Tampa Bay selects Michael Smith, RB, Utah State

With the 212th overall pick in 2012 (7th round, Pick 5), Tampa Bay selected Michael Smith, running back, from Utah State.  Smith is 5'9" and weighed 205 lbs at the 2012 NFL Combine.


NFL Draft Scount highlights:

Smith was clocked in 4.33 and 4.34 in his two 40-yard dash runs (Utah State Pro Day).  Smith once again excelled in the broad jump, clearing 10'6", with Lloyd right behind him with a 10'3" jump. Smith would shine once again in the vertical jump recording a 40.5, which was the best jump of the day.

CBS Sports:

Positives: While shorter than ideal, possesses a thick, well-poportioned frame. Excellent timed speed and has some lateral agility to elude defenders. Possesses natural hands out of the backfield, demonstrating the body control to handle poorly thrown passes and quickly secure the ball before getting upfield. Experienced kick returner with the speed to have a chance at remaining in this role in the NFL. Used as part of a rotation at Utah State and therefore comes to the NFL with relatively fresh legs. Performed well when given the opportunity to be "the guy." Named the MVP of his final game at Utah State (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl), as well as the Players All-Star Classic and demonstrated eye-popping speed during his Pro Day workout after not being invited to the Combine... Negatives: Not quite the sum of his parts. Doesn't run as well on the field as his timed speed would suggest. Appears to have limited vision. Will run up the back of his linemen and can get too cute trying to elude defenders in the open field and fail to get yardage available to him... Missed much of the 2010 season with an injury to his right foot (big toe)... Used a change of pace option behind Robert Turbin and projects best in a similar role in the NFL. --Rob Rang

 Not invited to the NFL Combine;  Smith's college statistics.


Just for fun YouTube Highlights:
2011 Bowl Game Film
Pro Football Weekly Draft Profile

Tampa Bay selects Drake Dunsmore, TE, Northwestern

With the 233rd overall pick in 2012 (7th round, pick 26), Tampa Bay selected Drake Dunsmore, TE, Northwestern.  Dunsmore is 6'2" and weighed 241 lbs at the 2012 Combine.  He is from Lenexa, KS (Saint Thomas Aquinas HS).  Dunsmore was also a 2012 John Mackey Award Candidate.

From Northwestern Athletic Department site:

The 2011 Scouting Report: One of the Big Ten's top returning tight ends and one of the league's most dynamic multi-skill players ... Named to the John Mackey Award preseason watch list for a second consecutive year ... Named to the Big Ten preseason second-team by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele's ... Possesses a terrific skill set: good route runner, great hands, excellent ball skills, and with his added strength and weight, a solid blocker ... Talented all-around athlete ... Sat out the past two spring seasons to rehab from injuries ... Adds another dimension to NU's passing game.

NFLDraftScout:

04/23/12 - Dunsmore probably will be selected later in the draft. More of a receiver than a blocker, he caught 143 passes and scored 14 touchdowns at Northwestern. NFL teams are increasingly looking for tight ends with receiving skills, so Dunsmore has received interest from several NFL teams and worked out for a handful, including the Chiefs, Patriots, Bears and Rams. “I’ve kind of tried to keep a level head about it,” he said. “My main focus is just to be on a team into camp in August. People have said I’ll get drafted. Some said I won’t get drafted. There are so many different things out there. I’m trying not to ride that roller coaster. “This has been a great experience, because until the last couple of years I didn’t anticipate it. I got the late start in football. It was my dad’s family rule: No football until high school. He got into the game late. He didn’t start playing ball until his senior year of high school out in Iowa. “But it’s worked out. When you’re younger, you can develop bad habits. There’s potential for bad coaching. Football is a game that once you’re fully developed physically, you can pick it up pretty quickly.” - Adam Teicher, The Kansas City Star

Combine:

Dunsmore is an intriguing offensive weapon from Northwestern, a college tight end who shows the frame and skill set to be used in a variety of ways at the next level. Much like Chris Cooley in Washington, or the development of Aaron Hernandez this year in New England, Dunsmore has the ability to be a threat from various spots on the field and be a reliable short-yardage option to pick up first downs and create mismatches.

Drake Dunsmore's college statistics at cfbstats.com.


Just for Fun YouTube Highlights
66-yard touchdown versus Auburn 
One handed touchdown versus Penn State
Combine Workout

Chiefs murky the Buccaneers #5 pick

With less than two weeks until the 2012 NFL Draft, no transaction is without consequences in the NFL.

Consider the Buccaneers upcoming #5 pick.  A couple weeks ago, it seemed the Buccaneers would get to choose between Alabama running back Trent Richardson and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.  Then free agency started.

It was not the Buccaneer's head first dive into free agency this season which may have changed their draft   fortunes.  The Kansas City Chiefs signed running back Peyton Hillis away from the Browns, leaving Cleveland with two rookie and two second year running backs, only one of which ran for more than 20 total yards last season.

