total snaps played in last 5 years by players a team drafted themselves
top-10:
91,901 – DAL
85,496 – MIN
83,677 – BAL
82,628 – TB
82,442 – ATL
81,815 – CIN
79,791 – PIT
78,925 – GB
78,144 – SEA
74,643 – INDbottom-10:
61,726 – JAX
61,437 – ARI
61,164 – TEN
59,939 – LAC…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 25, 2023
General manager [autotag]Jason Licht[/autotag] can boast another stat that proves his prowess.
Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis posted a list on Saturday that displayed the top 10 and bottom 10 teams in terms of snaps played in the last five years by players that a team drafted themselves. The Bucs were top 5 in this stat, meaning that the players Licht has drafted have been major contributors to the team’s success.
There is certainly no shortage of names. While the Bucs have brought in free agents like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Leonard Fournette over the past few years, players that the Bucs have drafted and developed have been the core of the team. On offense, players like Chris Godwin have seen notable play, while defensive players like Vita Vea, Devin White, Jamel Dean, Carlton Davis and Antoine Winfield have all only ever been Buccaneers. Licht didn’t draft all of those players, but he certainly drafted most of them, and that stability has certainly been a major factor in getting the team a Super Bowl ring.
Tampa Bay isn’t the only NFC South team on the list, however. The Atlanta Falcons placed fifth, so it will be interesting to see if the Bucs’ rival can continue to develop its own talent as well.