Tampa Bay Buccaneers Still Have Good Free Agent Options

You can stop crying in your beer over the fact that Curtis Lofton signed with the Saints.

Fear not, your Tampa Bay Buccaneers still have options, there's still opportunity left out there in what remains of the free agent market and prices are now dropping now that the big dollars have been passed around.

Here are a few tidbits to chew on this Monday morning:

Linebackers:

David Hawthorne: From the Seattle Seahawks, maybe a better prospect for the Bucs than Curtis Lofton. He hasn't found a home yet. He'd fit in nicely.

Manny Lawson: Here's a guy we haven't talked about. Well suited to play middle linebacker. Played for the Bengals last year. He's 6-5, 240 pounds and a former first-round pick out of N.C. State. Made only $3 million last year.

Running backs:

Kevin Smith: Very serviceable back from the Lions. He'd fit the bill for third down work and as a changeup for LeGarrette Blount.

Cedric Benson: This guy has some mileage on him and character problems, but may be worth consideration.

Jacob Hester: Fullback from San Diego. Definitely worth a look.

Now back to the current linebacker dilemma.

When you stare long and hard at the existing roster, here's what the linebackers look like:

Mason Foster: Maybe Greg Schiano thinks it could be Mason in the Middle.

Quincy Black: This is probably like being upside down in a home mortgage.

Adam Hayward: Good ol' reliable.

Dekoda Watson: Maybe Schiano like his potential.

Mike Balogun: Where did this guy come from?

Rennie Curran: Refugee from the University of Georgia.

Jacob Cutrera: Refugee from LSU.

And basically that's it, boys and girls. This one screams "draft a linebacker" and sign one of the guys we mentioned that are still available in free agency.

Left out: Geno Hayes, unsigned and unrestricted.

There you have it. This is one mystery that still has chapters to be written. Stay tuned.