Richardson would be a solid prospect to add to the Buccaneers lineup.  However, many draft rankings have Richardson as the only running back in the 2012 NFL Draft with Round 1 credentials, and clearly the Browns need another runner.  Richardson is the obvious need, and many predict the Browns will select him, but consider this:  if no other running backs are selected after Richardson, there could still be a solid running back prospect on the board for Cleveland in Round 2.  It's far from a done deal but it does make a lot of sense both from a need and a value perspective.

So it could be that the Kansas City Chiefs, with a free agency pick-up which went down with little fanfare, may have guaranteed the Buccaneers select Morris Claiborne, CB from LSU, with the #5 pick.

It's all related now.

Free Agency resets Buccaneers draft priorities

Recently some previous notes revealed what some people close to the Buccaneers organization said were top priorities of the 2012 offseason. Within the first 24 hours of the opening of free agency, the Buccaneers cleared half the list, and since have addressed a third position.

Cornerback - Added Eric Wright, free agent from the Detroit Lions
Offensive Line - Added Carl Nicks, all-pro guard, from the New Orleans Saints
Quarterback - Added Dan Orlovsky, free agent from the the Indianapolis Colts

What's next?  There are many factors to consider:
- The unaddressed (and rumored) targeted position for the Buccaneers is linebacker
- With the release of Jeff Faine is offensive line back on the table?
- What about moves other teams have made?
- Orlovsky received a two-year deal, while the other three received five-year deals - why?
- Are the Buccaneers done with Free Agency?
- Are the Buccaneers satisfied with the Cornerback and Offensive line squads?

These are the questions which will be addressed over the next few weeks leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft.

A solid 1-2-3 draft scenario for Tampa Bay

With the arrival of March and the combine completed, it's time to start looking a bit deeper into prospects for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2012 NFL Draft.  And, almost immediately, a very intriguing first three selections stands out to demonstrate the possible value the Buccaneers could get from young talent this year.

Round 1, selection #5:  Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU (5'11", 188 lbs)
Not only is Claiborne one of the top athletes in the 2012 NFL Draft, he also plays a position which brings great value to the pick.  A corner who can play solid man-to-man on an island outside not only can create issues for the opposing team's best wide receiver, he allows safeties/nickels to roll up in run support.  Claiborne would also be a fantastic addition to an already young group of defensive backs on the roster, providing depth where every team wants it.  In addition, by the time the Buccaneers select again, three more of the top corner prospects could be gone.

Round 2, selection #36:  David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech (5'10", 206 lbs)
As much as I would like the Buccaneers to go offensive line here, the ACC Player Of The Year could still be on the board. Wilson had 1,709 yards on 290 carries with nine touchdowns last year and is a shifty, make-you-miss type of runner. He is an early entry player and will take some time investment from the Buccaneers. But he has the potential to be an excellent playmaker as well as keep the pressure on opposing defenses when Blount has to come off the field in passing situations.  This is also a solid value pick, as some rating services have Wilson rated as the second best running back in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Round 3, selection #69: George Iloka, FS, Boise State (6'4", 225 lbs)
Iloka is the top-rated free safety in the 2012 NFL Draft and a freak at his position.  He is very solid in run support and is not afraid to tackle.  Considering the big plays and poor tackling in the Buccaneers secondary last season, this is not only a solid replacement for Sean Jones (8th year) or Tanard Jackson (4th year) sometime down the road, Iloka can provide immediate depth and rotation for Cody Grimm who has yet to avoid IR for a full season since being drafted two years ago.  Add in the selection of Ahmad Black in 2011 and the safety position is set for the next several years.

These three picks would settle the running back and safety positions for the next 3-5 years as well as provide a top-level talent in the cornerback ranks.  With the combine over, some of these talents may move up the draft board and not be available when Tampa Bay is on the clock.

Nonetheless, these three men will get a solid look from the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay 2012 Draft Selections

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as of today, will have the following selections in the 2012 NFL Draft:

Round 1, Pick 5 (5th overall)
Round 2, Pick 4 (36th overall)
Round 3, Pick 5 (69th overall)
Round 5, Pick 5 (132nd overall)
Round 6, Pick 4 (163rd overall)
Round 7, Pick 5 (195th overall)

Tampa Bay does not have a 4th round pick in 2012 at this time.  The Buccaneers 2012 fourth round pick (#4 in 4th, 99th overall) was packaged with the Buccaneers 2011 fourth round pick (#116 overall) to move up in the 4th round of 2011 to slot #104, resulting in the selection of Luke Stocker.

Buccaneers have more injury homework this year

Another NFL Draft, another talented prospect with a possible knee for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to mull over.

