Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Saints' Reggie Bush a Potential Free Agency Target?

Here’s a new salary cap, Tampa Bay. Go buy yourself something nice. Something expensive. Something you wouldn’t normally splurge on. Go on, pamper yourself.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a shopping spree to go on.

Historically inactive in free agency, the Buccaneers sit nearly $60 million under the new salary cap heading into the free-agent frenzy that will be the next couple of weeks, and there are a few shiny veterans on the shelf for them to choose from.

And though he’s not on the market quite yet, one big name that’s garnering increased attention is New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush.

According to ESPN’s John Clayton, the Buccaneers could be in the running to sign Bush to a long-term deal once the Saints cut him, which they are expected to do, as they are $11.7 million under the cap and Bush is scheduled to make $11.8 million in 2011 and boasts an enormous $16 million cap number.

While the focus at One Buc Place is certainly on re-signing their own free agents, particularly guard Davin Joseph, linebacker Barrett Ruud and running back Cadillac Williams, Bush likely won’t be an option unless the Buccaneers fail to re-sign Williams, who moved into a third-down role in 2010 with the emergence of rookie LeGarrette Blount.

And with Blount’s violent, downhill running style, perhaps the finest supplement to his game would be an elusive open-field back who can swing outside and catch the ball out of the backfield. Someone much like Williams. Someone dynamic. Someone who’s not an every-down back who can spell the forceful Blount on third down and in passing situations.

Someone like Reggie Bush.

Other big names are out there, such as cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, whom the Buccaneers could certainly make a run at given their newfound need to spend. And while Asomugha is 30 years old, he would give the Buccaneers perhaps the most dynamic cornerback threesome in all of football.

Cornerback Johnathan Joseph is also out there.

But if Williams is out—and only if Williams is out—the Buccaneers could bring in Bush to make an up-and-coming offensive unit that much more dangerous.

Sure, he’s battled injury. He’s only played all 16 games once in his career (2006, his rookie year). Of course, there’s risk involved.

Asomugha bears less of a risk and perhaps more of an upside, especially with Aqib Talib’s legal troubles and the fact that 2011 will likely be Ronde Barber’s last season. And if Williams is re-signed, Bush will likely have no place on the Buccaneers roster. Thus, Asomugha, Joseph and others would garner most of the attention.

Expect the Buccaneers to focus on re-signing their own, from Joseph and Ruud to Williams and linebacker Quincy Black. After these moves and signing 2011 draft picks, there’s no telling how much the Buccaneers will have left to meet their salary requirements.

But Reggie Bush is certainly worth a look.

He may not be (and should not be) at the top of the Buccaneers’ list, but if talks with Cadillac don’t go quite as planned or if another team well under the cap swoops in and lures him away with a sweet deal, I don’t know how the Buccaneers could not take a look at bring in Bush.

Add the value he brings in the return game and the chip on his shoulder after being labeled injury prone and being shaken out of New Orleans with the drafting of Mark Ingram, and the former No. 2 overall pick could pay huge dividends upon becoming a Buccaneer.