2010 Season Review
Throughout the off-season, sports writers, analysts and fans alike were united in their
pessimism for the 2010 season. People such as Peter King in Sports Illustrated were
predicting a 2-14 campaign, everyone expected a losing year and that Raheem Morris
would be looking for a new job come January. How wrong they all were.
What transpired was a 10-6 season missing out on the playoffs only on a tie-breaker and
the biggest influx of young talent probably ever seen in the history of the franchise. Add to
that the maturation of Josh Freeman into a true franchise quarterback and the Bucs were
now being unanimously seen as a team definitely on the rise around the NFL.
The free agent pickings were limited in the off-season and the Buccaneers had already
expressed their preference to build through the draft meaning that only veterans such as
S Sean Jones and G Keydrick Vincent were added as the team approached training
camp.
But the draft had brought defensive line help in the form of top picks Gerald McCoy and
Brian Price, and receiving talents Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams. The development of
the latter pair meant that long-time favourite of the boo birds, Michael Clayton, was finally
sent packing on the eve of the regular season.
Even a pair of opening victories over Cleveland and Carolina were not seen with any real
respect based on the supposed standard of the opposition, and hammerings at home by
real powerhouses Pittsburgh and New Orleans did keep the haters in the media and
internet world happy for a time.
But the Bucs kept winning the games they were supposed to have a chance to and after
Raheem's "we're the best in the NFC" boast at 4-2 which got him some national media
attention, the victories kept piling up and suddenly games against Atlanta were for the
division title.
The young Bucs, now hampered by injuries to defensive standouts McCoy, Price, Talib
and Grimm., came up short against the Falcons and on the road in Baltimore, but a
dramatic win in Washington kept them in the hunt going into their final three games.
Losing at home to another up-and-coming team Detroit in Week 15 hurt badly, and in
spite of a pair of really imrpessive wins in the final two weeks over playoff bound Seattle
and New Orleans, the Bucs became one of the few NFL teams to miss out on the post-
season with a 10-6 mark.
Josh Freeman outplayed every NFL quarterback over the final month of the season,
undrafted rookie LeGarrette Blount came from nowhere to post a 1,000-yard season and
Mike Williams led the team with 11 touchdowns and should have won the NFL's Rookie of
the Year Award.
Raheem finished runner-up to the Patriots' Bill Belichick for the Coach of the Year and all
across the roster, he could see young talent and potential. The team followed him like the Scots followed William Wallace and in spite of
not selling out a single game at Raymond James Stadium, the 2010 season will go down as one of the best in the history of the franchise.
TRADES
8 Mar Traded a 2011 6th round pick to the
Philadelphia Eagles for WR Reggie Brown.
19 Apr Traded QB Byron Leftwich to the
Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2010 7th round draft
pick.
23 Apr Traded 2010 2nd and 5th round picks to
the Oakland Raiders for a 2010 2nd round pick.
24 Apr Traded two 2010 7th round picks to the
Denver Broncos for a 2011 5th round pick.
19 Oct Traded an 2011 5th draft pick to Kansas
City for DE Alex Magee and a 2011 6th round
pick.
PLAYERS OUT
S Will Allen (UFA - PIT)
FB BJ Askew
WR Antonio Bryant (UFA - CIN)
WR Bryan Clark (UFA - DET)
WR Michael Clayton
C Jonathan Compass
CB Torrie Cox
DT Chris Hovan
P Dirk Johnson
QB Byron Leftwich (Trade - PIT)
LB Matt McCoy (UFA - SEA)
DT Dre Moore
S Jermaine Phillips
RB Clifton Smith
RB Derrick Ward
DE Jimmy Wilkerson (UFA - NO)
PLAYERS IN
S Larry Asante
RB Legarrette Blount
WR Dezmon Briscoe
P Chris Bryan
S Sean Jones (UFA - PHI)
G Ted Larsen
RB Kregg Lumpkin
DE Alex Magee (Trade - KC)
P Robert Malone
LB Tyrone McKenzie
DT Frank Okam
WR Preston Parker
G Keydrick Vincent (UFA - CAR)