The 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Taking A Step Back

Rebuilding—the most hated word for any sports fan to hear. It is a word that comes with struggles and hardships, and in the sports world it means a lot of losing.

For the fans of the Buccaneers who witnessed that collapse after beginning 9-3 a season ago, it will only get worse before it gets better.

The Buccaneers, coming off the biggest letdown in franchise history, made a lot of changes in the off-season. They fired both Head Coach Jon Gruden and General Manager Bruce Allen. They lost Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin to the University of Tennessee.

More imporantly, however, they cut veteran players including franchise legend Derrick Brooks.

Losing such veterans means you get younger, and more importantly less experienced. The Bucs cut ties with quarterback Jeff Garcia, and have handed the reigns to...well, no one knows. The Bucs drafted Josh Freeman with their first round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, and could very well make him their starting quarterback when the season starts.

Making such a move means you are willing to go with the growing pains that most rookie quarterbacks go through. It is the ultimate sign of a franchise starting over.

Tampa has made additions as well, bringing in running back Derrick Ward from the Giants, and trading for tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. from the Browns. Winslow is still a question mark though, and staying healthy will be the biggest factor for him.

The Buccaneers have one of the toughest schedules in 2009. In the first half of the season the Bucs could struggle to just win two games, including losing a home game in London to the New England Patriots.

What gets worse for the Buccaneers is the back half of the schedule does not get much easier. Realistically the Bucs could be staring at a 4-12 season.

So what will these Buccaneers have to do to have any hope in the 2009 season? The biggest thing needed will be maturity on the field. These young Bucs will have to grow up, and grow up fast.

Doing so could lead the Bucs closer to an 8-8 record, and while it seems like that would be taking a step back, for this young team it would actually be a step forward.

Unfortunately, I do not see that happening, and 2009 will be filled with rough seas for these Buccaneers.

Rebuilding. God, I hate that word.