Team assessment

[Crunked]

Team assessment


Greetings, for those of you in the know you know this is a small part in the bigger picture of creating PSH's first official draft board. We will assess the needs and off season moves of all 32 teams and create the 3 most likely draft scenarios for the upcoming draft. What you will see in these individual articles are 3 things. 1) A short paragraph about how we feel the team listed has and should proceed. 2) you will see a list of positional needs, some will be in blue, those are the position we feel they need to address the most, in red means they have already signed free agents for those positions, in some cases it doesn't mean they won't draft that position, but it does mean they have lessened the need for it at least. The positions are rated "Offensive Needs" and "Defensive Needs" , and they are in order of greatest need to least need in our assessment. 3) you will see the off season moves "up to the minute" to time of posting so you can track all your teams moves up to draft day. If you have input or just want to weigh in, we highly encourage it, we will consider any valid position that is made and will adjust our findings based on that position and site credit to you in upcoming articles on the subject. So feel free read away and give us your feedback.


http://www.walterfootball.com/images/fball/Bucs2_logo.gif Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Year: 3-13)

The skinny:
The Bucs feel they have found their QB. Time will tell but it was unexpected bright spot in a very frustrating season last year. The Bucs needs are many, but they are probably setting in the most advantageous position of the draft, the hard decisions will be made by the Rams and Lions and whoever the Bucs get here, will be worthy of the draft slot. They feel they upgraded their WR core with the acquisition of Reggie Brown recently, time will tell on that move. Which way does the PSH draft board have them moving? You will have to stay tuned to find out.

3. Offensive needs: WR1,LT, RT,WR2
3. Defensive needs: DT,CB,RDE,SS,LDE

Offseason Moves:
Buccaneers sign OLB Jon Alston
Bengals sign WR Antonio Bryant
Buccaneers acquire WR Reggie Brown from Eagles for 2011 6th-rounder
Lions sign WR Brian Clark
Steelers sign S Will Allen
Buccaneers tender RB/KR Clifton Smith
Buccaneers tender CB Elbert Mack
Buccaneers tender WR Mark Bradley
Buccaneers cut CB Torrie Cox
Buccaneers cut P Josh Bidwell
Buccaneers cut P Dirk Johnson
Buccaneers tender WR Maurice Stovall
Buccaneers tender ILB Barrett Ruud
Buccaneers tender OT Jeremy Trueblood
Buccaneers tender OT Donald Penn

[r5d3]

I don't really like some of the things listed as top needs. Neither LT nor RT are needs as long as Penn and Trueblood re-sign, and Tampa's o-line has quietly gelled into one of the best young groups in the league.

Defensively, DT is only a need if they get a guy like Suh, or maybe McCoy. If the Bucs decide to go elsewhere in the first round, or both DT's are off the board, they will be fine with what's on the roster. What the Bucs need is a dominant DT, not any DT, they already have four of those.

You listed SS as a need, don't see it. Again, Tanard Jackson and Sabby Piscitelli have become a formidable safety tandem, and the veteran Jermaine Philips can play both positions. So, SS gets listed, but apparently the LB core is just fine? I like Geno Hayes just fine, and I also like Quincy Black, but really more as a back-up. Tampa certainly needs LB help before SS help.

Everything else looks pretty good for starters.

[Crunked]

Safety is a depth need, so I see what you are saying there. LT-RT are both fine, not great but fine for them and it is in part that OL-DL is so strong in this draft that any tackles on either side are listed your assessment of DT is correct and applies to LT as well. Its just as much who will be avaiable as it is what they need. If you pulled them out of the draft and ask what do they need most and draft position was not known you would probably say, elite WR1 as their first choice but they are too high for that selection so you look at what elite positions will be available. A long winded way to say I do not disagree totally with you, but here is what my thinking was... :)

[r5d3]

At safety, the Bucs lost Will Allen and replaced him with Sean Jones. With Jones and Phillips backing up JAckson and Piscitelli, I think safety is among our strongest position, and we can probably officially strike depth need off the list.

[Hawkeye]

So, SS gets listed, but apparently the LB core is just fine? I like Geno Hayes just fine, and I also like Quincy Black, but really more as a back-up. Tampa certainly needs LB help before SS help.

Everything else looks pretty good for starters.

Maybe they could make that trade for Ernie Sims and send him back to Florida.

Suh or McCoy will most likely be availble when the Bucs pick. If they weren't, I would think they would trade down for a guy like Dez Bryant later on.

