Pro Football Focus Gives High Grade for Buccaneers' Free Agency So Far
Very few teams have had a better free agency than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers so far this offseason.
The team has focused on retaining its key pieces, but those pieces were highly desirable on the open market. The Bucs brought back quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Mike Evans before both players even hit free agency, and the team also ensured that safety Antoine Winfield Jr. isn't going anywhere by placing the franchise tag on him. Tampa Bay also re-signed Lavonte David to a one-year deal and brought back Jordan Whitehead as a second safety after his tenure with the Jets.
Many have come away impressed, and that includes Pro Football Focus. PFF put together a list of grades for all 32 NFL teams, and Tampa Bay had one of the highest-graded classes so far with an A- grade.
Here is what PFF had to say about Tampa Bay's class:
This contract is a win for Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers and the NFL at large. A true mid-tier market is developing at quarterback, which had long been a challenge. Tampa Bay gives itself an out after each year, and Baker gets the major payday he deserves.
Evans just keeps on rolling along and emphatically proved his worth in something of a prove-it year after the two sides were unable to agree on an early extension. The “win” from his perspective is that this could amount to a one-year, $29 million contract. The win from Tampa Bay’s side is keeping the total value in check.
This is a very nice reunion for the Bucs. Whitehead, whom they drafted in 2018, has played more than 900 snaps in each of the past five seasons and has a ton of versatility. In his final two seasons in Tampa before going to the Jets, he played free safety and strong safety at about the same rate, whereas in New York he was primarily used as a free safety. Having him and Antoine Winfield Jr. on the backend should give Todd Bowles two versatile safeties who can play all over the field and cause confusion for opposing offenses.
Tampa Bay was one of the few teams to earn any sort of "A" grade from PFF. The Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders were the only other "A" grades thus far.
The Buccaneers may not be done adding a few players to shore up depth, but their attention will now likely turn to the NFL Draft this coming April to add some starters to the team.
You can follow River Wells on Twitter @riverhwells.
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