The Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved their record by four games last season, finishing in last place in the NFC South with a 6-10 record, but their front office decided to go in new direction as they fired head coach Lovie Smith. The Buccaneers likely felt that their franchise was heading in the right direction, but they were looking for better results from Smith in his second season and have since hired their former offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter as their head coach.
Koetter's offense ranked fifth in the league in terms of yards per game, and general manager Jason Licht has been putting together some small moves in free agency that could have a big impact on Tampa Bay's 2016 season. The Buccaneers retained running back Doug Martin on a five-year deal reportedly worth more than $35 million, and while the Buccaneers may have overpaid for the talented running back, they weren't about to let him walk in free agency after finishing second in the NFL in rushing yards.
"Our top priority heading into this offseason was to ensure that Doug remained a Buccaneer and today we are excited to announce that he will," said Licht in a statement. Retaining Martin was a solid move by the Buccaneers front office, but it was just one of multiple moves that Tampa Bay made to improve their team in free agency.
The Buccaneers quietly landed one of the best pass rushers available on the free agent market in former Giants defensive end Robert Ayers, as the two sides have reportedly agreed to a three-year deal worth $21 million. The former first round draft pick is coming off the best season of his NFL career, in which he recorded 41 combined tackles, 9.5 sacks and forced two fumbles. Tampa Bay wanted to upgrade their pass rush this offseason, and there is no doubt that Ayers will bring an immediate presence to the Buccaneers defense in 2016.
While the Buccaneers bolstered their pass rush with Ayers, they also acquired a talented player on the offensive side of the ball in offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy. The former Seahawks offensive lineman signed a five-year contract with the Buccaneers and provides much-need protection for their young quarterback in Jameis Winston. The Buccaneers want to build up their offensive line, but they lost a big piece when offensive lineman Logan Mankins announced his retirement last week.
Tampa Bay may not have made the big splash that other teams have made in free agency, but they are building a strong foundation and should look to continue to improve this upcoming season. The Buccaneers still have holes to fill on their roster and will look to add an impact player with the ninth pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. While Tampa Bay still has ground to cover with teams like the Falcons and the Panthers in the NFC South, it wouldn't be surprising if they were much improved in 2016, as they have quietly been making some strong additions to their roster.
