Add Any Former Bucs Player To The 2022 Roster

For this weekend’s Pewter Report Roundtable, the crew tackles one other robust query. This week’s immediate: “Should you may add any former Bucs participant to the 2022 roster, who wouldn’t it be?”

Scott Reynolds: I’m Changing SMB With Barber In The Slot

When the subject of including any former Bucs participant to the present Tampa Bay roster got here up, my first inclination was to select Warren Sapp. I really like line of defense play, and the considered the QB Killa in his prime lined up subsequent to Professional Bowl nostril deal with Vita Vea was engaging. I’m a giant Sapp fan, so it made sense. However I additionally consider the tandem of Akiem Hicks and Logan Corridor could be an improve over the getting older duo of Ndamukong Suh and Steve McLendon. I believe the Bucs will really be okay at defensive deal with this yr. Hicks and Corridor can mix for 8-12 sacks between them.

The largest weak point I see on protection is at slot cornerback. Sean Murphy-Bunting acquired harm within the first quarter in opposition to Dallas and missed half the season with a dislocated elbow. When he returned, he wasn’t the identical and didn’t even report an interception. The Bucs added veteran Logan Ryan to function a security web if Murphy-Bunting can’t step up in his contract yr. But when I may, I’d exchange SMB with Bucs legend Ronde Barber. The longer term Corridor of Famer is the prototype slot cornerback. And he’s made a few of the franchise’s most memorable performs from there. His 92-yard pick-six at Philadelphia within the 2002 NFC Championship Recreation was the signature play in Bucs historical past.

Barber, who performed 16 seasons in Tampa Bay, recorded 47 interceptions and 28 sacks in his illustrious profession. Most of these massive performs got here from the slot. Barber, who’s 5-foot-10, 180 kilos, doesn’t have the best peak or size to play in Todd Bowles protection. However he’s gone up in opposition to some larger, taller receivers and thrived all through his profession. Barber has matched up favorably in opposition to the likes of Minnesota’s Cris Carter and Jake Reed, Detroit’s Herman Moore and San Francisco’s Terrell Owens to call just a few. So, why not have the best to ever do it in Bucs historical past step in and switch a perceived weak point into a right away energy?

Matt Matera: Strive Shifting The Ball Down Area When You’re Visiting Revis Island

There’s been lots of discussions and questions on whether or not cornerbacks on the Bucs can take the subsequent step. As a substitute of enjoying the guessing sport, why not simply herald some of the dominant shutdown corners in NFL historical past? You add Darrelle Revis to a secondary that has him and Carlton Davis III as a one-two combo and the opposing offenses aren’t throwing the ball down the sphere. Everyone knows that Todd Bowles can dial up loopy schemes on protection. I can solely think about what he may do with two lockdown corners. The extra turnovers from quarterbacks attempting to get the ball out could be steady.

Having Revis and Davis obtainable to play one-on-one in opposition to their opponents’ prime receivers opens up a ton of potentialities. You don’t even must assume twice that they’ll put every wideout on their very own island. This permits for the remainder of the protection to both double staff third and fourth choices or ship the home on a blitz and play man protection. We’ve additionally talked concerning the Bucs needing one other second to get to the quarterback. Properly this offers that outlet for Shaq Barrett, Vita Vea and others.

Revis is the best protection nook within the NFL exterior of Deion Sanders. Revis has this miraculous instinctual capability to anticipate a play and react to the ball earlier than it’s even thrown. He didn’t simply play nice protection in opposition to the league’s finest receivers, he blanketed them. Revis performed only one yr with the Bucs, but when we’re speaking him in his prime, you’re getting a future Corridor of Famer with 4 All-Professionals, seven Professional Bowls and an NFL All-Decade staff to his identify. They name him Revis Island for a motive. Given the quarterbacks and receivers the Bucs play in opposition to the season, they want that duo again there. Plus, Revis may present the way in which to Davis for be an All-Professional.

J.C. Allen: Bringing The Juice From The Edge

The Bucs are in fairly fine condition at edge rusher with Professional Bowler Shaq Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. However think about how harmful this staff might be with Simeon Rice reverse Barrett. With the line of defense constructed as it’s, Rice would feast on opposing quarterbacks.

Over the course of his six years in Tampa Bay Rice was an absolute nuisance for opposing quarterbacks. His 69.5 sacks throughout that interval is the third most in franchise historical past. And the one time he didn’t publish double digit numbers throughout his tenure was the 2006 season when he missed eight video games as a consequence of damage. Rice was additionally a turnover machine, inflicting 19 compelled fumbles and an interception, whereas additionally delivering 39 go breakups. Not only a drawback for the quarterback, Rice was adept at penetrating the road for to explode performs earlier than they might even get began. He racked up 67 tackles for loss over the size of his time with the Bucs.

Including the three time All-Professional to the sting room would give them bonafide bookends to get after the quarterback. His presence could be felt instantly. Rice’s capability to get house would take stress off the secondary, making that unit higher as nicely. Whereas Tryon-Shoyinka is certainly the long run on the place , having a mentor like Rice could be useful in his growth. In truth, Rice was seen at coaching camp final yr giving the, then rookie, recommendation. All the time the bodily specimen, Rice seemed like he may lace them up in the present day – even in his 40s – and nonetheless get 10 sacks.

Bailey Adams: Let Me Faux Like The Bucs’ Most Latest Retirement Didn’t Occur

Scott’s Ronde Barber choose might be the one which improves Tampa Bay’s roster essentially the most. And let me simply say, I’m extraordinarily tempted to go along with fan favourite Mike Alstott. Who doesn’t miss seeing him run over defenders and punch the ball into the top zone on the aim line? And I can’t be the one one who would like to see a revival of the fullback place within the current day NFL? To not point out, he was a succesful pass-catcher out of the backfield. He’s No. 6 on the franchise’s profession receptions checklist, ending his profession with 305. However my precise choose, talking of pass-catchers, is Rob Gronkowski. Let’s simply say that June 21 retirement announcement by no means occurred, we could?

Gronkowski has a case to be thought of as the very best tight finish in NFL historical past. He’s a first-ballot Corridor of Famer. So, along with his retirement final month, the Bucs have an enormous gap on the tight finish place. The staff has veteran Cameron Brate and a bunch of unproven gamers seeking to fill the void left by Gronk. Fourth-round choose Cade Otton may turn into a big-time participant for Tampa Bay. Sixth-round choose Ko Kieft is a robust blocker, whereas undrafted free brokers Ben Beise and JJ Howland might need some promise. Codey McElroy, a apply squad tight finish over the previous couple of years, can also be within the combine. However even when there’s expertise in that group, it’s clear that any of these guys are a step down from a decent finish like Gronkowski. That’s why we’re bringing him again right here.

It’s clearly not troublesome to think about this Bucs staff with Gronk. See the 2020 and 2021 seasons and also you’ll perceive how significantly better the offense is with him. His effectiveness as a blocker is top-tier. It was evident that Tampa Bay missed that a part of his sport within the time he missed final yr. And the worth of his pass-catching capability speaks for itself. In 28 video games with the Bucs during the last two seasons, he caught 100 passes for 1,425 yards (14.3 avg.) and 13 touchdowns. And in six playoff video games, he posted 17 catches for 226 yards (13.3 avg.) and three touchdowns. It’s not a tough promote so as to add Gronk to this roster, and of the probabilities right here, it is the almost certainly to occur. So, contemplate this talking it into existence.