1:08 Chris Godwin discusses whether he’ll be giving Brady his No. 12 jersey
The arrival of Brady is the perfect invitation for tight end O.J. Howard to finally prove his worth as the powerful weapon he was touted as upon entering the league in 2017. Equally, Brady will have missed the presence of a legitimate tight end target since Rob Gronkowski’s retirement.
Howard had just one touchdown pass and 34 catches for 459 yards last season, while veteran tight end Cameron Brate hauled in 36 receptions for 311 yards and four touchdowns.
Running back Ronald Jones III also has a lot of upside after displaying glimpses of his long-term potential with 172 carries for 724 rushing yards and six touchdowns. A receiving back may be on the team’s draft agenda.
2019’s sack leader
Besides winning the race for Brady, the Bucs also carried out vital business on defense as they placed the franchise tag on Shaquil Barrett, who led the NFL with 19.5 sacks last season.
The team also retained fellow defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh, with the pair heading into free agency after accounting for 11 sacks between them.
5:35 Pro Football Talk discuss Ndamukong Suh’s return to the Bucs
They were accompanied by edge rusher Carl Nassib (now of the Las Vegas Raiders), defensive tackle Vita Vea and tackling machines at linebacker in Devin White and Lavonte David in helping the Bucs rank first again the run, allowing just 73.8 yards per game.
It was a less flattering year in the secondary as Tampa Bay ranked 30th against the pass, averaging 270.1 yards allowed per game.
4:41 Pro Football Talk discuss Utah State quarterback Jordan Love’s prospects ahead of the 2020 NFL draft
Cornerback Carlton Davis was second in the league with 19 passes defended and Jamal Dean was close behind with 17, but the Bucs were short of picks with Sean Murphy-Bunting registering a team-high three interceptions.
Vernon Hargreaves left a gap when he was waived after nine games and the Bucs find themselves in need of added depth at safety. Expect defensive backs to be another focus heading into the draft.
Brady can rest assured, though, that there are playmakers in abundance on the other side of the ball.
Pass protection
The bar wasn’t set particularly high by the Patriots’ offensive line last season when it comes to assessing Brady’s new protection.
Tampa gave up an 11th-most 47 sacks in 2019, along with a sixth-most 106 quarterback hits, compared to the Patriots who surrendered 28 sacks (28th) and 90 quarterback hits (15th).
Both meanwhile registered 58 per cent pass block win rates according to ESPN, with the Bucs’ efforts perhaps demanding more attention due to their unit being the third-highest paid in the NFL heading into last year.
1:36 We take a look back at some of the winning moments and drives from Tom Brady’s Super Bowl appearances.
Ryan Jensen, once the highest-paid center in the league, is an ever-present having played all 1,138 offensive snaps last season, while left tackle Donovan Smith, left guard Ali Marpet and right guard Alex Cappa look set to keep their starting roles.
The Bucs could draft an offensive tackle for the first time since 2001 as they seek a replacement for 34-year-old unrestricted free agent Demar Dotson, who gave up 10 penalties last season.
Former Indianapolis Colts tackle Joe Haeg was signed in free agency, but only played 74 snaps in 2019 and may be used as a versatile depth option across the line.
2:45 Shaquille O’Neal has slammed the New England Patriots for allowing quarterback Tom Brady to leave for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“We will see what happens in the draft,” said Arians. “I think we’ll need some depth. I think we do have some really young guys I like – (Brad) Seaton, (Aaron) Stinnie – some of those guys that practised us with us all year, like (Anthony) Fabiano.
“I really like what those guys bring as depth. I don’t see it as a glaring need, but you’re always looking to upgrade somewhere.”
Alongside new personnel, a new scheme and a new head coach, there is a weight of expectation awaiting Brady as the man to end the Bucs’ 13-year absence from the playoffs. They knocked on the door with Winston last year and will now believe they have the man to snap that barren run.
Sourse: skysports.com
