Buccaneers Free Agent Spotlight – WR Tavon Austin

Tampa Bay doesn’t have a lot of a will need at the extensive receiver placement as points stand for 2019. Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson and Chris Godwin make a quite formidable trio any NFL protection would loathe to see on their agenda. Insert in restricted finishes like O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, and it is uncomplicated to see why this workforce experienced just one of the league’s finest passing attacks in 2018.

Now, with crucial contributor Adam Humphries receiving established to strike the open up market place, there is a possible for the workforce to incorporate a fourth receiver to the home. There’s possible in the young names already on the roster, but a veteran hunting to revive his job could be a low-priced addition who could actually flip up the warmth on the Bucs’ offense in 2019.

Tavon Austin is just such a participant. And is up future in our absolutely free-agent preview sequence.

Tavon Austin’s Job

Immediately after turning into a very first-spherical draft choose by the then St. Louis Rams, Austin turned in additional than 1,100 all-purpose yards in two of his very first 3 seasons and nineteen touchdowns.

His finest period arrived in 2015, and as a end result the franchise signed him to a $42M extension in 2016 with $30M confirmed.

The go was praised at the time, with then head coach Jeff Fisher quoted as indicating,

“It is vital to our organization to keep gamers we’ve drafted and invested in, and Tavon is an case in point of that.”

Along with relocating to Los Angeles in the 2016 off-period, holding Austin beneath deal have been each interesting points occurring to the Rams franchise. Then arrived the 2016 period.

Austin’s offensive output dipped by nearly just one-3rd. His landing production was cut in fifty percent, and for the very first time in his job he went a comprehensive period with no special groups scores.

2017 introduced in Sean McVay, and even worse figures for the previous franchise fixture. 383 all-purpose yards and just one score sealed the offer, and Austin was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a sixth-spherical draft choose in the 2018 off-period.

As a member of the Cowboys, his statistical output was not any better, but this arrived in massive portion thanks to the truth he appeared in just 10 games thanks to harm.

Now, Austin is coming off of back-to-back down seasons and an harm. The Cowboys may perhaps be inclined to re-indicator the pace risk, but no to the sum of income possible to get him nailed down right before speaking to other groups.

For the proper rate, signing a guy like Austin could deliver a multipurpose insurance policy plan though filling a crucial will need for the workforce.

New head coach Bruce Arians has already absent on file indicating just one of his very first priorities for the roster is improving special groups. For a franchise with a quite bleak heritage in the special groups department, this is tunes to the ears of most admirers.

Field placement is vital, as it is quite straightforward to say the less yards desired to score a landing, the better your chances of scoring.

As a punt returner, Austin could deliver pace and expertise the Bucs haven’t viewed in yrs. If veteran DeSean Jackson does in truth return for 2019, he’s continue to coming off a period here he skipped the final 5 months thanks to harm himself.

If Jackson misses time all over again, the workforce could abruptly obtain themselves pace deficient exterior of Bobo Wilson who has all of eight games of NFL expertise in his two seasons with the Bucs.

Having a participant like Austin to contact up for his pace and quick twitch skill could prove incredibly practical in that condition.

What Will Austin Price?

It is really hard to actually tell. Pace kills in the NFL, and though Austin has not reached his possible the final few yrs, he’s continue to going to run rapidly.

Groups have viewed what he could be. He was not manufacturing for the Rams on accident. I never believe he was really worth the offer he bought, but that’s heritage.

Nearly anything in the $1-3M range would be suitable, ideally with most of the income incentive based mostly, and minor confirmed if any.

In the stop, it’ll depend on just how a lot of groups see his pace as a thing really worth giving a test without seeking to always devote draft funds on guys like Marquise Brown in the future NFL Draft.

Will It Take place?

I could easily see the Buccaneers giving Austin’s individuals a contact and possibly even scheduling a exercise routine. In particular with the foreseeable future of Jackson up in the air – officially.

There are rapidly receivers in the draft this yr, and Jackson is beneath deal. So all of this together with Wilson entering his 3rd period with the franchise suggests the workforce has no reason to overpay a guy like Austin.

If his foreseeable future will become any sort of bidding war, then Tampa will possible pull out quickly. But, floating a vet minimum amount deal with some special groups incentives could do the trick, and signing up for a coach like Bruce Arians on a workforce who led the league in passing offense and was 3rd in complete offense just just one yr ago unquestionably looks to me like a primary spot to test and revive a after bright foreseeable future.