Gene Deckerhoff: 2020 Buccaneers Defense has 2002 Potential

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making waives the offseason, with players, coaches and media members appearing on national TV on a daily basis.

This time, Buccaneers radio announcer Gene Deckerhoff was on NFL Now Thursday afternoon to discuss expectations for the defense in 2020.

“The re-signing of Jason Pierre-Paul, the re-signing of Ndamukong Suh, and then putting the franchise tag on the league’s leading sack artist…and hopefully we get that deal done soon…Shaq Barrett, this front four reminds me an awful lot of the front four that won the Superbowl in 2002. I think defensively, is where you are going to see the biggest improvement from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this year.”

It was a tail of two halves for the Buccaneers defense in 2019. In the first half of the season, Tampa Bay gave up 31.5 points per game. In weeks 10 through 17, that number dropped to a whopping 25.25.

Looking at advanced metrics, the Buccaneers had the fifth most efficient defense in the NFL according to DVOA. First in the run, and 12th in the pass.

Even if you look at basic statistics, the Buccaneers defense ranked first in the NFL last season in yards given up on the ground.

So if Gene Deckerhoff believes the 2020 defense can play at a 2002 level, you better take notice.

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