Last year it was Da'Quan Bowers, who was at one time the #1 prospect in the NFL Draft.  Tampa Bay took a chance on Bowers when he slid deep into the second round (51st overall).  The Buccaneers brought him along at a reasonable pace, and may end up looking stellar:  Bowers played in all 16 games last season as a backup and contributed 22 solo tackles and 1.5 sacks.

This year the player in question is the uber-athlete Trent Richardson, running back from Alabama.  Richardson is generally considered to be one of the two most athletic players in the 2012 NFL Draft along with Morris Claiborne, cornerback from LSU.  Both players are expected by many to be on the board when the Buccaneers select at the #5 overall position.  It's an interesting choice for new Head Coach Greg Schiano.

Richardson, however, revealed last week he would not be participating in the combine drills due to minor knee surgery after an injury in practice leading up to the BCS National Championship Game.  Fortunately for the Buccaneers this time it could be a non-event: the injury required some work on his lateral meniscus and, more importantly, had nothing to do with any ligaments.  Richardson will undergo the typical interview and medical examination processes.

It's a far cry from where Bowers was sitting last season when he was recovering from arthroscopic surgery to repair his right knee.  The medical examination at the combine warned of possible long term problems, and teams shied away quickly.

Fortunately, the story is very different for Trent Richardson.  He has passed the same exams with no such warnings.  This means the Buccaneers could have the top running back as well as the top cornerback on the board when they make their first pick this year.

What could be better than that?

What the Buccaneers say they need

On reviewing some notes from the middle of last season, I came upon a list of needs from a source close to the team.  A few weeks later, another source within One Buccaneer Place gave me a similar list.  Matching up the lists gives the following list of where the Buccaneers may be watching as the 2012 NFL Combine approaches.

Need #1: Cornerback
Both sources had corner at the top of the list, with the departure of Ronde Barber in the near future (neither said this was the season, but both felt the playing career could stop in the next few years).  Other reasons include the inability of Aqib Talib to have a quiet offseason.  Finally, the team believes there is talent on the roster for this position, but wants more fuel on the fire.

Need #2: Offensive Linemen
The current set of offensive linemen have played mostly intact for the past four years, which is spectacular.  However, C Jeff Faine is entering his tenth offseason and three of the other four starters up front are entering thier seventh offseason (tackles Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood and guard Davin Joseph).  The team needs to continue developing young linemen like G Ted Larson and T Derek Hardman so when these veterans complete their careers there are ready and able replacements available.

Need #3: Quarterback
This one surprised me.  It appears the Buccaneers are of the opinion with the new roster limits that carrying a third quarterback will soon be a thing of the past in the NFL.  In that spirit, a top-flight backup becomes that much more important.  QB Josh Johnson could start for other NFL teams and may get his chance during the free agency period this year.  Tampa Bay may try to grab a rookie signal-caller in the middle rounds to backup Freeman for the next several years, hoping the young player will be able to step in right away if needed.

Need #4: Linebacker
Both Geno Hayes and Quincy Black spent time out of the starting lineup this season because of poor performance on the field.  The team believes Dakota Watson is making strides along with Mason Foster.  Drafting a third young linebacker means there is a talented next wall of players ready to step forward if the group does not perform up to the expectations of the new coaching staff.

These needs may have changed since midseason, but I believe the reasons here still apply.  I would expect the Buccaneers to address these positions in some way during the 2012 offseason.

Blount and Richardson could share the backfield

With the fifth pick in the upcoming draft, many prognosticators have elected to peg the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the selection of CB Morris Claiborne from LSU. This makes it all the more fun to talk about other options.

One possibility is running back Trent Richardson from the University of Alabama.  Richardson seems to be considered (pre-combine) one of the top two overall talents this year (with the other being Claiborne).  At 5'11" and 225 lbs, he has the prototypical size of an NFL tailback.

With LeGarrette Blount on the roster this would seem to be a odd move.  But the Buccaneers could make it work.  A pro-set with split backs comes to mind, or mixed formations like the Alstott/Dunn tandem from the turn of the century, with Blount becoming more of a fullback (think "inside tailback") and Richardson being the speed (think "edge tailback").

The only thing which gives pause to this idea is the passing game.  It was widely reported that Blount was unable to catch on to the passing schemes of departed offensive coordinator Greg Olson.  However, a new system and a new, simpler scheme could make those concerns disappear quickly.  Blount showed last season he can be a receiver out of the backfield by catching 15 passes for 149 yards.    Richardson also has shown promise as a pass catcher by snaring 29 passes for 338 yards last season (full stat sheet).

If the Buccaneers are still not comfortable with Blount and pass protection, they have been grooming Kregg Lumpkin for the 3rd down back role, plus undrafted free agent RB Mossis Madu from Oklahoma showed promise last season.  Richardson could be spelled by Earnest Graham, provided Graham has a solid recovery and rehabilitation get him back in prime shape for the upcoming season.

