Buccaneers Winners and Losers After Hiring of OC Dave Canales
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit the offseason with several questions and have answered one with the hiring of offensive coordinator Dave Canales.
Now, with the offensive direction established, the Bucs can go about attacking the rest of their needs.
Those will start with the quarterback position because even if third-year player Kyle Trask is destined to be the team's starter, he still needs someone to back him up.
And that's where we start this list of winners and losers following the Buccaneers' hiring of a new offensive coordinator.
WINNERS
Quarterback, Kyle Trask
When Trask was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the assumption was that he'd be the starter - or at least compete for the job - following Tom Brady's retirement.
But when Brady announced he was retiring last offseason, many speculated Tampa Bay would enter the Deshaun Watson trade conversations, or pursue another veteran.
This cast a lot of doubt on Trask and his future with the team.
However, now that Brady has not only announced but submitted his retirement papers, the feeling around the organization is that Trask will get his shot.
And with an offensive coordinator who has helped produce Pro Bowl quarterbacks five years running, there's certainly optimism surrounding Trask's career trajectory.
Quarterback, Drew Lock
It's no surprise two quarterbacks are winners when the Bucs hire a quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator to run their offense.
Lock only got one year with Canales with the Seattle Seahawks, but one year is all Blaine Gabbert had with Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich before joining the Buccaneers in 2019.
One year may not seem like a lot, but it's a lot more experience than Trask has, and having that in the quarterback room will only help improve the learning curve.
If Lock comes to Tampa Bay in free agency, as many expect him to.
READ MORE: Should Bucs Pursue Former Seattle Quarterback?
Wide Receiver, Russell Gage
Canales had a lot of success with receiver Tyler Lockett during his time with the Seahawks.
Lockett's ability to work downfield and in shorter areas really provided the passing game coordinator with a weapon he could deploy against any defense.
Gage factors to be the Bucs' version of Lockett in Canales' offense from a stylistic standpoint.
If Gage can stay healthy, this move may benefit him the most.
LOSERS
Coach, Byron Leftwich
Unfortunately, where there are winners, there have to be losers.
For Leftwich, not only did he have to lose his job for the Buccaneers to bring in Canales, but the style of offense this new coordinator is coming from is more pass-oriented than what we expected.
Despite the public outcry surrounding first down runs during the season, Tampa Bay led the league in pass attempts on 1st and 10.
And Seattle ranked seventh with Canales as its passing game coordinator.
So it turns out that Bowles was ok with the play-calling, just not Leftwich's.
Running Back, Leonard Fournette
The Bucs appear to be getting younger, and that's not good for a running back nearing 30 who counts for millions against the salary cap.
Fournette isn't washed up by any means, but with a new offensive coordinator expected to roll out with a first-time starter at quarterback, a veteran back is more likely to be leaned on than accentuated.
And considering Fournette's $3 million savings on the salary cap if the Buccaneers move on from him altogether, it's beginning to look a lot like his last year with the team may have already happened.
READ MORE: Bucs Who Could Get Cut
Left Tackle, Donovan Smith
Smith gets too much hate, to be honest, but he's not exactly the top left tackle in the game either.
His cap hit this year is top 10 among left tackles in the NFL and with this season potentially becoming a sort of 'gap year' for the Bucs, that may be more than the team is willing to pay to continue his inconsistent services.
If Tampa Bay moves on from Smith it would be wisest to do so before June 1st, while it can eat the entirety of the dead cap hit this season, to provide maximum financial flexibility in the next.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
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