State of the Union: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sweet fro Josh Freeman. Get a fu manchu and some racing stripes and maybe you can compete.

Last season was a circus in Tampa. Raheem Morris didn't pull his pants down or anything, but firing coordinators all over the place and juggling his quarterback of the future didn't work well for him. This season should be different. They have a young corps of players who will use this season as more of a growing experience than anything, but there should be glimpses of good things to come. If there aren't any bright moments in 2010 then Bucs fans can at least brace themselves for at least five more years of crappy football.

The Bucs showed a commitment to rebuilding a championship defense when they took defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price with their first two picks in the draft. It's tough for rookie defensive tackles to make an impact in the league, especially when their ends aren't the greatest in the world, but that's the beautiful thing about playing for a garbage team: they have time to get the rookie jitters out and develop into studs without looking over their shoulders. The linebackers behind them look great with Geno Hayes and Quincy Black so they aren't out there on their own in the front seven. Behind the linebackers lie several question marks. Whatever happened to Aqib Talib? Apparently he isn't dead but you could have fooled me. Coming out of Kansas you'd think his name would be tossed around as a top tier corner but it hasn't happened yet. Word out of camp is that he's cleaned his act up, has demonstrated leadership, and is starting to look like the player they thought he would be. If he can be that guy, this unit has great potential heading into the future. Like the entire team, they aren't there yet this season, but going forward they could eventually mold into a great D.

Everything on offense depends on how well Josh Freeman has progressed in the offseason. Their wide receivers are a young group including Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn (who I really like coming out of Illinois. He'll take a few years but expect him to get there. Benn and Juice raped Michigan enough to get respect. Not ha ha type rape either it was legitimate call the cops and get a rape kit done while the family cries type of deal). They also have the confusing Kellen Winslow in their midst who can give a quarterback a safety blanket if he so chooses. Seriously Kellen, either be good or be bad. Stop being inconsistent and get your act together. Along with running backs Cadillac Williams and the surprising Kareem Huggins, Freeman has enough weapons around him to find a rhythm and show that he's a pro. He has all the physical tools, now get out there and get some reps.

Is this Bucs team going to continue the NFC South trend of worst to first and make the playoffs? No. They're too young and they aren't going to try and hide Johnson with a ground it out game. They do have some talent though and this team will be a contender in the future. Maybe they arrive a year early and show something this year with a "Nobody believes in us" attitude and I'll eat my words, but until they put up a few wins all they have is potential.