The offseason activities have started but that doesn’t mean teams are done tweaking rosters. The Buccaneers have some thin spots on defense and could stand to bolster them. But it may take an injury or the release of a player they have already brought in to trigger it. Here are two defenders that could step in and help if the need arises.
Safety
As it stands right now the Buccaneers made a savvy move to sign Ryan Neal to play opposite Antonie Winfield Jr. But still, there are some depth issues. I for one fully anticipated an addition through the draft. That didn’t happen.
John Johnson III is a very serviceable player with above-average grades in coverage and good numbers everywhere else when you look at his player profile on PFF. Add in a few pass deflections, interceptions, and decent tackling numbers and a great role player emerges.
He won’t be required to start but he can add needed depth at the position. Overall he would be a solid addition to an area that is short on talent.
Linebacker
There’s a sense that this may be the last years for Lavonte David and the Devin White situation is still looms near by. Depth is also shallow for the linebacker crew. One way to resolve the issue is to bring in a rotational player who can fill some what the gap of a departure next season. Often forgot Myles Jack can do just that.
I picked Jack earlier, when the news broke about White, to come in and add depth. Here were my thoughts from the previous article.
“Myles Jack has not lived up to his potential and at only 27 years old there is still tread on the tires. Maybe Todd Bowles can get the best out of him. He, like the others will be cheap. He does possess some similar numbers to White though. 104 tackles, 43 solo, are much of what needs to be added back in after a trade. But where he excels is tackling. Last season he only had a miss percentage of 6.3%. White has averaged 10% over his four years. Also, I believe that Jack fits better in this scheme than he did in Jacksonville’s or Pittsburgh’s.”
Final Thought
No team is ever really complete. There are always weaknesses and positions that need addressing. If things don’t pan out during the preseason trainings and games or if injuries hit the Buccaneers need to be ready to pull the trigger on a new addition. These payers can be a quick stop gap or added depth. So keep an eye out for moves as we move closer to the seasons start.
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