Focusing on Defense This Year

The 2019 NFL Draft is a very deep defensive draft. It’s not a very deep offensive draft. As a result, expect the Bucs front office to focus on the defensive side of the ball for the majority of the draft. Obviously, free agency comes first, but keep in mind, the Bucs don’t have a lot of cap room to play with.

Despite the reports that claim Gerald McCoy will be back with the Bucs next year, that is not a guarantee. William Gholston’s production has been lacking. Noah Spence has potential, but is also injury-prone. Carl Nassib and Jason Pierre-Paul are both good and Vita Vea is an up and coming star, but it wouldn’t shock me to see the Bucs address the defensive line at some point again this offseason, at least for depth purposes if McCoy doesn’t return to the Bucs. It’s also been reported that Kwon Alexander is going to test the waters of free agency, but he has said that he wants to come back to Tampa Bay. There is a report out there that Jameis Winston has said that Kwon will be back in Tampa this fall, but we’ll see just how much weight that holds, hopefully in the near future.

The secondary is also a big concern despite drafting M.J. Stewart, Jordan Whitehead, and Carlton Davis last year in 2018. Brent Grimes is gone. Vernon Hargreaves hasn’t lived up to the hype.

Winston also claims that DeSean Jackson will be back this fall. Adam Humphries is a top priority for the Bucs front office to bring him back to Tampa. Chris Godwin is also there as well as O.J. Howard. The Bucs are looking at potentially moving Cameron Brate. For the most part, the offense is set.

If the Bucs address the offensive side of the ball at all this offseason, I would imagine it would be on the offensive line and at running back, but this offseason is going to be about building the defense for Todd Bowles’ 3-4 defense.