National Football League

5 Roster Casualties the Buccaneers Need to Consider

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Across the league there are NFL players who no longer belong to the Buccaneers or any other franchise at the moment. Each of these men will be looking for new employment and franchises will be looking for hidden gems waiting to be picked up.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter and general manager Jason Licht prior to the game against the Washington Redskins during the Tropical Storm Hermine at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In 2015 the Buccaneers hit the waiver wire to pick up quarterback Ryan Griffin who is still with the team and looks to be the backup of the future.

They also added linebacker Jeremiah George who didn’t survive this round of roster cuts, but did make some plays in pewter last season.

This year Jason Licht and company will try to find some contributors again. Whether the players awaiting their phone call contribute immediately or get stashed away for future roles on the team, there are plenty of talented players looking to turn one more chance into a meaningful career.

When the Bucs trimmed their roster to 53 there were a few surprises including the release of “Superback” Danny Vitale, the retaining of five tight ends and the seemingly low number of linebackers kept on the list.

While fans and those outside the meeting rooms may not see the complete picture there’s no doubt this team still has holes it could fill and there are more than a handful of players now available who could help in some very niche areas.

Here we’ll take a look at five such players and breakdown just how they can help the 2016 Buccaneers finish this year’s efforts in the post-season.

Oct 11, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Taylor Gabriel (18) makes a catch during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Wide Receiver Taylor Gabriel

The Cleveland Browns have successfully removed their top-3 wide receivers from 2015 after releasing Taylor Gabriel on Saturday.

The short but speedy receiver could significantly bolster a Buccaneers receiving corps which lacks top-end speed and do little to truly challenge opposing safeties to keep the lid on.

I’m surprised that the #Browns cut WR Taylor Gabriel. I’m thinking he should get interest from other teams.

— Jovan Alford (@Jovan10) September 3, 2016

Entering his third NFL season Gabriel is still a very raw talent with more straight line speed than route quickness in his arsenal. With giants Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson holding down the outside and Adam Humphries running all the quick routes underneath what more do the Bucs really need?

Quarterback Jameis Winston would love to have a target who can get under his deep throws rather than relying on jump balls down the field which don’t always go the good-guys’ way.

With the injury struggles experienced by Jackson last season it’s important for Tampa not to forget just how finite his time really is. Grabbing young talent to develop after losing Donteea Dye and Kenny Bell to lack of production or injury would help keep this group on track to keep Winston’s arsenal stocked.

In the short term Gabriel’s real impact would likely be felt on special teams as he currently boasts a return average above 24 yards per.

This is a very limited sample size of course, but he’s shown potential to be a special teams stud while having the obvious deep threat ability in spot situations.

Including Louis Murphy who will begin 2016 on the PUP list, Tampa has six receivers and only one who can stretch the field if Murphy returns to form.

Nov 29, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins defensive tackle Terrance Knighton (98) tackles New York Giants running back Andre Williams (44) in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive Tackle Terrance Knighton

Most likely the more expensive of two defensive tackle options on this list, Terrance Knighton is also the one with the most short-term upside. “Pot Roast” as he’s so lovingly referred to will not be playing for the New England Patriots this year but it’s hard to think he won’t land somewhere as a proven asset to stuffing the line of scrimmage in a very real way.

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In the end I don’t think releasing Knighton had as much to do with him not fitting but more about Alan Branch fitting a little bit better and there not being enough spots to keep both.

Coach Belichick was short in saying the veteran lineman had done everything the team asked him to do and it just didn’t work out.

This should prove positive for the 8th year veteran as his coach-ability will have a lot to do with whether or not he sticks with another NFL franchise this season.

Knighton never has and never will be a big sack producer but what he can do well is plug the middle of an offensive line forcing blockers to the middle and opening gaps for linebackers and stunting defensive ends to launch into.

In pass rushing situations the Bucs will likely turn to a combination of Noah Spence, Jacquies Smith, William Gholston and Robert Ayers to help Gerald McCoy penetrate and disrupt the quarterback.

In run situations or goal-line sets though Knighton would fit in nicely with a four man group of McCoy, Clinton McDonald, Akeem Spence and himself.

Nov 8, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Sterling Moore (26) returns an interception against the New York Giants during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Cornerback Sterling Moore

Truth be told I never understood why the Buccaneers let Sterling Moore sign elsewhere in the first place.

I’m not privy to intimate conversations so maybe Moore wanted money the Bucs didn’t feel he was worth and after being cut by the Buffalo Bills his ego probably has him ready to bring him back to Tampa where he found arguably the best success of his career in 2015.

