With a potential franchise quarterback in hand, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking, yet again, for the right head coach to lead them to their first winning season since 2010. They’ve been unsuccessful in their coaching searches lately, as Raheem Morris was fired after just three seasons, and Greg Schiano and Lovie Smith each just getting two years to head the program. Albeit a surprise, Lovie Smith’s firing has created a divide amongst many, with concerns about whether it was the right decision. Their defense underperformed in 2015 and more than anything, that lies solely on Lovie’s shoulders. The biggest concern for most people is if the Bucs were to bring in a new coach, Jameis Winston would have to learn a new offensive scheme in just his second season. With offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter’s name looming as a potential candidate, he might not have to. History has shown that consistency in offensive scheme ultimately benefits the quarterback and makes the offense less privy to mistakes.

The entire situation, the coach, scheme, etc. will be an interesting to monitor throughout the offseason and into the 2016 season. Fortunately for the Bucs, they also have stars on the opposite side of the ball as well. Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David are two of the most skilled players in the NFL at their positions. Depending on the new coach, there will likely be scheme changes on the defensive side of the ball too. If the Bucs move away from a 4-3, Gerald McCoy could move to defensive end in 3-4, a position he’s familiar with. With imminent changes in Tampa, here’s a look at what might happen this offseason.

Run Down the Line

Coming off of a season where the Bucs started a rookie at both guard and tackle, their offensive line probably exceeded their own expectations. Jameis Winston was protected well and the offense finished 18th in overall efficiency. But perhaps the biggest sign of success came from Doug Martin and his production in Dirk Koetter’s zone blocking scheme. Much of that success has to do with the play of the offensive line and the Bucs will have the opportunity to improve that particular unit in March. On the plus side, they already have Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet in place as young centerpieces along the offensive front. With Logan Mankins contemplating retirement, the team will likely look for an eventual replacement anyway, given Mankins’ age and contract. They also will probably look to upgrade from Gosder Cherilus at right tackle.

Whether their potential options will be blocking next season for Doug Martin or not (he’s a free agent), here’s a few of the candidates they might consider. Andre Smith played on a Cincinnati line that played well in front of Andy Dalton and AJ McCarron this season. He’s 28 and given his age, he’ll likely come at a premium cost, due to the lack of talent on the market. But Smith has played in schemes in recent years which are similar to the scheme the Bucs ran last season and would be a good fit. At the guard position, names like Alex Boone, Evan Mathis and Ramon Foster. Boone and Mathis are both current and former Pro Bowlers (Mathis was also All-Pro in 2013), and Foster has been a starter for the Steelers for multiple seasons.

De-Lovie the Defense

At a glance, anyone who’s been following the NFL for a while, could take one look at this roster and know that Lovie Smith was somehow involved. His fingerprints are all over it, as many of the players who played for him in Chicago, followed him to Tampa Bay. Henry Melton, Chris Conte, Major Wright, to name a few, however, the problem with that is, most of those players aren’t good enough. The defense has its fair share of holes and the hope is that they can be positively addressed in free agency and the draft. The secondary is one facet of the defense where they could supply some of their resources. The big names are certainly available in this year’s free agent pool, with Eric Weddle, Eric Berry, Leon Hall, Sean Smith, and Prince Amukamara all looking for new deals. They could also elect for the cheaper, less immediate route and address their needs in the draft, where the secondary is expected to be a fruitful position in 2016. There’s no doubt they’ll need depth at cornerback and safety, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they draft players at each position to develop over time as the team inches closer to contention.

Approach the Draft with a “Best Player” Attitude

With a vacancy at head coach, the Bucs are without identity at this point. It is even fair to say they’ll continue to be. Commonly, in the NFL, team identity is molded around the talents of the team’s best players, not necessarily any particular coach or scheme. What the Bucs ought to be most interested in doing, is acquiring talent players, regardless of position and improving the roster. We’ve seen teams on the brink, like TB is now, draft for need and get burned. If they weigh all of their options, history shows that the best formula for a team in their situation is to either take whoever they think is the best player, or trade down. Jason Licht and his staff had a great draft last year, probably the best in the NFL, with a potential franchise quarterback, future starters on the offensive line and and a good, young, defensive player in Kwon Alexander. If they can replicate their success in the upcoming draft, where they’ll select 9th, they could be considered a contender sooner than later.