2012 NFL Free Agents: Top 10 Free Agents Tampa Bay Buccaneers Should Pursue

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need quite a bit of help to turn themselves back into a competitive football team. With the "build through the draft" philosophy blowing up in their faces in 2011, general manager Mark Dominik has assured fans that the team will be more active in pursuing free agents this offseason.

There are many positions of need on the team right now. Things are a little up in the air currently, as many teams decide which players they will let walk, which they will franchise and which players they will re-sign. While many fans will clamor for a Greg Schiano and Ray Rice reunion, it simply isn't likely to happen. Also, players such as Jermichael Finley and Matt Forte are very unlikely to hit the open market because they will most likely be franchised by their current teams.

Let's take a look at 10 realistic free agents the Buccaneers could pursue that would immediately improve the team.

Dwayne Bowe, Age 27

Bowe is coming off a somewhat down year in Kansas City, in which he only caught five touchdowns. This was a bit of a disappointment after his 15-touchdown explosion in 2010. Matt Cassell's injury certainly hurt his production, and defenses were keying on him after the early exit of Jamaal Charles in 2011. Despite these hurdles, Bowe still caught 81 balls for 1,159 yards for 14.3 yards per catch.

He would be a great weapon for Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman to have, and perhaps he could serve as a mentor to the young receivers like Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn currently on the roster.

If Bowe hits the open market he will be the hottest receiver available. He is a proven No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL, and those guys simply don't come around very often. He won't be cheap, but if the Buccaneers feel that proven weapons for Freeman are a necessity they may shell out the cash for a player of Bowe's caliber.

Laurent Robinson, Age 27

Laurent Robinson is perhaps the most intriguing wide receiver in this year's crop of free agents. Somehow he was cut by the receiver-stricken St. Louis Rams before landing on the Dallas Cowboys roster in 2011. An injury to Miles Austin paved the way for Robinson to emerge as a touchdown-catching machine, as he and Tony Romo hooked up 11 times throughout the season.

Robinson also showed he was capable of making the big play in 2011. He averaged an impressive 15.9 yards per catch.

Was Robinson a one-year wonder? Will the deep pockets of Jerry Jones even allow him to test the market? One thing is for sure, and that is that Robinson is a very interesting possibility with teams that have a need at the wide receiver position this offseason.

DeSean Jackson, Age 25

The problems associated with DeSean Jackson are well-documented. How much of his acting out has been because he was essentially getting paid the NFL minimum wage while being one of the most productive players in the game, and how much of his acting out has been because he is simply a disruptive player?

Jackson will finally get his payday this offseason one way or another. Someone will pay for his dynamic speed and playmaking ability. Will that team be the Buccaneers? It's hard to say.

New head coach Greg Schiano recently said: "Our team will be built around a humble, unselfish attitude of sacrifice." That sentence and DeSean Jackson don't seem to mesh well together, but Schiano also said in the same press conference that he wants his offense to run the football physically and take their shots down the field. Right now there isn't a legitimate deep threat at the wide receiver position to make that philosophy work.

Could Jackson's speed make him a possibility for the Bucs?

Ben Grubbs, Age 28

Ben Grubbs is an outstanding offensive guard. If the Buccaneers could somehow acquire him in free agency it would pair him with fellow first-round pick Davin Joseph. Grubbs and Joseph are two of only seven offensive guards to have been selected in the first round of the NFL draft in the past decade.

It's hard to believe that the Baltimore Ravens would allow Grubbs to leave, but with QB Joe Flacco and RB Ray Rice also hitting the free-agent market at the same time, Grubbs may be allowed to test the waters.

While many teams will be salivating over New Orleans Saints guard Carl Nicks, Grubbs could wind up being the steal of this year's free-agent class.

Michael Bush, Age 28

Fantasy football's most valuable handcuff may finally get the opportunity to spread his wings this offseason. Bush has long been a valuable backup for the frequently injured Darren McFadden, but has shown that he is capable of being a No. 1 guy elsewhere.

While the Buccaneers have a similar bruising back in LeGarrette Blount, Bush can do all of the things that Blount is incapable of. He is an excellent pass-protector, he is a threat out of the backfield on third down and he can find the correct hole in short-yardage situations.

While he isn't the change-of-pace back many see as a necessity to pair with the thunderous Blount, he would be a marked improvement over Kregg Lumpkin, and would probably push Blount for the starting running back job.

Brandon Carr, Age 26

Brandon Carr and fellow Kansas City cornerback Brandon Flowers made up one of the best young tandems in the NFL last season. This former fifth-round pick from tiny Grand Valley State has blossomed into a quality NFL starting cornerback over the past few years.

The Buccaneers are in desperate need for help at the position. Ronde Barber is likely to retire and Aqib Talib faces trial for his off-the-field shenanigans in March. While many mocks have the Buccaneers selecting LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the fifth overall pick, they will still need help at the cornerback position.

Former third-round pick Myron Lewis hasn't managed to get on the field much, and when he has, many fans have wished he hadn't. E.J. Biggers isn't a fit starting corner in the NFL, and Elbert Mack is still Elbert Mack.

Brent Grimes, Age 29

Brent Grimes, aside from being the personal kryptonite to Buccaneer quarterback Josh Freeman, is a pretty darn good NFL cornerback. The only reason he isn't the No. 1 priority over Brandon Carr is that he already 29 years old. But as the Buccaneers' own Ronde Barber has shown, cornerbacks are capable of playing adequately well into their 30s.

Grimes would be a great fit in Tampa and would provide a veteran presence in the locker room as well.

Carlos Rogers, Age 31

Speaking of cornerbacks playing great in their 30s, we have the third cornerback on our list. Carlos Rogers had a tremendous year in 2011 with the San Francisco 49ers. Washington Redskins fans often complained that Carlos Rogers dropped too many interceptions. What those same fans failed to realize is that Rogers was a pretty good corner that happened to be in perfect position to have those opportunities in the first place.

Whatever caused him to have the dropsies in Washington, it vanished on the plane trip out west to San Francisco. Rogers amassed six interceptions this season, including two on New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning in the NFC Championship game.

Michael Griffin, Age 27

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need help at the safety position. Tanard Jackson returned from his suspension as a ghost of his former self. His tackling was atrocious and he didn't look like he belonged on an NFL field. Cody Grimm has played well, but has displayed a tendency to be plagued with injury. Sean Jones is average, but is a liability in pass coverage.

Michael Griffin is one of the best young safeties in the game. Seems like a no-brainer, right?

D'Qwell Jackson, Age 28

Tampa Bay has some linebacker issues as well. Rookie Mason Foster is perhaps the only player currently on the roster that has a secure job. Quincy Black, despite signing a large contract in the offseason, had perhaps his worst NFL season. Fellow outside linebacker Geno Hayes struggled as well, seeming to disappear at times last year.

D'Qwell Jackson is a native of the Tampa Bay area, having attended Seminole High School in Seminole, FL. He would immediately become the most talented linebacker on the roster, and has the versatility to play either inside or outside linebacker. This would allow the coaching staff to experiment with Foster and discover whether he excels at the inside or outside linebacker position.