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What Will The Bucs Do Next?

Associated Press file photo

Albert Haynesworth is 6-foot-6, 327 pounds of run-stuffing granite who would fit right into the middle of the line.

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 24, 2009

I think the one thing we can safely say as the NFL draft combine ends and free agency begins is that we really have no idea what the Buccaneers have planned.

Other than letting the obvious slip – they are interested in Tennessee free agent Albert Haynesworth (well duh!) – the Bucs' new regime has been noncommittal while rumors circulate about what they should do.

So let's join in, shall we?

Doing what it takes to sign Haynesworth would be a good place to start this party.

There has probably never been so obvious a solution to so obvious a need for this football team. We all saw what happened in the final month of the season, starting with the Monday night debacle at Carolina and carrying on through to the season-ending loss to Oakland. The Bucs gave up 756 yards in those final four games – 189 per game, on average.

The immortal Michael Bush scorched them for 177 yards by himself.

Haynesworth is 6-foot-6, 327 pounds of run-stuffing granite who would fit right into the middle of the line and maybe take some heat off the Bucs' linebackers and secondary. You rebuild from the foundation up, and at age 27 Haynesworth would be quite a foundation.

They've got the cash and they've got the cap room. They have the need.

If they don't get this guy, it can't be because they didn't try.

Need Playmakers

But Haynesworth is on a parallel track with other Bucs' needs. They can take care of that need through free agency and use the draft to address pressing offensive needs. The good news is, this seems like a pretty deep draft for wide receivers, Michael Crabtree's achy foot notwithstanding. It's possible that Florida's Percy Harvin could fall in their direction – the Bucs pick 19th overall, so he might not last – but if he's there I'd be wary.

Harvin might be the most dynamic playmaker coming out of college in the last few years, but he does tend to get hurt. That's probably why most mocks have him falling out of the top 10, and it's a caution flag to a team like the Bucs.

There was a thought initially that Missouri receiver Jeremy Maclin might fall, but that doesn't seem likely now. The Bucs might be better off waiting until the second round to go for a receiver, especially if someone like Ohio State's Beanie Wells is available – as most seem to believe he will be.

They can't count on Cadillac Williams, even though the early word out of One Buc is that Caddy's recovery from a second patellar knee tendon injury is ahead of schedule. Wells has the same durability issues Harvin does and he's not much of a receiver out of the backfield, but he has a rare blend of size (6-1, 235), speed and power.

The Bucs keep dropping hints about bringing back most of last year's cast – Michael Clayton, Maurice Stovall, guys like that. It appears they want to give Dexter Jackson a shot at playing receiver. To be honest, I'm just not feeling it. To me, receiver is the weakest position on the team – with the exception of Antonio Bryant, of course. Maybe the new offensive system that's being introduced will make a difference, but I'd still rather see some new faces with size, hands and speed than running the same ol' guys out there and expecting different results.

Quarterback? Not Now

No less than ESPN's Mel Kiper says the Bucs should take Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman. Frankly, I'd rather see what Luke McCown and Josh Johnson can do – especially when there is immediate help available at other positions.

No one is talking about Josh Johnson too much, but I remember a conversation with Bryant late last season. He had made a big catch or something and went out of his way to say that Johnson, standing on the sideline, had noticed the play would work and relayed the information. Bryant said Johnson had been doing a lot of stuff like that instead of just standing on the sideline and looking at the cheerleaders.

Doug Williams, now the director of pro scouting, was one of the loudest voices in the room last year in favor of drafting Johnson. He continues to be high on the kid, and the Bucs say Johnson will get a chance to show what he can do. It appears likely they'll try to sign a veteran quarterback to push McCown and Johnson, and there's always Brian Griese. But they really just need to find out if McCown or Johnson can play.

My guess is, that's what they'll do.

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