Picking Richardson at #5 would give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a backfield of outstanding young runners comparable to any tandem in the league.  If new Head Coach Greg Shiano is looking for a dominating running attack, this may be the right way to go with the first selection of his NFL career.

2012 Buccaneer Draft Analysis: Core Defense

Continuing to build up our analysis of how the 2012 NFL Draft may line up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we next look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers young core on defense.  Like the young core offense, the "young core" defense is the group of players with five or fewer years of experience -- that is, the players who have not yet reached their second contract.  These are the players who will carry the team to the playoffs for the next four to six years.

The defensive group below is composed of all players with 5 or fewer years of NFL experience from the Buccaneers current roster (as of 1/30/2012).  In addition, I have added the practice squad players who have already been offered contracts for next season.

2012 Young Core Defense

DE: Crowder, Tim (5, IR); Bennett, Michael (3); Wilson, E.J. (2, IR); Te'o-Nesheim, Daniel (2); Reed, Nick (2); Johnson, George (1, IR); Clayborn, Adrian (0); Bowers, Da'Quan (0)

DT: Okam, Frank (4); Miller, Roy (3); Price, Brian (2); McCoy, Gerald (2, IR)

OLB: Black, Quincy (5); Hayes, Geno (4); Watson, Dekoda (2); Cutrera, Jacob (2, IR); Curran, Rennie (0)

MLB: Hayward, Adam (5); Foster, Mason (0); Balogun, Mike (0)

SS: Asante, Larry (1)

FS: Lynch, Corey (4); Jackson, Tanard (4); Grimm, Cody (2, IR)

CB: Talib, Aqib (4, IR); Mack, Elbert (4); Biggers, E.J. (3); Lewis, Myron (2); Holland, Devin (0, IR); Gaitor, Anthony (0); Black, Ahmad (0)

Unlike the young core offense, this group does have some fifth year players: two at linebacker and one at defensive end.  The Buccaneers have selected a linebacker each of the past two drafts (Watson, Foster) and selected two defensive ends in the 2011 draft (Clayborn, Bowers).  Foster, Clayborn, and Bowers earned a significant amount of playing time last season while Watson earned two starts and was a standout on special teams.  It would be surprising for the Buccaneers to take another defensive end in 2012.  A third straight year with a linebacker selection?  Not surprising at all.

In the interior the Buccaneers have plenty of youth.  For now, this unit appears to be well stocked.

I think the most focus of the 2012 draft will be put on the defensive backfield.  The Buccaneers have spent two draft picks each of the past two years on defensive backs (Lewis, Grimm, Black, and Gaitor), with Biggers added in the 2009 draft.  Yet, at times last season the defensive back play was less than stellar.  With Talib, Mack, Lynch, and Jackson reaching the crossover point out of the young core, I expect the Buccaneers to continue to spend draft picks in the defensive backfield.

According to the two-deep at Rutgers, new Tampa Bay Head Coach Greg Schiano played a 4-3 style of defense.  This matches the current Buccaneers roster and player assignment scheme, so I do not expect any targeted positions due to changes in scheme on the defensive side of the ball.

The final anlysis for the defense is a selection on the front line seems highly unlikely given the past two drafts.  A linebacker or two and defensive backs would seem to be where more talent is needed.

2012 Buccaneer Draft Analysis: Core Offense

We continue our draft breakdown by looking next at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers young core on offense.  The "young core" is the group of players with five or fewer years of experience -- that is, the players who are close to their second contract.  These are the players who will be counted on to carry the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the playoffs for the next four to six years.

The offensive group below is composed of all players with 5 or fewer years of NFL experience from the Buccaneers current roster (as of 1/30/2012).  In addition, I have added the practice squad players who have already been offered contracts for next season.

2012 Young Core Offense

QB: Johnson, Josh (4th year); Freeman, Josh (3); Carpenter, Rudy (3); Ratliff, Jeff (3)

RB: Lumpkin, Kregg (3); Blount, LeGarrette (2); Madu, Mossis(0)

FB: Lorig, Erik (2)

WR: Spurlock, Micheal (4); Stroughter, Sammie (3); Williams, Mike (2); Parker, Preston (2); Benn, Arrelious (2); Briscoe, Dezmon (1); Gant, Ed (1); Webber, Raymond (0, IR)

TE: Stocker, Luke (0); Pianalto, Zack (0); Franklin, Colin (0)

T: Lee, James (4); Dotson, Demar (3); Hardman, Derek (2); Ingersoll, Mike (0)

G: Zuttah, Jeremy (4); Larsen, Ted (2); Riley, Chris (0)

C:

There is no heir apparent at Center on this chart, and clearly that's going to become important in the next couple years. Current starting center Jeff Faine is about to start his 10th NFL season in the middle of the trenches: can he keep going? At this point you have to prepare for the day he finishes.  Recently, Jeremy Zuttah has been filling the role.  Ted Larson also played center in college.  So while there may not be a designated Center in the young core, there are players available.

