The modern day NFL has truly developed into a passers’ league, and if you can’t defend against the pass, chances are you will find yourselves picking pretty early in the NFL Draft. Last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary was horrendous, and the statistics speak for themselves.  The Buccaneers gave up 297.4 passing yards a game (worst in the NFL), which resulted in them being just 38 yards short of the single season record for passing yardage given up. In fairness to the Tampa’s secondary, blame must also be laid at the feet of the Buccaneers’ pass rushers, who notched  just 27 sacks (T-30th) and quarterbacks often had plenty of time to allow their receivers to gain separation and make composed throws.

There are now whispers around the NFL however, that the league’s worst pass defense could actually become the league’s best in 2013. Valid? Maybe. Pre-emptive? Certainly.

Heading into this offseason, General Manager Mark Dominik probably only had confidence in one player in his secondary; safety Mark Barron. The Alabama product showed flashes of ability in his rookie season, and is certainly one of the most talented young safeties in the league. Dominik and Head Coach Greg Schiano will hope that he can show more consistency this season, and that the year playing with veteran Ronde Barber helped the younger player develop.

Outside of Barron, there was very little proven talent in the Buccaneers secondary. Corner Eric Wright underperformed last season, whilst also takin

g up a sizable chunk of the salary cap, and Barber, in addition to being 37, was heading into free agency. The Buccaneers had no higher priority than improving their secondary heading into free agency and the NFL Draft.

First up was the signing of safety Dashon Goldson, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, potentially adding an effective ball hawk, and the perfect complement to the physical, enforcer-type play of Barron.  If you look at the more successful teams on the defensive side of the ball in recent years, they have almost all had a play-making tandem of this type. You need look no further than the San Fransisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers or Seattle Seahawks for evidence.

The next move made, the trade for Darrelle Revis, will likely define Dominik’s tenure as Tampa’s GM. If Revis can return from his injury and replicate the kind of form which has had people labeling him as the best defensive player in the NFL, then the price Tampa paid for him will seem almost insignificant. It’s a question which, at the moment, remains unanswered, and could possibly stay unanswered until his second season with the Buccaneers. If Revis does regain both his fitness and form this season however, there is no better single addition the Buccaneers could have made to improve their woeful pass defense.

Then came the addition of Johnathan Banks in the second round of the NFL Draft, and despite not grabbing the same headlines that the arrivals of Goldson and Revis did, Banks could prove to be a very good move by Dominik. A tall, rangy corner, Banks is reminiscent of Richard Sherman, and could prove to be a valued press corner in the NFL. He will probably need to put on some more muscle to be as effective in the pro game as he was in college, but he certainly has the talent and mentality to be a success.

It is almost unthinkable to presume the Buccaneers pass defense will not improve. They have added key veterans and a solid rookie, whilst they will also be confident of an improved showing from their defensive line. However, the question posed was: can the Buccaneers secondary be the best in the league? And the short answer is no. There is little to no quality depth behind the starters, meaning that an injury to Barron, Goldson, Revis or Banks would be hugely impactful. It is also arguably a year or two too soon, with Barron and Banks still inexperienced.

That being said, if the Buccaneers can keep this group together, and perhaps add a dominant pass rusher, there is no reason why this same question won’t receive a different answer in a season or two.

Image credit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Facebook

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The beginning of the free agency period always sparks a frenzy of activity throughout the league, none more so than this year. Big names have moved on to unfamiliar territory and will be expected to perform instantly, in some cases providing their new teams with the tools to be able to make a run at the playoffs (Buffalo Bills fans be warned, Mario Williams is just one man).

With many of the more high profile players already signed to new deals, it is time to take a step back and look at the winners and losers of what has been a surprisingly interesting free agency thus far.

Given the relatively weak class of free agents this year, it is perhaps not surprising that many teams have swooped early and signed some of the better players to very lucrative contracts, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showing very little restraint early on. They have helped quarterback Josh Freeman immensely with the signings of Carl Nicks and Vincent Jackson.

Freeman’s development seemed to stall last year, Tampa Bay will be hoping for a return to form with the added protection of Nicks and the top receiving target of Jackson. They have also strengthened a fairly weak secondary with Eric Wright, formerly of the Detroit Lions, as they look for the secondary to match up with their formidable defensive line.

The Buccaneers can be fairly pleased with their moves in free agency so far, spending big (and with their cap space and poor form last season, why wouldn’t they?) but acquiring key pieces which have helped strengthen a very young team.

Another team who has spent well so far, but gone under the radar in comparison to Tampa Bay, has been the San Diego Chargers. They have brought in Le’Ron McClain (the injury prone Ryan Matthews will be eternally grateful) to help shore up their running game, whilst the arrival of wide receivers Eddie Royal and Robert Meachem should help to make up for the loss of Jackson to Tampa Bay.

Perhaps their most useful signing so far will be on the other side of the ball, with former Baltimore Raven linebacker Jarret Johnson making the move to San Diego, a signing which will surely aid the Chargers’ poor run defense. Given that both Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs have labeled Johnson as the key to the Ravens unforgiving defense, he could be exactly the man the Chargers need to take the next step on their way to becoming Super Bowl contenders.

The biggest signing of the Free Agency thus far has arguably been Mario Williams’ move to the Bills. He singlehandedly improves their defense immeasurably and will give Tom Brady something to fear when his Bills meet the Patriots next season. This will of course be trumped by the signing of Peyton Manning once the quarterback decides whether his future lies in Denver, Tennessee or San Francisco as he not only singlehandedly improves a teams’ offense, but makes them a Super Bowl contender, such is the talent he brings to a team.

Not every time has been so active in the early stages however, with the likes of the Ravens, Steelers and Patriots all biding their time given that their limited cap space means they cannot compete with the Buccaneers and Bills of the league in terms of lucrative contracts.

While the Patriots will retain the nucleus of their team next season, the Ravens have already lost starters in the forms of Ben Grubbs, Corey Redding and Johnson, whilst the Steelers have had to cut several key players in order to stay under the cap and face the challenging task of trying to sign star wide receiver Mike Wallace to a new contract. Both teams will need to spend wisely towards the end of free agency if they are to retain their statuses as genuine Super Bowl contenders.

Whoever ends up with Manning, whether it be the Broncos, Titans or 49ers, is a strong candidate for the team to have done best in the free agency, as are the previously mentioned Buccaneers.

However, the fairly understated signings that the Chargers have made will help them immeasurably, potentially putting them back into the playoffs and therefore could well be the best signings of the Free Agency period so far. At the other end of the spectrum are two AFC North sides, the Ravens and the Steelers.

The Ravens are noted for building through the draft and do have some cap room left to make some important moves, but the Steelers could be in genuine trouble. With little to no cap room left and the likes of Farrior and Smith already cut, there is little to celebrate in Pittsburgh this offseason and fans will be hoping for some very good prospects in the upcoming draft lest the Steelers fall below the Ravens in the battle for supremacy of the AFC North.

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