Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preseason Position Grade Sheet: Defensive Backs

 CB Ronde Barber will be relied upon -- © AP

For all of the credit that Gruden and Allen received for building a young and verocious offensive line during their final few seasons, they should also be acknowledged for laying the foundation of a successful secondary for the foreseeable future as well.

The Bucs have 13 defensive backs on roster, with an average age of 24.5. Mainstay Ronde Barber (34) is the elder of the group, being the only one alive in the '70s. In fact, the Bucs have nine DBs who are 25 or younger, of which four are rookies. 

Now while I'm sure no one is in a rush to send Jon and Bruce a thank you bouquet anytime soon, it should be noted the Bucs have the second youngest secondary in the NFC South, behind only Carolina (24.2). In other words, this unit was built with a long term outlook in mind.

Considering head coach Raheem Morris made his name as a fantastic backs coach, he will likely spend quite a bit of time with this group during camp and preseason practices. It won't hurt to have the experience of Ronde Barber either, as he will certainly be used by Morris and defensive coordinator Jim Bates this season to provide his knowledge to the younger, less-experienced backs as a sort of on-field coach.

Ronde is literally the last piece of the greatest defensive generation in team history and his best days as not only a Buc, but a professional football player are likely behind him. This season is his opportunity to show he still has some life left in his playing career.

 S Tanard Jackson has started all 32 games since being drafted -- © AP 

Gone are the days of the famed 'Tampa-2' defense. A scheme which revitalized an organization and revolutionized defenses across the football spectrum.

In its place, a more aggressive, man-on-man scheme which will rely upon blitzing more than the aforementioned 'Tampa-2' scheme did.

As I mentioned earlier, the Bucs have certainly injected youth into their secondary. Aqib Talib has cemented his spot as one of the starting CBs. However, it is uncertain whether Ronde will start or play nickelback predominantly.

Rookies Marshall McDuffie and E.J. Biggers could very well challenge Ronde and Torrie Cox for playing time. Both are bigger and faster than Barber or Cox, speed being something necessary from the CB position in order for this defensive scheme to be successful. 2nd year back Elbert Mack will also be in the mix.

The safety positions have intrigue as well, as Tanard Jackson will likely keep his starting position. Who starts along side Jackson, however, remains to be seen. The Bucs would love to see 3rd year man Sabby Piscitelli stay healthy and begin to pay dividends for them after selecting him in the 2nd round in '07. He has shown flashes of his potential, but only started a handful of games last season after missing all of '07 due to injury. Will Allen, Donte Nicholson and rookie C.J. Byrd are all in contention for the spot Sabby hopes to fill.

Now while no 'official' depth chart has been released by the team, the chart below is my humble prediction/suggestion for whom would start:

I feel Aqib and Tanard are the certainties (barring injury), so that leaves three spots to 11 players. I went with Biggers over Barber for the simple fact that E.J. is faster and a little bit taller than Ronde, which are two things Bates' system will require from his DBs. Ronde is also an excellent blitzing CB and that is something that is better suited from the NB (slot) position. Remember, Ronde is the ONLY NFL player to record 20 sacks and 20 INTs in his career...he was built for this role.

I chose Sabby over Allen, Nicholson and Byrd because of his speed, strength and athleticism. He has shown, when given the opportunity, that he can make splash plays and reminds (perhaps prematurely) some folks of a young John Lynch. As far as I'm concerned, it is his job to lose heading into camp.

A lot will be expected of this unit this season. The Bucs managed to intercept 22 passes last season, which is quite an accomplishment when you consider their lack of a consistent pass rush. Barber and Talib led the team with four INTs apiece in '08 and will once again be called upon to lead by example.

Given their collective youth, I'd say they couldn't ask for two better leaders.
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Overall Grade: B

There is an adage about inexperience that states, "Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities." This is a motto that all Bucs fan should recite regarding the secondary. Yes, they are young and mostly inexperienced. But it is that very youth that should fire up any fan upon realization that this unit will for the most part be together for the next 7-10 years. The Bucs have shunned experience and replaced it with vigor and a youthful optimism.

Talib, Jackson and Piscitelli have an opportunity to be part of the next generation of great Bucs defenders. Defense is something that Bucs fans have come to expect, much like the sun rising in the east...only they would likely accept the sun rising from the west before the Bucs not having a defense. As sad as that they may sound. It will be interesting to see how Bates uses this units speed and athleticism to attack the opposing backfield.

This much we do know: the secondary will have to tackle better if they intend on winning games this season. One rewind of the 'December Debacle' last year and the glaring issue is the amount of missed tackles, both up front and in the secondary.

Overall, I rate this group one of the better on the team. They certainly have some growin' up to do, but are in good shape for the long haul.

Lookout for...the battle at nickelback. At this stage in his career, Ronde is probably better suited for this role as he has always disguised his blitzing very well. With that said, are the Bucs willing to throw a rookie like Biggers or McDuffie into the starting lineup, or will they go with Torrie Cox and slowly transition one of the rooks into the spotlight? This should make for one of the more intriguing battles in camp/preseason.

Beware of...Talib having a sophomore slump. Opposing teams are well aware of his potential as an in-your-face cover corner and may start throwing at the other CB in lieu of forcing the issue. If that happens, don't be suprised if his INT numbers decrease or hold steady from '08. 

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