Outplaying veteran Alterraun Verner and one-time prodigy Johnthan Banks, Moore played his way into the starting lineup and most memorably could be seeing locking down Dez Bryant in Raymond James Stadium keeping the pro-bowl receiver from taking over a low scoring game last season.

With his partner in crime Jude Adjei-Barimah the duo was easily the brightest spot in a dismal cornerback group from a year ago.

Many felt Banks would lose his spot after a ho-hum preseason which saw his only impact play come on an easy interception which was more gift than takeaway.

Turnovers are king for NFL defenses and while Moore only had one interception last season he forced three fumbles tying him for most on the team with defensive end Jacquies Smith. In fact only he and Verner forced any turnovers from the cornerback position all season long.

The Bucs finished -4 this preseason in turnover ratio and adding him again may cause Banks a job, but it may also bring back some turnover ability and consistency to Tampa’s cornerback depth.

Oct 17, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; General view of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish logo at midfield before a NCAA football game against the Southern California Trojans tat Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive Tackle Louis Nix

Former Notre Dame golden-domer is looking for his third team in three years and what it may take is a team not looking for him to be their starter up-front, but rather fill a role in specific situations.

Is there anyone who believes this Buccaneers defense has run stopping figured out up front? What was actually a point of strength in 2015 seems to have become a lost priority in the pre-season.

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While it doesn’t always spell doom for the regular season, preseason short comings are very real and concerning.

Louis Nix hasn’t been able to stick with either the New York Giants who waived him Saturday or the Houston Texans who spent a third round pick on him three years ago.

Part of this has been due to injury concerns and another part is Nix being unable to turn his run-stopping ability into pass rushing legitimacy. To be a starting defensive tackle in the NFL you need to be able to do a bit of both.

Enter Tampa Bay. They don’t need a key guy up front as Gerald McCoy leads the front line and the squad has no shortage of pass rushers ready to pin their ears back any time they get the chance. What they need is help stuffing the middle of the line.

Clinton McDonald is a serviceable second mate to McCoy and Akeem Spence has even flashed at times, but when this defense needs to go big there just aren’t any other big bodies to plug running lanes and eat up blocks for the linebackers to clean up behind them.

Nix can be the guy and limiting his snaps to specific sets could help him avoid further injury while possibly letting him heal more than ever before paving the way for improved play a year from now.

I’m not suggesting he and McCoy will ever form the best interior duo the NFL has ever seen, but Nix can bring value to the front line when called upon to use his best talents to the team’s advantage.

Aug 11, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jacquizz Rodgers (35) is pursued by Denver Broncos free safety Justin Simmons (31) during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Running Back Jacquizz Rodgers

Some of Jacquizz Rodgers’ best years in the NFL came under the tutelage of Dirk Koetter with the Atlanta Falcons.

Now, with the sixth year running back looking for a new home the Buccaneers could turn to a somewhat familiar face to bolster their special teams packages and provide some injury protection should the unthinkable happen.

A career average of 23.8 yards per kick return would be a welcome improvement from last year’s miserable return numbers especially when you consider his career average has been lowered by his limited tries as a Bear.

For his career Rodgers has just over 1,000 yards rushing and another grand receiving pointing to his versatility as an offensive weapon which really forces defenses to let a play develop before committing to a full-blown attack.

Looking to the future the Bucs running back situation is in the exact same spot their quarterback group is in.

With one of the best backups in the game nearing the end of their commitment there’s no reason to think Charles Sims won’t be leaving the Gulf Coast for a starting chance elsewhere.

If Rodgers can pick up Koetter’s system again and prove himself valuable then the team will be a step ahead in 2017 when they lose their understudy leaving just one fewer concern for this team to address moving forward.

Either way the special teams talent is enough alone to reunite Rodgers with his former coaching staff, and if any NFL franchise could use his services it’s the Buccaneers.

Jul 30, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht and former player Ronde Barber look on during workouts at One Buccaneer Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

A cornerback, wide receiver, running back and two defensive tackles round out our list of potential targets for the Buccaneers as all 32 teams continue to evaluate and re-evaluate their squads in search of the perfect combination which will lead to theirs hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this coming February.

With so many names available both young and older there’s too many to evaluate all individually, but these five stood out as guys who had the immediate and even potential ability to impact this franchise in very real ways.

The Bucs will enter 2016 with one of the youngest rosters in the league so going with mostly veteran names here was not by accident however, there are young guys still out there who could also provide value.

Sound off in the comments or on Twitter using #53Bucs to let us know who you want to see stay on the team, leave and what you think of the franchise’s moves to date.

The next 24 hours are going to be big for this team, so keep coming back for updates and analysis as we try to bring you the most up to date and best Bucs content on the web.

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