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Last year around this time, I looked at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' free agent signings, most of whom were of the grizzled veteran variety, and wondered if the Bucs were mortgaging their future to win now.

That shows how little I know. The Bucs went from worst to first in the NFC South, they added a ton of young talent to the defense in the draft, and now they find themselves more than $30 million under the salary cap.

Of course, they got there by cutting old guys. Defensive linemen Kevin Carter, 35, and Greg Spires, 34, were both cut yesterday, thanks in part to the emergence of Gaines Adams and Greg White. The Bucs only got a year out of Carter, who made 43 tackles and 3 sacks last season.

So Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen, their jobs more secure, can now focus on reducing the average age of the team. With the amount of cap room they have, they might chase after some high-profile free agents. Rumors have put the Bucs on Asante Samuel's short list, and there's certainly no shortage of wide receivers on the market if Gruden really doesn't trust the guys he has now.