Tag: Bucs roster

Bucs re-sign CB Derrek Pitts to practice squad

The special teamer was previously waived to make room for RB Chase Edmonds’ return.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing back one of their special teams contributors.

Bucs cornerback Derrek Pitts was initially waived last week when running back Chase Edmonds was moved from Injured Reserve to the active roster, but he was signed back to the team’s practice squad on Monday. In a corresponding move, Tampa Bay waived linebacker Brandon Bouyer-Randle from the practice squad.

Pitts has mainly been used in a special teams role, but he saw some cornerback action in Week 3 when the Bucs played him against the Philadelphia Eagles due to injury. In that game, Pitts recorded two solo tackles.

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Adam Schein names Bucs as one of the NFL’s most complete teams in 2020

See why Adam Schein over at NFL.com had the Bucs on his list of the most complete teams entering the 2020 season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went just 7-9 in their first season under Bruce Arians, but should improve on that record in 2020 thanks to the addition of quarterback Tom Brady.

The arrival of the six-time Super Bowl champion to the postseason-hungry Buccaneers seems like a recipe for instant success. Brady will be commanding one of the best offenses in the league and will have an experienced head coach in Arians to help make his transition to a new team easier.

Adam Schein over at NFL.com loves the Buccaneers’ roster, and had them at No. 5 on his list of the nine most complete teams entering the 2020 season.

Per Schein:

“Much has been written about the offense. Not surprising, with Tom Brady’s relocation to Tampa. The G.O.A.T is still great — and now he has the league’s premier 1-2 punch at receiver in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. And Rob Gronkowski’s reuniting with the quarterback, while joining a TE group that already included O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate. Talk about a wealth of receiving options! Not to mention, the Buccaneers’ O-line got better with the addition of No. 13 overall pick Tristan Wirfs.

“But the defense is what sells Tampa Bay as a total package. In the second half of last season, when the Bucs’ young secondary started to come into its own, this D was top-tier. Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh form a brick wall against the run, Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul hunt quarterbacks off the edge, and Lavonte David and Devin White comprise the best linebacking duo in the game.”

Schein makes a great point about the defense. The Bucs’ offense has never been an issue. After all, they finished third overall last season despite Jameis Winston throwing 30 interceptions and getting sacked 47 times.

The question about the Bucs and their ability to compete in the NFC in 2020 has always been about their defense. The secondary came on strong last year, and the drafting of safety Antoine Winfield Jr. should only add to the explosiveness of this unit. Plus, Todd Bowles is one of the best defensive minds in the game today.

This Bucs squad is the real deal, and it seems some think they have what it takes to win the NFC this year.

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Do the Buccaneers have too much star power to be successful?

This stat from the NFL’s research department shows the Bucs may have too many cooks in the kitchen.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the most exciting team in the NFL heading into 2020, something that would’ve sounded crazy just a year ago.

But after the Bucs’ tumultuous 2019 season, where they saw quarterback Jameis Winston throw for 5,109 yards, 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, the team went out and signed six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, who ended his 20-year run with the New England Patriots.

And, the week of the NFL draft, the team traded for retired tight end Rob Gronkowski, adding the future Hall of Fame tight end to a roster that already includes star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. With all that talent, the Bucs seemed destined for a return to the postseason, right?

Well, not so fast.

There’s no doubting the talent this roster possesses. The question is whether they can make it work on the field. The coronavirus pandemic has made this offseason one unlike any other for NFL players, and for guys like Brady and Gronk who will be joining new teams, a missed offseason could have an impact on how they start out of the gate.

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