The Bucs have clearly loved some unprecedented success lately. When Tom Brady arrived in 2020, he took them to the Tremendous Bowl in 12 months one – they usually received it. In 2021, Tampa Bay received a franchise-record 13 wins and received the NFC South for the primary time since 2007. And regardless of a wrestle of an 8-9 season in 2022, the staff nonetheless repeated as division champions for the primary time ever.
Now, the place do the Bucs go from right here? As Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds wrote about within the newest version of SR’s Fab 5, it is a staff that might use a complete lot extra velocity in 2023. The 2022 staff typically appeared gradual, each offensively and defensively.
There’s definitely a case to be made that the Bucs have to get youthful this offseason, too. This previous season, they had been the Eleventh-oldest staff within the NFL when it comes to common age (26.42), plus they’d 10 gamers who had been 30 or older, which is close to the highest of the league in that class as properly.
Bucs LB Lavonte David – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
So, can Tampa Bay realistically get youthful this offseason? That will show troublesome.
For starters, the staff’s high two pending free brokers – each when it comes to significance and presumably precedence – are properly over the age of 30. If Tom Brady comes again to play his twenty fourth NFL season, he’ll be 46 by the point Week 1 rolls round. On the defensive aspect of the ball, longtime captain Lavonte David simply turned 33.
The Bucs ought to need Brady and David again. They’re the leaders of their respective sides of the ball, and each nonetheless managed to play at a excessive degree in 2022. Brady struggled on the entire, however he nonetheless put up 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns to 9 interceptions with a banged-up offensive line and no run recreation.
David isn’t as splashy as he was, however he’s nonetheless remarkably regular. He completed 2022 with 124 tackles (80 solo), three sacks, 10 tackles for loss, a compelled fumble and a fumble restoration. To not point out, the Bucs haven’t any appropriate replacements for Brady and David in the event that they’re not returning for one more season.
The place Can The Bucs Get Youthful Heading Into 2023?
So, if the Bucs are profitable in bringing Brady and David again, the place can the staff really get youthful? The ability positions on offense could be a begin. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are pretty much as good of a 1-2 punch as you’ll discover within the NFL, however the group behind them left rather a lot to be desired in 2022. Julio Jones’ age-33 season was a large disappointment, whereas Russell Gage spent a lot of his age-26 season sidelined with accidents. Tampa Bay may stand to get youthful and quicker on the vast receiver place.
Bucs TE Kyle Rudolph and QB Tom Brady – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
The tight finish place received a jolt of youth this season, with rookies Cade Otton and Ko Kieft being requested to contribute rather a lot. They did so, partially, as a result of Cameron Brate’s age (30) – and accidents – caught as much as him and Kyle Rudolph (33) proved to have little or no left within the tank after signing on a one-year deal throughout coaching camp.
The Bucs’ backfield isn’t precisely previous, however Leonard Fournette simply turned 28 and had a down 12 months in 2022. Drafting one other younger operating again to enrich Rachaad White may be a clever, future-minded transfer.
On protection, the Bucs loaded up on veterans final offseason. They signed Keanu Neal (27), Logan Ryan (31) and Akiem Hicks (now 33) along with re-signing William Gholston (31). Ryan and Hicks had harm struggles in 2022, whereas Neal and Gholston had been largely ineffective.
Over on particular groups, kicker Ryan Succop is 36 and now not has the leg to reliably join on discipline objectives longer than 45-47 yards. Head coach Todd Bowles just lately spoke concerning the staff’s kicking scenario and whereas he was complimentary of Succop, he did observe that they want to have the ability to kick from 50-55 yards out as properly.
This offseason, the Bucs could be clever to pattern youthful. Now, youthful doesn’t mechanically imply higher and simpler, however relating to issues like sturdiness and velocity, youth generally is a main plus. And for the place Tampa Bay is correct now, buying and selling expertise for well being and quickness must be the best way ahead.
Why Tampa Bay May Battle To Get Youthful This Offseason
Bucs GM Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
As a lot because the Bucs may wish to get youthful within the coming months, it might be a problem. And that’s not solely as a result of Brady and David would nonetheless impression the staff’s age in the event that they return. It’s a wage cap situation. Tampa Bay is $54,833,921 over the cap proper now, per OverTheCap.com.
Among the strikes the Bucs make to turn into cap compliant will doubtless make them youthful, however they received’t have a variety of room to work with as soon as free company begins. The best way issues look, a variety of their strikes could fall within the veteran minimal realm, and people forms of contracts are sometimes spent on, properly, veterans.
The NFL Draft will definitely give the Bucs an opportunity to get youthful, and that’s the place they can get quicker. A younger, speedy receiver, similar to Boston Faculty’s Zay Flowers,who’s featured within the new Pewter Report Bucs mock draft, to combine in with Evans and Godwin could be massively necessary, as would some younger go rushers.
These are priorities no matter Brady’s standing. There was a severe lack of explosiveness with the offense in 2022, and the protection didn’t put stress on the quarterback with a lot regularity. It’s arduous to win if you fail in each of these areas.
Now, if Brady does come again, a “youth motion” of types might not be within the playing cards this offseason. Tampa Bay is all about maximizing its Tremendous Bowl window, which has been extra open than ever with the ageless seven-time championship quarterback on the town. Confirmed, dependable additions have been the precedence since his arrival in 2020, and that roster-building technique has labored out for essentially the most half.
However Brady or no Brady – as a lot as they probably can – the Bucs have to begin constructing the opposite areas of their roster for the longer term.
