As teams often do when hiring new head coaches, the Bucs went in the opposite direction stylistically, replacing "players' coach" Raheem Morris with disciplinarian Greg Schiano from Rutgers. The team then made a splash in free agency with the signings of wide receiver Vincent Jackson, guard Carl Nicks and cornerback Eric Wright, though only the Jackson addition ultimately worked out. The draft brought running back Doug Martin in the first round and linebacker Lavonte David in the second; Martin would rush for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie while David spawned a franchise-defining career that continues in 2025. Josh Freeman threw for a career-high 4,065 yards and 27 touchdowns, but also tossed eight of his 17 interceptions during a damaging two-game losing streak in December. Jackson debuted in a Bucs uniform with 1,384 yards and led the league with a 19.2-yard per-catch average. Eventual Hall of Famer Rondé Barber switched to safety for his final season and tacked four more interceptions onto his final total, but the secondary as a whole finished last in the NFL in yards allowed. The Bucs lost three of their first four games under Schiano but then roared back into playoff content with a 5-1 midseason stretch to move to 6-4. Unfortunately, a five-game losing streak followed and the Bucs would sit out the postseason again with a 7-9 record.
