Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 10 Stock Report

Coming off another hard-to-swallow home loss—this time a 32-18 defeat at the hands of the New York Giants, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers now sit at 3-5 at the halfway mark of the 2015 season.

On the plus side, the Bucs have already eclipsed their win total from 2014, when they tied for the league's worst record at 2-14.

But that doesn't do much to placate Bucs fans or players, as both parties expected significant improvement in the team's second season under head coach Lovie Smith.

Like all NFL teams, there are certain things going well for the Bucs as they hit the mid-point of the year, while other areas still need plenty of improvement. Let's take a look at who's looking up and who's heading down for Tampa Bay as Week 10 approaches.

Up: CBs Sterling Moore and Jude Adjei-Barimah

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Looking to shake up their secondary in hopes of improving the unit's overall level of play, the Bucs inserted two new faces into the starting lineup, giving veteran Sterling Moore and rookie Jude Adjei-Barimah an opportunity to show their stuff.

They took full advantage of that opportunity, easily playing as well as any other corners the Bucs have trotted out so far this year. Head coach Lovie Smith was pleased with their performances, per JoeBucsFan.com.

Moore picked off Eli Manning on the first play of the game, making a few more impressive plays throughout the game, often when matched up against Odell Beckham Jr., one of the most explosive playmakers in the league.

An undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green, Adjei-Barimah held his own in his first NFL start, despite not knowing of his promotion until he heard his name announced during the pregame introductions, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.

It's clear the Bucs are looking for the best combination, not just the most recognizable names, and we should see plenty of those two in the coming weeks.

Down: DT Gerald McCoy

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After notching 4.5 sacks over the first five games of the season, three-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy has been in a slump over the following weeks.

McCoy hasn't gotten to the quarterback since Week 5, and he has managed just four tackles over the last three games.

One of the team's captains and veteran leaders, McCoy has been playing through a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints. It's clear the injury is having a significant impact on his play, as he's constantly struggling to get a consistent push, even when given one-on-one matchups.

Given the lucrative long-term extension McCoy signed last year, it's understandable for fans to be frustrated with his play in recent weeks. He's not playing at 100 percent, but at this point in the season, few players across the league truly are. He'll need to figure out how to break out of his slump if the Bucs want to be competitive on defense over the last half of the season.

Up: WR Adam Humphries

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With injuries to veterans Vincent Jackson and Louis Murphy, the Bucs have been left extremely thin at receiver over the past few weeks.

The Bucs have been forced to count on some inexperienced players to step up, and rookie Adam Humphries did just that last week, catching five passes for 55 yards, including multiple grabs in key situations.

An undrafted free agent out of Clemson, Humphries used a strong training camp and preseason to stick with the Bucs, bouncing between the practice squad and the active roster. With Murphy out for the year and Jackson's timetable for return still unclear, the rookie will be counted on even more in the near future.

Down: CB Johnthan Banks

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Expected to be Tampa Bay's top cover man this year, Banks struggled with injuries earlier in the season and was unceremoniously benched for last week's game against the New York Giants.

After tallying seven interceptions and 15 pass breakups over his first two seasons, Banks has zero picks and just one pass breakup through six games so far this season.

Banks has physical tools no other Bucs corner has, including his 6'2", 185-pound frame. But it's clear that head coach Lovie Smith hasn't been impressed with his play, starting a rookie undrafted free agent last week instead of the former second-round pick.

Up: GM Jason Licht

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

The Bucs have clearly had their struggles all over the field so far this season, but fans should be encouraged by what general manager Jason Licht and the team's personnel staff have done over the past two years when it comes to adding promising young talent.

Charles Sims is starting to blossom, now that he's fully healthy. Jameis Winston and Kwon Alexander have already established themselves as potential cornerstone players on both sides of the ball. Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet have held their own as rookie starters up front. Throw in promising undrafted free agents like Adam Humphries, Donteea Dye and Jude Adjei-Barimah, and the Bucs have done well over the past two years when it comes to bringing in a quality youth movement.

Pro scouting coordinator Rob McCartney deserves plenty of credit, as well. Jacquies Smith and Howard Jones have eight sacks between them so far this season, both of whom were claimed off waivers by the Bucs.

Licht and his staff—including director of player personnel Jon Robison—deserve plenty of credit for the overhaul they've executed on Tampa Bay's roster. They've given Bucs fans plenty of reasons to be excited about both the present and future.