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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the reigning Super Bowl champions and brought back every single starter from that Super Bowl team. Tom Brady is playing quarterback for them and the roster is obviously loaded. It doesn't sound like things can get any better than this, but there are some improvements that Tampa Bay can make. No roster is perfect, and this is the NFL we're talking about. It isn't enough to just maintain a team. It needs to be improved at every opportunity to ensure the best chance of victory.
The Buccaneers don't have any holes in their starting lineup, but their depth isn't as good as everyone thinks it is. Injuries have derailed countless seasons, and it could happen to the Buccaneers if they aren't careful. Edge rusher, cornerback, and safety are all positions that are dangerously thin.
Here are three potential trade candidates for the Buccaneers.
Whitney Mercilus
Finding complete edge defenders on the trade market is nearly impossible in today's NFL. Luckily, the Buccaneers don't need an edge defender in his prime. Whitney Mercilus is far past his prime, but he still has some pass-rush juice left in him. The University of Illinois product notched only four sacks last year for the Houston Texans, but he was also playing on one of the worst defenses in football.
The Texans were also asking Mercilus to be a full-time player, something that Tampa Bay wouldn't require of him. Mercilus would be placed in a rotational pass-rusher role and play an important depth role. He would be able to almost exclusively rush the quarterback, which has always been his strength. This would be a slam dunk acquisition for the Buccaneers, as they help fill out their depth chart with an experienced player who would fit his role perfectly.
This trade would also benefit Houston. Mercilus is far too old to be stuck on a rebuilding team. He's just taking away playing time from younger players, so moving him is in the Texans' best interest.
Bryce Callahan
Tampa Bay is surprisingly thin at cornerback. Beyond their starting three corners, there isn't a playable corner on the roster. The Buccaneers definitely don't want Ross Cockrell playing significant snaps for them in the event of an injury, so trading for a cornerback should be on the to-do list.
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Here's where Bryce Callahan steps in. Callahan was one of the most underrated players in football last season, ending the year as one of Pro Football Focus's best-ranked corners. I don't expect another season of that caliber from the former Rice Owl, but he's a more than capable defender. He would make a case to start for the Buccaneers, but I don't see Tampa Bay making a change in the starting lineup unless it's completely necessary. Callahan would also provide a veteran presence to a cornerback group that is one of the youngest in the league.
The Denver Broncos, Callahan's current employers, also have an excess of cornerbacks. Denver currently has three or four other corners who will fight to start over Callahan, so trading him is not out of the question.
Deshazor Everett
Everett actually started his career as an undrafted free agent with Tampa Bay. He's flourished as a depth and special teams player with the Washington Football Team. He ended last season with 31 tackles and four passes defended. The Texas A&M product hasn't had much playing time at safety, but the Buccaneers wouldn't need him to play lots of snaps. He would be back in Tampa Bay as an insurance policy to the starting safeties while also being a key special teams contributor.
The Football team is deep at safety, so Everett should be expendable to them. If the Buccaneers offered up a fifth-round pick for him, Washington would probably accept the deal. A fifth-rounder is a small price to pay for the peace of mind Everett's presence would provide.
