Let's Be Honest About...........The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had an up-and-down decade of constant turnover and just uninspiring football. Let's be honest with ourselves. Here are 4 issues that are painfully true about the Bucs.

JAMEIS WINSTON IS A FRANCHISE QUARTERBACK

Ever since high school, Jameis Winston was a marvel to watch while under center. He became a high star recruit going to Florida State, where he won the Heisman Trophy and then the National Championship. He shows poise like the final drive that led to the winning touchdown of that championship game. Winston has the size, the arm and elusiveness to be a franchise quarterback. And if he stays in Tampa, he has the right coach in Bruce Arians that can harness his God-given talent and turn him into an elite quarterback. Unfortunately...........

JAMEIS WINSTON IS A LIABILITY

Jameis Winston is also a turnover machine. Watch the fumble that was caused without nobody touching him against Oregon in the playoff game in 2015. This has translated into the pros. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 30 TDs and 30 INTs in the same season. He could be good and could be bad if he wants. And I know he's a gunslinger like Brett Favre, but Favre learned to cut down on turnovers while Winston can not. Jameis also is a liability due to his immaturity. His troubles in college have been well-documented and have also translated to the pros. It's also a problem when experts or football "gurus" continue to make excuses for him saying that he is a young player that needs time to mature. He just finished his fifth season in the league. Stop with the excuses.

JASON LICHT HAS BEEN MEDIOCRE AT BEST AS GM OF THE BUCCANEERS

During this off-season, Licht and the Buccaneers pulled the coo of the free-agency period by signing Tom Brady. Albeit, a soon-to-be 43 year old Tom Brady. The Buccaneers gave him $30 million a year to help lead the Bucs to the promised land. This means one thing: the Jameis Winston experiment failed in Tampa. Licht has had a spotty track record since becoming GM in 2014. He hit on drafting Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Shaq Barrett, but whiffed on Vernon Hargreaves, any type of line protection for Winston, O.J. Howard hasn't been consistent since being drafted in 2017 and the jury is out on Vita Vea and Devin White. DeSean Jackson was the big free-agent signing for the Bucs in 2017 to help solidify Winston into a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback. Jackson was a bust and lasted just two seasons in Tampa. The messy divorce between the organization and Gerald McCoy had major ramifications which Licht was involved. He just signed an extension and the Brady signing could turn the corner for Licht's tenure. Hopefully, it comes soon.

THE BUCCANEERS ARE CONFUSED ON WHAT THEIR IDENTITY IS THROUGHOUT THE LAST DECADE

In 2003, the Buccaneers became Super Bowl Champions because they were known for having a historically dominating defense filled with future Hall of Famers and perennial Pro Bowlers. Then Jon Gruden decided to ditch the defense for offense and it bombed. The decade started with Raheem Morris, Greg Schiano, and Lovie Smith: all defensive-minded coaches. Yet their defense was not superior because of this. They ended the decade with Dirk Koetter and Bruce Arians: both offensive coaches. I mean, the offense is somewhat exciting, yet it hasn't made them better. Also the tall-telling stat that jumps out for me: all these coaches had losing records during their tenures. (Arians gets exempt because he's only had one year of work.)

Clearly, the organization has their work cut out for them to turn the team's fortunes. But with the Brady signing and a new decade, it's a fresh start for them......or not.

(References: NFL.com, Buccaneers.com, Pro Football Reference, Tampa Bay Times, SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated)

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