The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have begun the process of repairing a broken secondary that ranked dead last in the NFL in pass defense last year by lavishing a five-year $41.25 million deal on former 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, according to reports. The deal includes $22 million guaranteed.
Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano expressed a great deal of excitement about adding Goldson, saying "When you have a chance to visit with him finally, you find he understands exactly what as a head coach I'm looking for. He's going to come in here and be a leader and be a guy that understands what it takes to be a championship football team.'' Goldson was a first team All-Pro choice last season, and has been selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls. Last year Goldson was an impact player, making 67 tackles, picking off three passes, forcing a fumble and recovering two. He also racked up 10 pass defenses.
The Bucs surrendered a league-worst 4,758 yards through the air and traded their best defensive back, corner Aqib Talib, to the New England Patriots during the season. They also allowed 30 passing touchdowns, the third-worst total in all of football.
Goldson believes the Bucs are a great fit for his skill set and demeanor, saying ''I did some research and sat with my agent, trying to figure out where was the correct fit for my style of play, my mindset. Tampa came on my radar.''
Tampa Bay has also been rumored as a frontrunner for the services of Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis, but are currently refusing to deal their 2013 first-round pick, which is the 13th selection. They are reportedly more receptive to dealing their first round pick in next year's draft. If Revis is still on the Jets' roster by Saturday, he will earn a $1 million bonus.
Schiano wouldn't get into specifics about Revis but certainly left the door open when he said "We're trying to get better, and anybody that can help us do that, they're definitely on our radar."
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