The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their fans have been stuck in the doldrums for over a decade, longing for a return to the glory days when their stifling defense made them a perennial contender for a Super Bowl championship.
But now that quarterback Tom Brady has boarded the ship, the winds of fortune are beginning to change for the Bucs. Couple the addition of Brady with the re-signing of Ndamukong Suh and Jason Pierre-Paul, as well as the tagging of Shaq Barrett, and Tampa Bay looks like a legitimate threat to the rest of the league.
Nate Davis of USA TODAY has loved what he’s seen so far from the Buccaneers in free agency, which is why he awarded them an A- in his NFL free agency grades.
Per Davis:
“The stunning import of Brady energizes the previously dormant franchise and a fan base now realistically floating Super Bowl aspirations. A defense that retained DL Ndamukong Suh and pass rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and franchise-tagged sack king Shaq Barrett will benefit greatly simply because TB12 won’t compromise it the way his predecessor, turnover machine Jameis Winston, did. And GM Jason Licht still has about $20 million to potentially patch holes at running back, defensive back and offensive tackle.”
Jameis Winston doesn’t need to wear sunglasses after all the shade Davis just threw his way. It may sound harsh, but the numbers don’t lie. Winston’s 30 interceptions last year were a detriment to the team’s success, despite the fact that Tampa Bay finished tied for third in scoring (28.6 points per game). A 7-9 finish on the year made it just one winning season in five for Winston, which likely made the Bucs’ decision to move on from him a little easier.
While Brady prepares to take over one of the league’s best offenses, Winston continues searching for a home. Hopefully, he’ll get another chance to prove himself in the not too distant future.
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