Tampa Bay lost their starting quarterback, Brian Griese, halfway through the season and still hung on to win the NFC South last year. Griese led the team to a 5-1 record before getting hurt and Chris Simms went 6-2 down the stretch after losing his first two starts. He should be a lot better this season after an offseason of preparing to be the starter. Jay Fiedler (New York Jets) is a capable backup if anything happens to Simms. Cadillac Williams was not at 100% in Simms first two starts as he was coming back from the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 4. Gruden overworked the rookie, feeding him the ball 88 times in the first three weeks including 37 carries in Week 3. He should have learned his lesson and would be wise to spell Cadillac with Michael Pittman more often this year.
The biggest weakness for Tampa Bay is their offensive line, but the group overachieved last season. All five starters return with RT Kenyatta Walker re-signing, and they should really benefit from the continuity. Gruden plugged in Anthony Davis at left tackle last season even though he was originally an undrafted free agent and had never started a game. He played well, but might have contributed to Gruden's tendency to run so much in the first three weeks with uncertainty protecting the the quarterback's blindside. Simms is left-handed, so the right-side is more important now and RG Sean Mahan and RT Kenyatta Walker were probably the two best lineman on the team last year. The Bucs know the line needs help and they took OG Davin Joseph (Oklahoma) and OT Jeremy Trueblood (Boston College) with their first and second-round picks. Joseph should start at some point this season, probably earlier than later. They also added OG Toniu Fonoti (Minnesota) and OT Torrin Tucker (Dallas) in free agency for depth. With four additions and five returning starters, they are definitely moving in the right direction.
Joey Galloway should get more help in the receiving department this year. Michael Clayton struggled with injuries and went through a sophomore slump last year, which is fairly common for receivers. He had a poor work ethic and carried some extra weight; both contributed to his various injuries. He slimmed down and has been a more regular participant with the team this offseason. He could easily bounce back and live up to the promise he showed as a rookie when he had 80 catches for 1,193 yards and 7 touchdowns despite not starting the first three games. The team got a big target with 6'4" Maurice Stovall (Notre Dame) in the third-round and also added the often-troubled WR David Boston (Miami).
Boston became obsessed with his body and added a detrimental amount of bulk after a brilliant start to his career. He was one of the most feared receivers in the league after grabbing 98 balls for 1,598 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2001 with Arizona. For those keeping score, that is more yards than Steve Smith had last season. A knee injury cut short his 2002 campaign, but did not stop him from signing a huge 7-year, $47 million free agent contract with San Diego prior to 2003. He was traded to Miami for a sixth-round pick after run-ins with Schottenheimer, but played well in 2003 with 70 receptions for 880 yards and 7 TDs in 14 games (Doug Flutie and a struggling Drew Brees were throwing to him). He suffered another knee injury and tested positive for steroids in 2004 with the Dolphins. He is trying to revive his career in Tampa Bay, which certainly worked out for fellow Ohio State alum Joey Galloway. No one expects Boston to return to his pro bowl form of 2001, but he could make an impact.
There is not much to talk about regarding Tampa Bay's defense. It is largely unchanged and will be one of the best in the league again with Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, and Ronde Barber leading the way. Age will eventually catch up to them (they are all over 30), but it does not look like it has yet. FS Dexter Jackson signed with Cincinnati, but he was not a special player. If they do not feel comfortable with FS Will Allen, Dwight Smith (New Orleans) is a very real trade possibility. New Orleans is looking to deal him and he spent his entire career in Tampa Bay before signing with the Saints last season. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns with Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII. Ironically, Dexter Jackson also had two interceptions and was the game's MVP. Jackson's interceptions impacted the game more as Smith returned both after Tampa Bay had already jumped out to a 27-3 lead.
Tampa Bay should look a lot like the team that finished strong last year behind the arm of youngster Chris Simms and the legs of Cadillac Williams. Simms struggled in big games at Texas, but he was decent last year against a good Washington defense in his first NFL playoff game. He did throw two interceptions, but he completed 65.8% of his passes and ran for a score in a tough 10-17 loss. The biggest difference from last season will be an improved offensive line and a more mature Chris Simms and Cadillac Williams. Considering they lost their starting quarterback midseason, Tampa Bay might have been even better than their 11-5 record last year. Simms inexperience is a valid reason for concern, but if he plays as well as he did last year, Tampa Bay could challenge Carolina for the division. Tampa Bay did go into Carolina in Week 14 last year and beat a Panther team with a healthy De'Shaun Foster 20-10. They do have a harder road with games against Seattle and Chicago (like the Giants), while Carolina gets St. Louis and Minnesota.
Key Additions: QB Jay Fiedler (NYJ), OG Davin Joseph (R), OT Jeremy Trueblood (R), OG Toniu Fonoti (MIN), OT Torrin Tucker (DAL), WR David Boston, WR Maurice Stovall (R)
Key Losses: QB Brian Griese (CHI), FS Dexter Jackson (CIN)
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