That's a lot of talent, but there appears to be one gaping skill position hole (we are counting tight ends as a skill position): running back. With former starting tailback Peyton Barber signing with the Washington Redskins this week, the Bucs are down to Ronald Jones and Dare Ogunbowale. That's not exactly a dynamic duo.
Jones was a 2018 second-round pick out of USC who was a mega-disappointment as a rookie. He was much more involved last year with 724 yards and six scores on 172 carries while catching 31 passes for 309 yards. Ogunbowale is purely a pass-catching/third-down specialist who ran the ball just 11 times for 17 yards but caught 35 passes for 286 yards.
It's certainly possible the Bucs could look at a tailback in the 2020 NFL Draft, although they are expected to target offensive line with their first-round pick (No. 14 overall). However, rookies are hit and miss and there are some very solid free-agent options still out there – the Bucs were linked to Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon – led by former Falcon Devonta Freeman.
With Brady under center, the Bucs need someone who can catch the ball out of the backfield and, frankly, better than Ogunbowale. In Brady's past eight seasons with the Patriots, New England had a running back record at least 40 receptions, at least 400 receiving yards and at least three touchdowns every year thanks to the likes of James White and Dion Lewis. Over that same span, the Bucs had a back reach those numbers once: Charles Sims in 2015.
Bucs coach Bruce Arians has said the team will look to add a "pass-catching back" in free agency and/or the draft.
Freeman, a two-time Pro Bowler, was released earlier this offseason by the Falcons with three years left on his big contract. No question that injuries have affected him the past few seasons, but Freeman is an excellent receiver. He had 59 catches last year in 14 games and a career-high 73 in 2016. He'd also be insurance as the primary back behind Jones. Tampa Bay has plenty of cap space to sign the 28-year-old, who likely would come cheap regardless.
The Bucs have an Over-Under win total of 9.0 at William Hill sportsbook, and they are taking a massive lean (biggest in NFL for a division title) to take the NFC South for the first time since 2007.