There are currently no fifth year players on this chart, which implies there are no significant offensive needs going into the 2012 draft.  That does not imply that the Buccaneers should not draft offensive players, just that there is no impending hole in the roster which needs a body.

If there was an area to pick, the young offensive line group has only 2 of 7 players who were drafted coming out of college.  This could be the year to add some draft-caliber talent to begin the development of capable replacements.  All the other offensive positions have at least one player who entered the NFL by draft pick, including fullback.

Will the new coach mean a change in direction for the mix in this group?  While the Shiano hiring is just days old, the Rutgers offensive depth chart shows a player distribution similar to the player distribution above, including the existence of a dedicated fullback position.  These young players will get every chance next year to solidify their place on the team.  

The result of this analysis is simple: I do not expect any specific positional targeting on the offensive side of the ball by the Buccaneers on draft weekend.

Next: The Young Core Defense

100 Days Out: The Defense

To start the offseason and run up to the 2012 NFL Draft we take a look at the current Defensive unit roster.  After finishing in the Top 10 in points allowed per game in 2010, the 2011 edition dropped to dead last in the league giving up a ludicrous 30.9 points per game to the opposition.  The collapse of the team at the end of the season resulted in opponents scoring more than 40 points in three of the last four games of the year and the defensive squad finishing 30th in total yards surrendered (394.4 yards per game).  Tampa Bay was dead last in the NFL against the run giving up 156.1 rushing yards per game.

Bold Italics - Drafted by Current GM Mark Dominik

Italics Only - Drafted by Prior GM Bruce Allen

Players not in bold or italics are free agent/waiver wire pickups.

DE(9):  Haye, Jovan(7); Crowder, Tim(5, IR); Bennett, Michael(3); Wilson, E.J.(2, IR); Te'o-Nesheim, Daniel(2); Reed, Nick(2); Johnson, George(1, IR); Clayborn, Adrian(0); Bowers, Da'Quan(0)

DT(6): Haynesworth, Albert(10); McCargo, John(6, IR); Okam, Frank(4); Miller, Roy(3); Price, Brian(2); McCoy, Gerald(2, IR); 

OLB(4): Black, Quincy(5); Hayes, Geno(4); Watson, Dekoda(2); Cutrera, Jacob(2, IR)

MLB(2): Hayward, Adam(5); Foster, Mason(0)

SS(5): Jones, Sean(8); Lynch, Corey(4); Jackson, Tanard(4); Grimm, Cody(2, IR); Asante, Larry(1)

CB(8): Talib, Aqib(4, IR); Mack, Elbert(4); Biggers, E.J.(3); Lewis, Myron(2); Barber, Ronde(15); Holland, Devin(0, IR); Gaitor, Anthony(0); Black, Ahmad(0)

K(1): Barth, Connor(4)

S Sean Jones (76 tackles, 16 assists) and CB Ronde Barber (67 tackes, 12 assists) were he two leading tacklers in 2011.  LB Mason Foster led all NFL rookies with 58 tackles and 26 assists to finish third on the team, and EJ Biggers (55 tackles, 6 assists) and Quincy Black (48 tackles, 11 assists) round out the top five.  Note that three of the top five tacklers were defensive backs -- not a good sign.

During the 2011 season, the following players recorded sacks:
DE Clayborn (7.5 sacks)
DE Bennett (4.0)
DT Price (3.0)
LB Foster (2.0)
DE Bowers (1.5)
CB Barber (1)
S Jones (1)

Clayborn also led the team in fumble recoveries with three (out of 13 total for the team).

The defensive backfield was let by Ronde Barber with three interceptions (of 14 team wide).

100 Days Out: The Offense

To start the offseason and run up to the 2012 NFL Draft we take a look at the current Offensive unit roster.  After finishing in the Top 10 in rushing yards per game in 2010, the 2011 edition dropped to 30th in the league at less than 92 yards per game.  The passing game hit the midpoint of the league at 16th, however, the team scoring average was a dismal 27th at 17.9 points per game.

Bold Italics - Drafted by Current GM Mark Dominik

Italics Only - Drafted by Prior GM Bruce Allen

Players not in bold or italics are free agent/waiver wire pickups.

