One of the key decisions looming for the Bucs is determining what sort of offensive and defensive systems they intend to run.

Already, Tampa Bay has hired defensive coordinator Jim Bates while the search for an offensive coordinator continues.

What will Tampa Bay look like on those respective sides of the ball? It's too early to say, but everything is on the table. That comes straight from the man pushing the buttons.

"If you know Jim at all, you know (his system) is not that different," coach Raheem Morris said. "His tweaks will be definitely added. It's got to be him. It's got to be his character. You can't ask a guy to duplicate another guy. You have to let that guy go out and do what he does best."

Bates has coached a variety of defenses in his time, and it's not a forgone conclusion that the Bucs will be a run-of-the-mill Tampa 2 team. It's likely they'll keep their fundamentals the same, but they're also expected to add some more wrinkles like more blitz packages.

"We may go sign a top-notch rusher and maybe not do that," Morris said. "We may not sign a top-notch rusher and have to find ways to create pressure. There's plenty of time to figure all that out in the offseason. I'm going to put the people in place and let them do their job"

Regarding the offense, I asked Morris whether he felt the Bucs have the sort of personnel that can adapt to a scheme other than the West Coast-based system they ran under Jon Gruden.

"We have talented players all over the place," he said. "You have to have the ability to utilize your talented players. Like I said about (Ravens LB) Ray Lewis, there's not a system he can't play in. There are a lot of great players in this league. (Colts QB) Peyton Manning can play in any system. It's just the nature of the beast. We have tons of players who can play in any system. We're going to take it day by day, see what we do best as a team, and do it."