While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be busy in Indianapolis this week with the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, free agency is just around the corner, meaning teams will have to open their checkbooks if they want to lure (or keep) prized players.
The Bucs are one of those teams who will have several tough financial decisions to make in the coming weeks. Their defensive front seven could be diminished significantly if guys like Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul or Shaq Barrett were to walk. While Bruce Arians seems to think it’s realistic to keep the defense together, only time will tell which players will get paid and which don’t.
But, according to Scott Spratt of Football Outsiders, one bold move the Bucs should consider in free agency is signing running back Derrick Henry away from the Tennessee Titans to help Jameis Winston. Henry led the league in rushing this past season with 1,540 yards to go along with his 16 rushing touchdowns, tied for most in the NFL.
Per Spratt:
“Henry would make Jameis Winston’s life easier (assuming the Bucs retain their quarterback), and not just because of his rushing efficiency putting Winston in better down-and-distance situations. Henry was the centerpiece of a Titans offense that tied for sixth in play-action percentage. Winston enjoyed tremendous success with play-action in 2019, throwing for 3.6 more yards per attempt than on his traditional throws. With Henry, the Bucs might be convinced to ramp up their play-action usage from their bottom-three rate of 18%.”
Winston or no Winston, the idea of adding Henry is sure to excite Bucs fans. The offense would add a whole new dimension with a dynamic player like him in their backfield. Signing Henry might be a long-shot, but it’s definitely a risk Tampa Bay should make.
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