HEAD COACH: Greg Schiano
Key Additions: WR Vincent Jackson; TE Dallas Clark; OL Carl Nicks; DL Amobi Okoye; QB Dan Orlovsky; CB Eric Wright
Key Losses: OL Jeff Faine; QB Josh Johnson; LB Geno Hayes; DB Tanard Jackson; DL Tim Crowder
Offense: After a breakout season in 2010, quarterback Josh Freeman took a big step backward in 2011, passing for 3,592 yards while throwing 22 interceptions with just 16 touchdowns. Freeman did run for 238 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns while being sacked 32 times.
The backup this season looks to be free agent Dan Orlovsky, who passed for 1,201 yards with six TD and four picks with Indianapolis last season.
The running game will need a boost after finishing 30th overall, averaging just 91 yards per game. The Bucs leading rusher a year ago was LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for 781 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
Blount could be sharing the load with rookie pick Doug Martin (Boise State) this season while others in the fold include Michael Smith, a rookie from Utah State, Robert Hughes, Mossis Madu and fullbacks Erik Lorig and Drake Dunsmore.
The wide receivers this season will include a huge free agent signing in Vincent Jackson, who comes over from the San Diego Chargers after catching 60 passes for 1,109 yards (18.4 ypc average) and nine touchdowns. Jackson provides the team with a big target who has big play abilities.
Mike Williams is the other wideout and caught 65 passes last season for 771 yards and three touchdowns.
Other wide receivers include Arrelious Benn (30, 441, three TD), Preston Parker (40, 554, three TD), Jordan Shipley and Sammie Stoughter.
The tight end position has Dallas Clark (34, 352, two TD) and Luke Stocker, who made twelve receptions last season.
The line has center Jeremy Zuttah, guards Carl Nicks and Ted Larsen, who is replacing the injured Davin Joseph. The tackles are Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood. Others include Derek Hardman, Demar Dotson, Ted Larsen and Jamon Meredith.
Tampa Bay finished 27th in scoring last year, totaling just 287 points. The offense was 21st overall, averaging 319 yards per game. The Bucs finished 16th in passing, getting 228 yards per game.
Defense: This unit was a disaster last season, allowing the most points in the NFL (494), which was 31 points per game allowed.
The run defense was last, giving up 156 yards per game. The pass defense finished 21st overall, allowing 238 yards a game to contribute to a 30th ranked defense, which allowed 394 yards per game.
Ouch!
The Bucs will employ the 4-3 defense and will have Gerald McCoy and Roy Miller at the tackles. The ends are Michael Bennett, who had four QB sacks, and Adrian Clayborn (7 1/2 sacks). Also available on the D line is Frank Okam, Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, Amobi Okoye, George Johnson and Gary Gibson.
At linebacker, Tampa Bay will have Mason Foster in the middle along with outside linebackers Quincy Black and rookie Lavonte David (Nebraska). Dekoda Watson, Adam Hayward and rookie Najee Goode (West Virginia) will be ready to go as well.
The secondary will have veteran Ronde Barber moving over to play safety this season and he will team with Mark Barron (top rookie pick from Alabama) in the safety spots. The corners will be Eric Wright and Aqib Talib. Barber picked off three passes last season and Talib had two interceptions, taking back both for touchdowns.
Larry Asante, Ahmad Black, E.J. Biggers, Cody Grimm, Myron Lewis and Keith Tandy will be on hand to provide depth in the secondary.
OUTLOOK: Improving the defense and cutting down on the turnovers will be the key challenges for new Head Coach Greg Schiano, who takes over for Raheem Morris, who was fired when the Bucs collapsed down the stretch last season, losing ten straight games to finish the year at 4-12.
Tampa Bay finished dead last with a minus-16 in the turnover category and must improve in that area. Freeman has to minimize the mistakes he made a year ago and the running game must do better to relieve the pressure on the fourth year quarterback.
Stopping the run will be priority number one for the defense and getting better pressure on opposing quarterbacks would help too. Tampa Bay had just 23 sacks last year to go with 14 interceptions.
Playing in one of the league's better divisions (NFC South) is a challenge and the Bucs have to be up to it against New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina.
The team fell off from a 10-win season two years ago to the basement in the division last year, so what will be in store for the 2012 season?
Figure on a 5-11 finish this year for the Buccaneers as they rebuild for the future.
They are not as bad as a year ago and probably not as good as their record two years ago. The schedule is pretty tough, but as long as they play better defense and limit the mistakes on offense, the Bucs should improve.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- vs. Carolina
Week 2- at NY Giants
Week 3- at Dallas
Week 4- vs. Washington
Week 5- BYE
Week 6- vs. Kansas City
Week 7- vs. New Orleans
Week 8- at Minnesota
Week 9- at Oakland
Week 10- vs. San Diego
Week 11- at Carolina
Week 12- vs. Atlanta
Week 13- at Denver
Week 14- vs. Philadelphia
Week 15- at New Orleans
Week 16- vs. St. Louis
Week 17- at Atlanta
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