QB(3): Johnson, Josh(4); Freeman, Josh(3); Carpenter, Rudy(3)

RB(4): Graham, Earnest(8, IR); Lumpkin, Kregg(3); Blount, LeGarrette(2); Madu, Mossis(0)

FB(1): Lorig, Erik(2)

WR(7): Spurlock, Micheal(4); Stroughter, Sammie(3); Williams, Mike(2); Parker, Preston(2); Benn, Arrelious(2); Briscoe, Dezmon(1); Webber, Raymond(0, IR)

TE(3): Winslow, Kellen(8); Stocker, Luke(0); Pianalto, Zack(0)

T(5): Trueblood, Jeremy(6); Penn, Donald(6); Lee, James(4); Dotson, Demar(3); Hardman, Derek(2)

G(3): Joseph, Davin(6); Zuttah, Jeremy(4); Larsen, Ted(2)

C(1): Faine, Jeff(9)

LS(1): Economos, Andrew(6)

P(1): Koenen, Michael(7)

LeGarrette Blount led in rushing at 781 total yards, a solid 4.2 yards per attempt.  The second leading rusher was QB Josh Freeman with 238 total yards, just ahead of Earnest Graham at 206 rushing yards on the season (Graham was put on IR after only 7 games in 2011).  Kregg Lumpkin got off to a rough start in place of Graham and finished with 105 rushing yards, but improved his yards/attempt to a season average 3.4 per carry and was trending up as the season closed.  Finally, free agent Mossis Madu carried 15 times for 55 yards, and Wildcat Josh Johnson carried 11 times for 67 yards.

Kellen Winslow led the team with 75 receptions, but Mike Williams quietly led the team in total yards with 771.  Preston Parker emerged as a threat gathering 13.9 yards per catch, but Arrelious Benn led the team with 14.7 yards per catch.  Running backs Kregg Lumpkin and Earnest Graham each caught more than 25 passes, and 2010 Practice Squad member Dezmon Briscoe emerged this season to gather 35 catches for 387 yards as well as score six touchdowns (which led the entire team).

Josh Freeman threw 551 times in 2011, completing around 62% of his passes for almost 3600 yards.  He was also intercepted 22 times and sacked 29 times.  Josh Johnson threw a mere 36 times, completing about 53% for 246 yards.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2011 NFL Draft Class

Round (Overall) Player, Position, School

1 (20) Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

2 (51) Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

3 (84) Mason Foster, LB, Washington

4 (104) Luke Stocker, TE, Tennessee

5 (151) Ahmad Black, DB, Florida

6 (187) Allen Bradford, RB, USC

7 (222) Anthony Gaitor, DB, Florida International

7 (238) Daniel Hardy, TE, Idaho

200 Days Until 2012 Draft: First Look

To start our run-up to the 2012 NFL Draft, just a mere 200 days away, we drop the current roster (as of Week 4, 2011) for a depth check:

QB Johnson, Josh (4); Freeman, Josh (3)

RB Graham, Earnest (8); Lumpkin, Kregg (3); Blount, LeGarrette (2); Bradford, Allen (0)

FB  Lorig, Erik(2)

WR Spurlock, Micheal (4); Stroughter, Sammie (3); Williams, Mike (2); Parker, Preston (2); Benn, Arrelious (2); Briscoe, Dezmon (1); Webber, Raymond (0, IR)

TE Winslow, Kellen (8); Stocker, Luke (0); Pianalto, Zack (0); Franklin, Collin (0)

T Trueblood, Jeremy (6); Penn, Donald (6); Lee, James (4); Dotson, Demar (3); Hardman, Derek (2)

G Joseph, Davin (6); Zuttah, Jeremy (4); Larsen, Ted (2)

C Faine, Jeff (9)

LS Yount, Christian (0)

P Koenen, Michael (7)

DE Crowder, Tim (5); Bennett, Michael (3); Wilson, E.J. (2, IR); Clayborn, Adrian (0); Bowers, Da'Quan (0)

DT Okam, Frank (4); Miller, Roy (3); Price, Brian (2); McCoy, Gerald (2)

OLB Hayward, Adam (5); Diles, Zac (5); Black, Quincy (5); Hayes, Geno (4); Watson, Dekoda (2)

MLB Foster, Mason (0)

SS Jones, Sean (8); Lynch, Corey (4); Grimm, Cody (2, IR); Asante, Larry (1)

CB Talib, Aqib (4); Mack, Elbert (4); Jackson, Tanard (4, SUS); Biggers, E.J. (3); Lewis, Myron (2); Barber, Ronde (15); Holland, Devin (0); Gaitor, Anthony (0)

K Barth, Connor (4)

A quick look through this chart shows only a few possibilities for draft targets.  Another young linebacker would balance the group.  The tackle group has plenty of youth and effective starters, but there is no drafted talent working up through the ranks.  Not to say that you must have tackles which are draft choices (Donald Penn clearly breaks the mold), but a drafted player has higher rated talent, and having that type of talent in reserve competing for starting time advances the quality of the position.

There is the persistant question of when Ronde Barber will decide he's set enough records for longevity, plus the ongoing circus of Aqib Talib.  You cannot have enough good corners in the NFL and Tampa Bay has youth at the position.  But hedging against both Talib (suspension? jail?) and Barber (retirement) being gone is a serious consideration.

