop its top QB prospect through game experience. Freeman threw 18 interceptions last season, which is normal for a rookie, and when the mobile quarterback gets more comfortable in the pocket, his mistakes will decrease. Kellen Winslow should be a help to the young QB as he is a terrific route runner and can take some of the pressure off Freeman.
Defensively, the Bucs can’t afford McCoy and Price to struggle in their rookie seasons. They are both seen as being NFL-ready and are expected to improve the pass rush and the run defence right from the start. Ronde Barber will have to step it up big time as he is the leader of the defence and will have to teach the young boys a thing or two. Barber in turn has to worry about his own game. He had no interceptions in 2009, his first season without one since his rookie season in 1997.
On special teams, the Bucs look set. They have Hunter Lawrence and Connor Barth competing for the starting kicker job and their punter Brent Bowden has a powerful leg. Clifton Smith is also an outstanding returner and will be vital in giving the Bucs the edge in field position.
All in all this season, the Bucs cannot be expected to make the playoffs. This season is about building Josh Freeman, and for the rookies to establish themselves. It is also to see if Raheem Morris is the right man to lead the new generation of the Buccaneers. Any improvement from last year is a positive sign for the young Bucs.
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