TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected only one defensive player in the last two NFL drafts — LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander, a fourth-round pick who was second on the team in tackles as a rookie last season despite being suspended for the final four games for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.
What the Bucs have done in the draft since 2014 on offense has been impressive, starting with finding franchise quarterback Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall choice a year ago. His rookie class included two starters in the second round – left tackle Donovan Smith and guard Ali Marpet.
Even before the firing of Lovie Smith as head coach, the Bucs’ plan has always been to address defensive needs in 2016.
That process began in the offseason with free agency with Tampa Bay addressing its two biggest needs for an edge pass rusher and cornerback. They signed former Giants defensive end Robert Ayers, who is coming off a career season with 9.5 sacks in only 12 games. The Bucs haven’t had a player with double-digit sacks in a regular season since Simeon Rice in 2005.
“Nine and a half sacks in 12 games is pretty impressive, and if you really study my film, you’ll see I could have had a lot more. It takes a lot to get those sacks,” said Ayers, 30, signed to a three-year, $19.5 million deal. “I don’t think that half a sack cost me anything — I think everybody did their due diligence and looked at what I presented, the way I played. Quite frankly, I think I beat a lot of guys, and I think they saw that.”
Opposing quarterbacks had a 102.5 passer rating against the Bucs last season thanks to a leaky secondary that yielded 31 touchdown passes in 2015. Whether you want to blame the scheme or a poor performance by cornerbacks Johnthan Banks and Alterraun Verner, both lost their starting jobs last season.
Smith took over the defensive play-calling duties from Leslie Frazier, another reason why the Glazer family that owns the Bucs decided to go with Dirk Koetter as head coach. Koetter hired former Falcons coach Mike Smith as defensive coordinator. The two men worked together on Jack Del Rio’s staff in Jacksonville.
It was no surprise when the Bucs signed former Falcons and Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes, who has 13 interceptions over the past three seasons and three consecutive Pro-Bowl appearances.
“I know first-hand from going against Brent in my time in Atlanta in practice, I haven’t seen Matt Ryan back down from too many corners,” Koetter said. “But Matt would tell me every day, ‘Oh, we can’t throw this route on this side because Grimes is over there.’ I was like, ‘What? We can go against that guy.’ He had about 15 picks (in practice) that first year I was there.”
The Bucs also re-signed safety Chris Conte and signed former Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson.
Offensively, the focus for the Bucs was to retain running back Doug Martin, the NFL’s second-leading rusher who signed a five-year, $35.75 million contract.
Martin, who has two 1,400-yard rushing seasons, will provide protection and balance for Winston.
With the retirement of guard Logan Mankins, the Bucs needed a starting left guard and signed Seattle free agent J.R. Sweezy. Tampa Bay also added punter Bryan Anger. The Bucs also are willing to trade quarterback Mike Glennon, but it’s unlikely they would part with him for anything less than a second-round pick. Glennon will become a free agent next season.
But none of those free-agent signings will prevent the Bucs from addressing their biggest needs early and often in the NFL draft.
“It’s not going to stop us from drafting players at those respective positions,” general manager Jason Licht said. “We still have to do that. If there’s a great player at whatever position it is, we’re not going to say, ‘Well, we signed Player X so we don’t need to draft that position now.’ It allows us to truly stick to our plan, which is ‘best available player.’”