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Chris James: What Went Right for the Bucs
I’ll start by admitting that this was my pick to win the NFC South. The Bucs were the ONLY team that didn’t have a chance to take the division this season; MY BAD. So, what went right for the Bucs in a season that saw them underperform constantly?
Jameis Winston learned how to throw the ball like an NFL QB. There is plenty of time for the former top pick to progress as Winston is STILL 23 at the time of this write-up. This will be a process with Winston, but the tremendous upside is worth the effort. There was also the emergence of a match-up nightmare named OJ Howard. He will become a large piece of the offense as the coaching staff gains more comfort with him.
The defense had its stars play like stars throughout the year. Players like Gerald McCoy, Kwon Alexander, and Lavonte David stepped up. David was the clear stand out as he forced and recovered 5 fumbles in only 13 starts. Additional help was gained with rookie LB Kendall Beckwith finding his way into the starting lineup at SLB.
A massive positive for the Bucs is the glutton of young talent on this roster. Couple this talent with a high draft pick and a 4th place divisional schedule. The Bucs could be in for a great 2018 campaign.
Follow Chris on Twitter @cjflorida9
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Gene Clemons: What Went Wrong with the Bucs
Sometimes injuries hinder opportunity. Other times, it’s bad decisions made by coaches. In Tampa Bay’s case it was both!
The defense was never fully healthy all season. That included time being missed by Pro 
Bowl linebackers Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David, All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, and a slew of defensive back injuries. The offensive line sustained many injuries as well, but the biggest problem was most likely made by the coach and general manager.
GM Jason Licht and head coach Dirk Koetter believed they could turn pro bowl guard Ali Marpet into a pro bowl center. While the Hobart graduate didn’t perform poorly, his loss who was truly felt at the guard position which struggle all season. In essence it took one really strong position and turn them into two weaker positions.
That lack of productivity on the line resulted in a substandard run game and spotty pass protection. Quarterback Jameis Winston took the brunt of the blame and the pain to go along with it. He missed his first games of his young career due to injury and fumbled the ball a league leading 15 times en route to a disappointing 2017 for the Bucs.
Follow Gene on Twitter @geneclemons
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Brandon Howard: Grading the Bucs Rookies
Tampa Bay Buccaneers B-
The Buccaneers acquired ultra-athletic tight end O.J. Howard in the first round of the 2017 draft and he provided another target for franchise quarterback Jameis Winston. Howard finished his rookie season on injured reserve with an ankle injury, but prior to the injury, he amassed 432 yards and six touchdowns on a mere 26 receptions. The Buccaneers added another pass-catcher in Round 3 in wide receiver Chris Godwin. Godwin averaged 15.3 yards per reception and started two games as a rookie. Inside linebacker Kendell Beckwith was the Buccaneers other third-round pick, and started eight games despite coming off of an ACL injury in his final season at LSU.
Follow Brandon on Twitter @bhoward_81
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Turron Davenport: Where do the Bucs Go From Here
The Bucs capped off a disappointing season on a high note thanks to a 31 – 24 win over their division rival the New Orleans Saints. What was supposed to be a season in which they took a step forward, fell apart under second-year coach Dirk Koetter.
Their offense sputtered despite the additions of rookies O.J. Howard and Chris Godwin as well as veteran wideout DeSean Jackson. Somehow Koetter survived the dismal season 
and is set to return as the head coach.
Doug Martin has a $6.75 million cap hit next year but would cost nothing if Tampa decides to release him. If they want to take their offense to the next level, drafting a back like USC’s Ronald Jones III at the top of the second round would be a good move.
Other than running back, they are set on offense. The offensive line is solid and Jameis Winston will always give the Bucs a chance to win.
It’s the defense that will need help. Boston College defensive end Harold Landry should be the selection for them with the No. 7 pick. He instantly upgrades the pass rush which is an area that needs to be addressed.
The secondary is another area that needs to be addressed. Brent Grimes is a pending free agent that should be brought back the right price. Tampa will have plenty of cap space, so making a run at a top-tier free agent such as Trumaine Johnson or Malcolm Butler could be in play.
Regardless of what happens, 2018 is a do or die year for Koetter. The third-year head coach absolutely has to make the playoffs. If he doesn’t at least do that, there will be another head coach manning the sidelines at Raymond James Stadium.
Follow Turron on Twitter: @TDavenport_NFL
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What We Thought About the Bucs Entering the 2017 Season
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First and foremost, the Jets won more than a quarter of their games. This was an accomplishment that not many analysts, including myself, thought the 2017 Jets would pull off with their preseason roster. The defense looked good throughout most of the season, as the addition of two stud safeties allowed for Todd Bowles to run his intended scheme. Rookies Jamal Adams & Marcus Maye were the Jets’ first two selections respectively and they didn’t disappoint.
be a starter in the league and failed, a guy who’s probably a career backup, and a guy who looks like a quarterback but plays like someone who should not be in the league.