Most other positions have drafted talent in the pipeline, much of which is finding it's way to the field.  But, for now, we have a couple positions to consider.

Do Talib's Troubles Set Draft Priorities?

With two arrests, two court cases, and one (maybe two) suspensions in just two years has Aqib Talib gone as far as he can go in Tampa?

The answer to this question could set the path for General Manager Mark Dominik next offseason.

If Talib is not guilty, is that enough?  At his salary, is he of value for fewer than 16 games per season?  Can he keep himself out of trouble for one offseason?

Since the Dominik era began at Tampa Bay, Talib has a .330 batting average keeping his nose clean for an entire offseason.  That's really horrible in the Not For Long league.  Talib has all pro talent inside an all trouble life.  Maybe it's time for him to spend a summer in Tampa instead of back home in Texas.

Or maybe it's too late.

Talib is still young and talented enough to warrent a high pick in trade if Dominik so chooses.  This would certainly offset any talent loss.  At the beginning of the season everyone is healthy and Talib's value, while high, is not sky high.  Let a couple key corners on some playoff contenders go down before mid-year and Talib's value rises out of the atmosphere.

Finally, there is the prospect that Talib is found guilty next summer, in which case Texas law would land him in jail, resulting in his value hitting rock bottom and digging deeper.

Talib (6'1", 205lbs) could gather a third round pick.  It would then depend on how the young corners on the Buccaneer roster perform.  There are more first round talent corners in the 2012 draft than either the 2010 or 2011 drafts.  WalterFootball.com lists 4-7 first round corner prospects for the 2012 draft:

• Dre KirkPatrick, Alabama (6'3", 190 lbs)
• Jayron Hosely, Virginia Tech (5'10", 172 lbs, Junior)
• Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina (6'1", 190 lbs, Junior)
• Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska (5'10", 195 lbs)
• Cliff Harris, Oregon (5'11", 180 lbs)
• Chase Minnifield, Virginia (6'0", 185 lbs)
• Morris Claiborne, LSU (6'0", 178 lbs, Junior)

Great Blue North Draft Report lists Casey Hayward (5'11", 190 lbs) at Vanderbilt as a rising prospect as well.

Should Tampa Bay finish with a similar draft position as in 2011, they could end up getting the 3rd player from this list (or so).  In essence, with the 2012 draft, there is the potential to draft in a replacement of high value, even with the first round pick.

It's a tricky situation for Dominik, and a tough decision.  But don't be surprised if it happens, Dominik has made tough decisions since ascending to the Big Chair in Tampa Bay (for instance, releasing Derrick Brooks).

Talib needs to find a way to stop his clock from ticking.

College FA: Bucs Find Another Young Giant

Continuing a trend which started with the drafting of Josh Freeman, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have added yet another man-mountain to the offensive line pool.

This time, it's Cory Brandon, offensive tackle from Oklahoma University.  Brandon is 6'7" and 324 lbs, which fits right in with the height already accumulated up front.

What makes Brandon an interesting prospect is he is exceptionally young.  Although at Oklahoma for four years, he played as a freshman but was injured early, receiving a medial hardship which provided an extra year of college eligibility.  However, he played in all 13 games last season (starting 7, including filling in at left tackle for Trent Williams for the final two games of the season), and so he chose to forego his extra season.

Some pre-draft reviews:

• NFL Draft Scout: Cory Brandon
• Sports Illustrated: Cory Brandon

While most likely needing some time to develop, Brandon fits the mold the Buccaneers are looking for and is a strong candidate for practice squad development.

College Free Agency Could Start Sunday

It's going to become an event Buccaneers fans look forward to every year.

Each year, around 250 college football players are drafted by the NFL.  Given there are around 110 Division I (not to mention Divisions II and III, plus other smaller college affiliations) schools with anywhere from 5-25 players completing their college careers each year, that's 250 picks from a potential pool of well over 25,000 players, or just about 1%.

The other 99% gets one last chance at the dream through college free agency (well, not the absolute last shot, but getting pretty far down the line).  This is when the 32 NFL teams can descend upon the remaining college talent pool and dig deep, look for long shots, or find a diamond in the rough.

Undrafted talent currently resides on the Tampa Bay roster in the persons of Kregg Lumpkin and Ryan Purvis (undrafted in 2009) as well as George Johnson, Derek Hardman, and LeGarrette Blount (all undrafted in 2010).

If the players can get the NFLPA Union back together in the next day or so the league can get the process of signing these players underway.

And Buccaneer fans will get a new glimpse of the future!

Rookies Should Get To Camp On Time

It appears the new collective bargaining agreement, which may be put into effect before the end of the week, will contain a provision the NFL owners were looking for:  a rookie salary structure.

This is important to owners as it keeps high draft picks from consuming a large chunk of cap money when it is not clear how the player will adapt to the league.  Gone will be the days of a fresh-out-of-college quarterback getting a bigger paycheck than those quarterbacks in the NFL wearing super bowl rings.

