NFL Nation

          With or without George Johnson, Bucs need to draft DE

          TAMPA, Fla. -- It doesn’t matter if the Buccaneers end up with George Johnson or not. They still need to add a defensive end in the draft.

          Johnson’s status is currently in limbo. He’s a restricted free agent, and the Bucs signed him to an offer sheet for a three-year deal that could be worth as much as $9 million. But the Detroit Lions, who hold the right of first refusal on Johnson, are challenging the terms of the offer sheet.

          They’re questioning if the de-escalators built into the offer sheet are within the NFL’s boundaries on restricted free agency. An independent arbitrator will examine the matter and make a ruling. After that, the Lions will have two days to decide if they want to match the offer.

          But, even if the Bucs end up with Johnson, they can’t afford to sit still at defensive end in the upcoming draft. While adding Johnson would be a plus, it’s not the kind of move that suddenly is going to make the pass rush ferocious.

          Johnson is what he is. He’s a guy with six sacks in a career that began in 2010. All six of those sacks came last year in a backup role in Detroit.

          With the Bucs, Johnson would not be an automatic starter. The Bucs don’t have any automatic starters at defensive end. What they have is a bunch of guys that can compete for two starting jobs.

          They have Jacquies Smith, Larry English, William Gholston, T.J. Fatinikun and Lawrence Sidbury. Those five guys combined for 10 sacks last season. Smith, who had 6.5 sacks last year, is probably the closest thing to a certainty to start. The Bucs have high hopes for English, Gholston, Fatinikun and Sidbury. But none of them have produced at a high level in the past.

          That’s why the Bucs should use either their second- or third-round pick on a defensive end with potential as a pass rusher. With Gerald McCoy, Clinton McDonald and Henry Melton on the inside, the Bucs should have a strong interior pass rush.

          If they can generate a pass rush on the outside, this defensive line could be very good. There are no guarantees with what the Bucs have at defensive end at the moment. That’s why, even if they end up with Johnson, they need to bring in some more competition.