New York Jets B
receiver in the draft or free agency would be a good move. They should look at adding a player to work the slot such as Jarvis Landry or Jordan Matthews.
The defense improved against the run with the addition of Domata Peko Sr. A unit that was bottom ten in 2016 moved to 5th in 2017. The highlight came in week two, holding the Dallas Cowboys to 40 yards on the ground. Zeke Elliott had a career low output with 8 yards on 9 carries. The passing defense continued to be dominant as Harris Jr. & Talib proved to be one of the best duos in the league. We also saw the emergence of Justin Simmons as a big play safety. He looks like another stud to add to the Denver no fly zone.
ineffectiveness.
Much like the Oakland Raiders, the Broncos also got little contribution from its rookies. Garett Bolles made the move to left tackle and played well in the final quarter of the season. Bolles plays with a mean streak that shows up in his willingness to finish blocks. The Broncos also got help in the return game from wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, who was the Broncos 5th round selection. Players like wide receiver Carlos Henderson and tight end Jake Butt were essentially redshirted in 2017 and were not able to help the team in their rookie seasons due to injury.
A trade was made sending Phillip Dorsett to the New England Patriots in exchange for quarterback, Jacoby Brissett. Brissett did an adequate job in his first start against the Cardinals nearly pulling off an overtime victory. The next was his best of the season posting a QBR of 94.3 on the way to a 31 – 28 victory over the Browns. A rookie RB also emerged as Marlon Mack flashed the talent that got him drafted in the 4th round. We didn’t get to see much of Mack as the Colts made a point to get Frank Gore as many yards as possible near the twilight of his career. Mack possesses the speed and quickness that the next HC will covet.
with Jacoby Brissett. The problem was early on they treated him like a stopgap guy and by the time they realized Luck wasn’t returning, it was too late to make a playoff run.
Malik Hooker has Ed Reed potential and he displayed his range as a center-fielding safety prior to tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 7 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cornerback Quincy Wilson is a smart player whose football instincts and football intelligence make up for what he might lack in raw athleticism. The Colts fourth-round pick is now a member of the Cleveland Browns but with their second fourth-round pick they selected running back Marlon Mack who has the potential to be an every-down running back in the NFL. Fifth-round pick Nate Hairston was the surprise of the bunch posting 34 tackles and intercepting Marcus Marriota in Week 6.
first round pick and more?
The Giants were in a situation where they needed to produce immediately (Superbowl or bust) or completely blowup the situation. Anything resultant that differed from those two scenarios was a negative for the Giants. Now they will begin the season with a healthy OBJ, a player that is likely to get a new contract done in the offseason. The team also has the chance to acquire a GM that will hire a coach that fits his vision. The Giants also have the #2 pick locked up. The Giants can bring in a quarterback of the future and alleviate themselves of Eli Manning’s contract. They also have talented, young players in tight end Evan Engram and running back Wayne Gallman.
would signal top five draft pick for almost any team in the league, so there’s no surprise the Giants will find themselves picking there. There was such hope for this group coming into the season with talents like Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall as a one-two punch; they would have been a handful for any defense.
If the Giants’ quarterbacks were given more time to throw the football, rookie tight end Evan Engram could’ve easily gone for over 1,000 yards on the season. Despite playing in less than ideal circumstances as a rookie, Engram still managed to put up 722 yards and six touchdowns on 64 receptions. Second-round pick Dalvin Tomlinson figures to be a entrenched as the Giants starting defensive tackle for years to come as a result of his ability to remain stout against the run. After Engram and Tomlinson, the Giants got little help from its rookies as selections of quarterback Davis Webb and running back Wayne Gallman did not pay dividends in 2017.
has already served notice by releasing right tackle Bobby Hart and Ereck Flowers could be next.
The 2017 draft went the well as they grabbed three 1st round picks. A franchise caliber QB was picked 52nd overall in Deshone Kizer. The 21-year-old out of Notre Dame has the requisite size, arm strength and athleticism that NFL GMs drool over. The Browns added depth at every level with ten total selections.
Jackson decided to bench Kizer for a worse option, then the trade-for-AJ McCarron-that-wasn’t ensured the Browns would once again be the laughingstock of the league.
is still raw but his athleticism is palpable and will pay dividends in the near future. Jabrill Peppers flashed his athleticism not only on defense, but in the return game, while the embattled Deshone Kizer showed more than enough poise in an untenable/ unenviable situation to warrant another chance with better surrounding parts in 2018. The Browns also acquired two talented defensive linemen in defensive tackles Caleb Brantley and Larry Ogunjobi who will team up with Garrett to form a formidable defensive front for the foreseeable future.
They will have two of the first four selections in the 2018 NFL Draft which will help them add talent to the roster. The blueprint has been established by the Eagles, Cowboys, and Rams…give a young, talented QB weapons.