Author: Dallas Robinson

2. Solve the running game: Just last spring, the Buccaneers re-signed Doug Martin to a five-year, $35.75MM contract that contained $15MM in full guarantees. Given that he’d rushed for more than 1,400 yards the season prior, Martin was expected to carry Tampa Bay’s offense once again, but injuries and a PED suspension derailed his 2016 campaign, as the 28-year-old ultimately played in only eight games and posted just 2.9 yards per carry.

Tampa Bay hardly ever uses signing bonuses, and given that Martin’s aforementioned drug ban voided his remaining guaranteed money, the Bucs could theoretically part ways with Martin without incurring any dead money. That doesn’t appear to be the team’s strategy, however, as Tampa might hold onto Martin for the time being. It’s a smart approach given Martin’s lack of guarantees, and because he’s suspended for the first three weeks of the 2017 season, the Bucs can hold off on making a decision on his future until nearly a month into the campaign.

Not only does retaining Martin (for now) make fiscal sense, but the Buccaneers don’t have another viable running back readily available to step into the starting role. Longtime NFL backup Jacquizz Rodgers handled the lion’s share of the carries in Martin’s absence and finished with 560 yards on the ground, but he’s a free agent and Tampa reportedly hasn’t begun negotiations at present. Second-year pro Peyton Barber managed only 55 carries last year, while Russell Hansbrough is essentially a complete unknown.

If Martin is ultimately released, the Buccaneers will almost be forced to add another back, either through free agency or the draft. Tampa probably wouldn’t go after another pricey runner such as Latavius Murray, but Green Bay’s Eddie Lacy could be a fit (especially if he is only able to garner a $2MM deal, as one agent recently speculated). If the Buccaneers want to find an RB who can handle early down, between the tackles work, LeGarrette Blount or Tim Hightower could be in the cards. But if the club wants to run a more uptempo, passing-based offense, a receiving back such like Rex Burkhead, Travaris Cadet, or Danny Woodhead might be of intrigue.

Free agency may not offer what Tampa Bay is looking for, meaning the team could look to collegiate prospects at it searches for a backfield solution. LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Florida State’s Dalvin Cook will almost certainly be off the board by the time the Bucs pick in Round 1, and while Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com recently mocked Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara to Tampa at pick No. 19, the Buccaneers may not want to reach for a back that few rank as a clear first-rounder. Instead, the club could wait until Day 2 or 3 and target someone like D’Onta Foreman (Texas), Matthew Dayes (NC State), or even take a risk on Oklahoma’s Joe Mixon (though targeting a runner with off-field question marks might not be tenable given Martin’s recent uncertainty).

Improving the offensive line also needs to be on Tampa Bay’s itinerary, as the club’s front five ranked 21st in adjusted line yards and dead last in stuffed percentage, which ranks how often running backs were stopped behind the line of scrimmage (both are Football Outsiders metrics). Donovan Smith was probably the Buccaneers’ worst offensive lineman last season, but the team will likely give the former second-round pick at least one more year to right the ship. The return of 2016 free agent acquisition J.R. Sweezy — who missed all of 2016 due to injury — should help, but Tampa still needs help on the interior.

Center Joe Hawley is a free agent and could be replaced, but outside of J.C. Tretter and Stefen Wisniewski, there aren’t a ton of pivots on the open market. One option could be shifting guard Ali Marpet to the middle, and drafting/signing a new guard. 25-year-old Larry Warford, formerly of the Lions, would make sense for an up-and-coming Buccaneers roster, while Brandon Fusco could add a veteran presence to a young front five. Draft prospects Forrest Lamp (Western Kentucky), Cam Robinson (Alabama), Antonio Garcia (Troy), and Dan Feeney (Indiana) should be in consideration for Tampa in Round 1 or 2.

3. Solidify the defensive backfield: The Buccaneers might have employed the NFL’s worst safety tandem last year in the form of Chris Conte and Bradley McDougald, and now that both are unrestricted free agents, Tampa Bay should take the opportunity to improve its secondary by adding fresh faces. Internal option Keith Tandy shined after taking over for Conte midway through the 2016 campaign, grading as the league’s No. 22 safety on 402 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, so the 28-year-old may have played his way into a starting role.

Tandy’s ascension would still leave one safety vacancy to be filled, however, but Tampa is unlikely to find a starting safety in the first round of the draft, especially given that LSU’s Jamal Adams and Ohio State’s Malik Hooker are expected to be top-15 selections (at worst). Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers is a fringe first-round prospect, but given that he may have to convert to linebacker at the NFL level, he’s probably not the type of center field defender the Bucs are looking for. Washington’s Budda Baker (whom Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com compares to Arizona’s Tyrann Mathieu), Utah’s Marcus Williams, and Florida’s Marcus Maye are among the defensive backs that could be on the board on Day 2.

More likely, the Buccaneers will go the free agent route as it hunts for a new back-end defender, and one available player that could fit Tampa’s needs like a glove is Cardinals defensive back Tony Jefferson, who is set to hit the unrestricted free agent market for the first time in his career. Like Michael Floyd, Jefferson joined Arizona while current Tampa GM Jason Licht was on the Cards’ staff, meaning the Buccaneers’ front office has some level of familiarity with the 25-year-old. Jefferson, who ranked as PFF’s No. 5 safety last year, is expected to become the second-highest paid player at his position behind Eric Berry.

In addition to Jefferson, other free agents that may receive calls from Tampa Bay include fellow Cardinal D.J. Swearinger (who’s already had one stint with the Bucs), Barry Church, Micah Hyde, or Quintin Demps, who has said he won’t offer a hometown discount to stay in Houston. Other safeties may hit the market in the coming weeks after being released, and Jairus Byrd (Saints), Tyvon Branch (Cardinals), and Marcus Gilchrist (Jets) should expect interest from the Buccaneers.