Quick-hitting analysis on every significant contributor to the 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

*new veteran

**rookie

Head Coach: Raheem Morris (2nd year)

Offense

Coordinator: Greg Olson

QB: Josh Freeman

Athleticism makes him a good passer on the move, but his mechanics are poor when he’s forced to drop back and throw. Needs to build experience as much as anything at this point.

RB: Cadillac Williams

Coming off his first healthy season as a pro. Remarkable comeback story could add a chapter about a 1,000-yard season in ’10.

RB: Derrick Ward

Mechanical runner who lacks initial burst and the speed to change tempo in space. To his credit, he consistently gains the yards that are blocked.

FB: Earnest Graham

Team-first attitude has allowed the former featured running back to become one of the sharper lead-blockers in the game.

WR: Arrelious Benn**

Second-round draft pick’s skills fit this catch-and-run offense. Good size.

WR: Mike Williams**

Super talented, but major character issues dropped him to Round Four. Similar skill set as Benn.

WR: Sammie Stroughter

Bucs love the second-year pro. So why not put him in more playmaking situations?

TE: Kellen Winslow

Coming off his sixth knee surgery, but remarkably, still has first-class athleticism. Arguably the smoothest pass-catching tight end in football.

TE: Jerramy Stevens

His character is embarrassingly bad. On the field, he can make most of the easy plays but none of the tough ones.

LT: Donald Penn

Wants a new contract, but Bucs are concerned about his weight. But his agent should argue that this fifth-year pro has never played like the fat guy he appears to be.

LG: Jeremy Zuttah

The third-year pro offers the sharp run-blocking agility that this system calls for. He might be the best member of this front five.

C: Jeff Faine

Classic cog. He fills a spot in a lineup and goes unnoticed (which, for a center, is probably a little more of a good thing than bad thing).

RG: Davin Joseph

Pro Bowl caliber when he’s consistently getting a jump off the snap and playing downhill with aggression.

RT: Jeremy Trueblood

The weak link up front, but has started all 16 games for three straight years. Tends to play too light on his feet, and has some trouble getting good hand placement against quick defenders.

6 OL: Demar Dotson

Undrafted rookie last year saw some time as an extra blocker in short-yardage situations.

Defense

Coordinator: Raheem Morris

LDE: Kyle Moore

Coming off disappointing rookie year thanks to injuries and being miscast in Jim Bates’s mistaken power scheme. Dropped 16 pounds and says he’s eager to show off his explosiveness.

DT: Gerald McCoy**

Doesn’t like the comparisons to Warren Sapp. If he lives up to No. 3 overall draft status, he’ll have to learn to like them.

DT: Brian Price**

Second-round rookie will be asked to occupy two gaps.

RDE: Stylez White

Had 6.5 sacks in 2009. What do you think – is that enough to justify his flashy new first name? (Formerly Greg White.)

5 DL: Ryan Sims

Gets off the ball with great quickness. Athletic enough to shoot gaps, but big enough to eat up blockers.

SLB: Quincy Black

Excellent closing quickness as a tackler. Bucs would like him to have to use that closing quickness more often.

MLB: Barrett Ruud

If he’s so great, then why did Tampa Bay’s run defense rank dead last in 2009? Average speed, average instincts, maybe slightly-above average agility but below average strength. In a word average. In two words, very average.

WLB: Geno Hayes

Can do a lot of damage if left unblocked. The Bucs’ best linebacker must become more viable in traffic if he wants to take that next step.

4 LB: Jon Alston*

Started eight games over last two years as a part-time contributor in Oakland.

CB: Aqib Talib

Well-sized third-year pro shadows the opposing team’s top receiver. A tad stiff in his direction changes, though not so stiff that he can’t be a big time playmaker.

CB: Ronde Barber

Thirty-five and in the last year of his contract. Sounds like a farewell tour. But he’s still proficient in zone.

NB: Myron Lewis**

Drafted in Round Three because he fits the Tampa 2 scheme. Has good height (6’2”) for a corner.

SS: Sabby Piscitelli

Struggles in space and at the point of contact. Also isn’t instinctive.

FS: Tanard Jackson

Must regain the playmaking prowess he flashed early in his career. Fluid in open-space coverage and not bad in the box.

6 DB: Sean Jones*

Coaches love his physicality against the run. Expect him to take Piscitelli’s job.

Special Teams

K: Connor Barth

Made 14/19 field goal attempts after joining the team last November.

P: Brent Bowden

Sixth-round rookie from Virginia Tech. He’s said to have a strong leg…which might be why he got drafted as an NFL punter (you think?).

RS: Clifton Smith

Averaged an NFL-best 29.1 yards per kick return last season. Also averaged over 10 yards per punt return despite not having a runback longer than 21 yards.

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