The details will not be known until everything has a bow on it, but some things will be hard to include.  There will most likely be some personal conduct verbiage standard, but performance incentives would be hard to mandate.  Also, signing bonuses may not be hard numbers and may have associated ranges or conditions.

In any case, the fact that much is predetermined should allow teams to shorten the time it takes to get draft picks under contract.  And should everything come together this week, it will be important to get rookies in front of coaches as soon as possible.

In a year without a summer, a rookie salary structure could help get the season underway quickly.

2012 Projected Draft Needs

What a difference a year can make in the NFL.  The 2010 season featured a hoard of young players getting onto the playing field due to an insane number of injuries.  The youth filled in admirably and have become part of the young core offense and young core defense.

But has the youth movement of 2010 changed the outlook of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the front office machine turns it's eyes towards the class of 2012?  Let's see what the thinking was just after last year's NFL Draft:

From the Post-2010 NFL Draft assessment of needs in 2012:

Offensive Losses:  None.  Defensive Losses:  DE White, DE Crowder, LB Hayward, S Piscitelli, and S Jackson leave the chart

2012 will clearly have a strong swing back to the defensive side of the ball.  Now defensive end is a significant need -- so defensive end and safety look to be the primary focus as two players at each position could be needed.  The defensive end need, however, could vanish.  The Buccaneers have eight men competing for the two defensive end positions during the 2010 offseason.  If the team decides that six men competing for two positions is enough then the need vanishes (this could happen if the team decides the talent level is sufficient for good competition).  Finally, what is shaping up as an annual need at linebacker continues to appear.

The 2011 draft followed expectations and left the identified needs listed above in tact for the 2012 NFL Draft.  Now, With the 2011-NFL Draft in the books, we can again check the young core offense and young core defense and see what players will drop from the chart:

Offensive Losses: WR Spurlock
Defensive Losses: DE White, DE Crowder, LB Hayward, LB Black, S Jackson


The departure of S Sabby Piscitelli (cut Nov 30, 2010) and the emergence of WR Micheal Spurlock are important events which will influence the direction of the 2012 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  With Piscitelli gone, a need is removed.  With Spurlock's arrival, the Buccaneers will need to decide if he gets a long term contract after a very short audition.  


With safety Tanard Jackson still suspended (since Sept. 22, 2010), safety is still a need.  The Buccaneers have spent draft picks at safety in each of the past two drafts, yet the need persists.  If the youth in the deep backfield shows it's talents early and Jackson is expendable, the need vanishes.  Should the NFL elect to not reinstate Jackson, then the need is more than real.  Unfortunately, the season will already have started.


Last season, Tampa Bay packed the roster full of young wide receivers, and the group responded with talent and a rapid ascent of the learning curve.  It is doubtful WR will be a pressing need next year regardless of Micheal Spurlock's status.


During the 2010 off season, the Buccaneers carried eight, even nine defensive ends on the roster looking for the best possible talent.  Two of the main contributors will fall off the young core defensive chart this season.  However, GM Mark Dominik infused the position with two dynamic young talents in the 2011 NFL Draft.  Will the Buccaneers decide to carry fewer defensive ends this offseason because of the talent upgrade? If so, this need in 2012 has been erased.  If not, look for another early pick at this position as the Buccaneers continue to pack talent onto the edge of the defensive line in hopes of finding a long term answer (or two!).


The 2011 draft also saw the first linebacker selection by Tampa Bay since Geno Hayes in 2008 (and the first at the position by the new administration and coaching staff).  The position has some youth, but also is starting to age a bit, and will most likely be a target again in 2012.


The only other position on the young core rosters without at least two players available is center (as well as long snapper).  Jeff Faine, the rock around which the current offensive line is built, will not play forever (sorry, Josh Freeman).  The Buccaneers need to develop some youth at this position.  If the center is injured, the situation is made worse if a starter at guard has to slide inside and a backup steps forward at guard (1 injury, 2 positions affected).  Young Ted Larsen played at center in college but would cause the two-for-one issue as he has entrenched himself at guard with an excellent showing last season.  The Buccaneers may need to draft in depth at center.


The rundown
Linebacker:  A definite need in 2012; possibly two.
Defensive End:  Probably not a need, but could happen if the right player is on the board.
Safety:  Not a strong need, but possibly a need just based on numbers.
Wide Receiver:  Doubtful, just too much young talent already on the roster to make this a need.
Center:  A need, possibly a draft need.  Consistency at center is important for any quarterback.
Long Snapper:  Probably not a draft need, more likely a free agent acquisition.


Two linebackers, a defensive end, a safety, and a center would be five of the seven rounds in 2012.  Looks like a solid shopping list going into preparations for the 2010 NFL Draft.