Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2010: Players Who Need To Make An Impact

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need impact players in 2010. There simply weren't enough last season and that's one of the main reasons why they only won three games.

He's not a player, but Raheem Morris needs to be an impact coach. "Rah," as his players call him, will again act as his own defensive coordinator. The defense saw immediate improvement when he took over last season.

Most league observers still feel that the combination of an inexperienced GM (Mark Dominik) and an inexperienced head coach, Morris, is not a winning one.

Here's a look at some of the players that will have to step up and have an impact if the Buccaneers are going to be respectable in 2010.

Cornerback Ronde Barber

Yes, Ronde Barber has to make an impact. With the emergence of Aqib Talib as the team's best coverage man, defensive coordinators are going to challenge Barber to see if he's still up to the task of shutting receivers down.

Some will tell you he has lost speed and his ability to make tackles on larger receivers. Ronde will have to prove that he can still do it.

He'll also have to prove that his body can still hold up for an entire NFL season.

Linebacker Barrett Ruud

It's obvious that the Bucs aren't big believers in linebacker Barrett Ruud. He's the leading tackler but still can't get a contract extension.

With the addition of defensive linemen in the draft, the linebackers should benefit, particularly Ruud.

But the fact is that he's certainly no Hardy Nickerson. Hardy is the player who showed Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks and John Lynch how to play like leaders and how to act like leaders.

Barrett needs to make more tackles that aren't 10-15 yards down field.

Linebacker Quincy Black

Raheem Morris keeps telling everyone how great Quincy Black can be.

It's time for Quincy Black to show opposing defenses how great he can be. Morris gives lectures about Black. He looks great, has the tools, he's strong and fast.

The only problem is that there are a lot of guys in the NFL who have the tools, and are strong and fast yet remain unproven.

It's time for Black to become a proven NFL linebacker. The defense needs him and it needs him to play well week after week.

Safety Sabby Piscitelli

Some will say that safety Sabby Piscitelli has already lost his starting job. There are people that probably wish that but Sabby will have his shot in training camp.

He was viewed as a weak link in the defense last year. One Tampa website refers to him often as "Sabby The Goat."

Again, there's the dreaded "P" word with Piscitelli—Potential.

One wise coach describes that the definition of "potential" as meaning that right now, you're really not very good.

If all else fails, then perhaps Morris can re-do the Jermaine Phillips experiment and move Piscitelli to linebacker.

Defensive Tackle Gerald McCoy

Wait until you get a gander at Gerald McCoy's contract, if and when it happens.

For that amount of money, and the fact that he's already been inserted as a starter at tackle, McCoy better be an impact player this season.

The fact is though that rookies seldom make an impact. He will have to prove to be the exception rather than the rule.

He's the third overall pick in the draft. He better be a major force on the defensive line.

Quarterback Josh Freeman

There will be no wasting the entire training camp on Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown this year. Josh Freeman is the man. He's also the guy that Raheem Morris has bet his career on.

Simply put, Josh Freeman has to perform well. He's not expected to win games by himself but he will have to make good decisions and avoid interceptions by throwing the ball away when receivers are covered, which means he might have a lot of incompletions this season.

It would help him immensely if the Buccaneers could put together a running game and that takes some of the pressure off of Freeman.

Running back Derrick Ward

This isn't real complicated. It's time for this guy to prove he's not a mistake.

The problem is that he was a third-down back with the New York Giants and he hasn't proven anything in Tampa. There are a lot of questions concerning his desire as well.

He was one of the most disappointing performers last season.

If there's going to be a running game, Cadillac Williams needs help and Ward needs to justify his contract and show that the organization didn't make a mistake in signing this him.

Wide Receiver Maurice Stovall

All the preseason and post-draft talk has been about receivers Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn. It's about time for Maurice Stovall to step up and be counted.

He's been around long enough and now he needs to make the next step and take his game to a new level and help Josh Freeman. Stovall is the big target Freeman needs. You simply cannot count on him finding the diminutive Sammy Stroughter all the time.

Everyone knows what Michael Clayton cannot do and that's catch the football.

Time for Maurice Stovall to prove that this team doesn't need Clayton on the roster.

Offensive Tackle Jeremy Trueblood

Ah, Jeremy Trueblood. It's time for this guy to do something besides getting called for penalties.

The offensive line was an under-achieving group last season and it simply cannot be that way again this year if the Bucs and quarterback Josh Freeman want any kind of a chance to survive.

The line is also crucial if there's going to be any sort of running game.

Improvement needs to start with Trueblood. But he's not alone, this is a group that will be scrutinized all season.

Tight End Kellen Winslow Jr.

Josh Freeman's best friend is Kellen Winslow Jr.

Winslow was the only positive in a negative receiving corps last season.

What he has to do is show that he's healthy enough to do it all again, but hopefully with some help from the other pass catchers.

The Bucs simply cannot afford to have him miss games. He has to play. The only question remains, are his knees up to it?