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The Buccaneers will be looking for a new starter in the secondary in 2015, as safety Dashon Goldson's tenure in Tampa is over after just two seasons. On Friday, Tampa Bay traded the former Pro Bowl defender to the Washington Redskins in exchange for an undisclosed pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Buccaneers originally signed Goldson as an unrestricted free agent in March of 2013. He had been named an Associated Press first-team all-pro the previous season in San Francisco, also appearing in his second straight Pro Bowl. Goldson had played six seasons for the 49ers after being drafted in the fourth round out of Washington.
In Tampa, Goldson played in 27 games, starting each of them, and tallied 151 tackles, one interception, nine passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He missed two games due to an ankle injury last season but also ceded playing time to rising young safety Bradley McDougald. In 14 games in 2014, Goldson contributed 80 tackles, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery.
The Bucs hope to expand McDougald's role in 2015 and also recently signed potential starter Chris Conte in free agency. Conte was originally drafted by Buccaneers Head Coach Lovie Smith in Chicago and has been a starter for most of the last four seasons for the Bears. Whoever gets the starting nod at the two safety positions, the Buccaneers will be looking for more impact plays out of the back end of the defense.
