What free agent targets should Tampa Bay target this off-season?
Despite two consecutive 5-11 seasons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a strong, successful nucleus of players that could lead them to a playoff berth for the first time in 12 years.
That being said, there are some glaring holes in key positions that have to be addressed to pull it off.
Here are five players who are set to be free agents on March 17 and the Bucs should consider pursuing.
1. Bashaud Breeland, Cornerback
The Buccaneers need a veteran presence in the secondary. Brent Grimes is now all but out of Tampa, and that leaves them with just Ryan Smith and second-year players Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart as their starters. An experienced player could help mold the young secondary, and teach them what it takes to be an NFL player. Breeland would be relatively cheap, yet a proven option for this Bucs team. In 2017, Breeland earned $750,000 and could be signed again for the veteran minimum. Signing with the Bucs could also give Breeland an elusive opportunity to start. He only played seven games in 2018 for the Packers but still managed two interceptions, bringing his total to 10 in his four-year career.
2. Trey Flowers, Defensive End
Tampa has the fourth least salary cap space in the NFL, so moving on from defensive players such as Vinny Curry (owed $8 million), Beau Allen ($3.5 million) and even Gerald Mccoy ($13 million) could very well be in the franchise’s plans. Flowers would fill one of the holes left at the position as well as team up with Jason Piere-Paul, Vita Vea and Carl Nassib on the defensive line. Flowers has had at least 6.5 sacks in each of his last three years and is still only 25 years old.
3. Tyrann Mathieu, Safety
Tampa found itself depleted in the secondary this past season as both Chris Conte and Justin Evans were lost to injury and placed on injured reserve. Standout rookie Jordan Whitehead also ended up injured for a few games, and Conte will be an unrestricted free agent coming off of the torn ACL. The Bucs could use someone like Mathieu, an aggressive defender who excels in breaking to the ball and plays the whistle. Mathieu had 89 tackles in 2018, tied for most in his career, along with two interceptions. The Bucs also have a unique recruiting tool –– as they hired Bruce Arians, the man who drafted Mathieu out of LSU.
4. Kwon Alexander, Linebacker
Along with Lavonte David, Alexander has been one half of the Bucs dynamic linebacking duo since 2015. Alexander’s biggest strengths are his football IQ and speed he uses to get into the backfield, paired with his solid tackling. Alexander will be looking for much more than the $1.9 million he made in 2018, but recovering from surgery to repair his torn ACL could hurt his leverage for a big contract. With four Bucs linebackers ending up on injured reserve last season, resigning Alexander should be a top priority this offseason.
5. Adam Humphries, Wide Receiver
Humphries was a safety net for quarterback Jameis Winston in 2018. He hauled in 76 receptions for 816 yards and five touchdowns. While fellow wideout Mike Evans drew attention to himself with his 6-foot-5 frame, Humphries was able to get himself open and move the chains. The Clemson product is coming off of his second consecutive season with a catch percentage in the 70s, and with receiver Desean Jackson possibly not returning to Tampa, he could be the Bucs’ third starting wide receiver next to Evans and Chris Godwin. Letting Humphries go would be a mistake, as he’s proved a reliable and prominent part of the Buc’s prolific offense.