[r5d3]

Not sure on Sims. He might flourish in Tampa's system, but with his injury history, I'd rather start from scratch there. Like I said, Black can be a fin stop-gap for the time being.

I also think that the Bucs will end up having one of the the DT's right there for them.

As for Bryant, I realize he fills a bigger position of need, but if we don't end up with Suh or McCoy, I want Spiller.

[Dreamers]

I seem to like TBs talent more then most. I just do not get why everyone is selling a lot of their young talent short. I'd kill for Dre Moore on the JETS and it seems to me most of you think he will never be a starter. Seriously I'd give up a 3rd rounder right now for him. Either way to make out like DT is TB biggest need is just wrong because they have 5 guys that have talent there already. It is really the only position they have plenty of good options. Say they could use that dominate guy all you want but you can find dominate guys elsewhere in this draft not just at DT. I love the RBs they have here as well Williams and Ward are very dangerous if they can stay healthy. Jeremy Trueblood will be resigned and is a very good starter but Penn is mad at TB so I wouldn't be shocked if they replaced him early. Sabby did not look great but I think they stand by him at least 1 more year and Jackson is a viable starter as well. I wouldn't mind seeing them take a game breaker like Berry but much like DT they have much bigger needs. I'm also not that low on Tim Crowder a change of address was just what he needed but anther DE is a big need. White is viable but will never be a good run stopper. That said if JPP is their top guy I'd say trade down. Derrick Morgan is the only DE I think is worth a top ten here and Tamp doesn't appear to like him. Aqib Talib was very good last year but could use a little help. I think WR is their most glaring need and Dez will be a great NFL WR but it has bee a position TB has ignored in the past. Just had to chime in here, go ahead and attack it if you want but I do not see TB as a lost cause like a lot of other people. That is it for me I will not respond again here. Thank you

[r5d3]

I seem to like TBs talent more then most. I just do not get why everyone is selling a lot of their young talent short. I'd kill for Dre Moore on the JETS and it seems to me most of you think he will never be a starter. Seriously I'd give up a 3rd rounder right now for him. Either way to make out like DT is TB biggest need is just wrong because they have 5 guys that have talent there already. It is really the only position they have plenty of good options. Say they could use that dominate guy all you want but you can find dominate guys elsewhere in this draft not just at DT. I love the RBs they have here as well Williams and Ward are very dangerous if they can stay healthy. Jeremy Trueblood will be resigned and is a very good starter but Penn is mad at TB so I wouldn't be shocked if they replaced him early. Sabby did not look great but I think they stand by him at least 1 more year and Jackson is a viable starter as well. I wouldn't mind seeing them take a game breaker like Berry but much like DT they have much bigger needs. I'm also not that low on Tim Crowder a change of address was just what he needed but anther DE is a big need. White is viable but will never be a good run stopper. That said if JPP is their top guy I'd say trade down. Derrick Morgan is the only DE I think is worth a top ten here and Tamp doesn't appear to like him. Aqib Talib was very good last year but could use a little help. I think WR is their most glaring need and Dez will be a great NFL WR but it has bee a position TB has ignored in the past. Just had to chime in here, go ahead and attack it if you want but I do not see TB as a lost cause like a lot of other people. That is it for me I will not respond again here. Thank you


Why so defensive in the end. I think for the most part you hit a lot of nails on the head here. Not sure what your fascination with Moore is, but that's fine. I've stated a few times that I think the overall depth and talent of the DT rotation is solid, and the only way I would like to upgrade it is with a talent like Suh. There is no need for a 3rd rounder or anything like that, you're exactly right where that is concerned.

Piscitelli has played well since becoming the starter, and Jackson is much more than just servicable.

You are right! A pass rushing DE and a game changing WR are the teams' biggest needs. But sometimes you have to look at draft position. While I like the depth of the DE position, I'm not sold enough on any of them to take at #3. Same for receiver. Bryant certainly has the talent to be taken at #3, but I just don't know if he's worth the risk of that high a pick.

So, who are the players worthy of being drafted #3 in the draft? QB's Bradford and Clausen, neither are a need thanks to the Freeman pick last year. OT Okung, likely not a need because I think Penn will be just fine. S Berry, I wouldn't mind it to tell you the truth, even though I do like a safety group already. Joe Haden, perhaps, would certainly make a nice combo with Talib. Suh or McCoy, who could take the defensive line, and in such, the entire defense, to a height they enjoyed when it was anchored by Warren Sapp. Other than those guys, the only other player that I personally grade that high is Spiller, and much like Suh would to the DT's, adding Spiller to the RB group would be penomenal if you ask me.