Category: Latest Team News

Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks selected to the NFL 100 All-Time Team

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks found a spot on a very exclusive list.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneer selected LSU linebacker Devin White with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, making him the first linebacker selected in the first round by the Bucs in over two decades.

The last linebacker they took in the first round? Just a guy named Derrick Brooks, who they took 28th overall in the 1995 draft.

White has a long way to go before he starts drawing comparisons to Brooks, whose Hall of Fame career included bringing a championship to Tampa Bay with a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Not surprisingly, Brooks was recently named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team, and he took a moment on Twitter to thank all his supporters.

 

Congrats to Brooks on a well-deserved honor.

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Jameis Winston is on pace to obliterate his season high in passing yards

Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is on pace to throw for close to 5,000 yards this season. But, is that enough to save his job?

When Bruce Arians was hired in the offseason to replace Dirk Koetter, who had been the only offensive coach Jameis Winston had ever played for in the NFL, everyone assumed that the former number one overall pick would put up big passing numbers, but what he’s been doing this season deserves some notice.

Winston currently ranks second in the NFL in passing yards, behind only Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, whose numbers already account for Thursday’s Thanksgiving loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Winston is projected to put up 4,932 passing yards this season, which would obliterate his previous season high of 4,090 yards (2016). It’s not a stretch to say he has a legitimate shot at throwing for 5,000.

Winston already has eight games this year with 300-plus passing yards, by far the most in his career. To put it another way, he’s only had three games this season where he hasn’t eclipsed the 300-yard mark.

Even more impressive? He’s had four games over 350 yards.

The issue, of course, has been the interceptions, of which Winston has 20, most in the NFL. In the four games where he threw for over 350 yards he had nine touchdowns and nine interceptions, so as great as the passing numbers are on paper, they haven’t translated into big wins.

But that right there might be why some would argue Winston deserves at least one more season in Tampa Bay. It’s his first time playing in a non-Koetter system, so there are sure to be bumps along the way. He can put up big passing numbers as well as any quarterback in the league. But, his turnovers have him looking like Jay Cutler 2.0 to some.

Ultimately, the franchise will likely rely on Arians to make the call about whether or not Winston can correct his mistakes and truly flourish in this offense.

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Bucs WR Chris Godwin proudly sports that Snickers bling

Check out Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin sporting an iced-out Snickers chain because, why not?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin had a huge performance last week in the team’s 35-22 win over the Atlanta Falcons, catching seven passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

Godwin’s big day not only gave him the first 1,000-yard season of his young career, but it also earned him the coveted Snickers chain.

For those wondering what that is, it’s an “iced-out chain created by famed jeweler Ben Baller.” Each week, the chain goes to a player “who has not only shown hunger for more with a huge game or play on the field, but who is also driven to do more off the field.”

Check out Godwin sporting the iced-out chain below.

This is cool and all, but I wish we could’ve seen former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch sporting an iced-out Skittles chain during his career, his favorite candy.

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via GIPHY

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OC Byron Leftwich said Vita Vea’s TD play was a ‘reward’

See why Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich called Vita Vea’s touchdown play against the Atlanta Falcons a ‘reward.’

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be just 4-7, but they are perhaps one of the more entertaining teams to watch in the NFL.

Sure, they may not have a Lamar Jackson-esque speedster at quarterback, or a running back that rolls through defenders like the Juggernaut, but they can put up points with the best of them and have plenty of stars on offense to make each snap an exciting one to watch.

And, of course, one of the biggest offensive stars on the roster is big man Vita Vea!

The nose tackle and former high school running back had his first career touchdown reception in the Bucs’ Week 12 win over the Atlanta Falcons. But, it wasn’t the first time he’s lined up on offense this season, and it turns out, his offensive performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10 earned him the chance to catch that touchdown against Atlanta.

Take a look.

Vea became the heaviest player in NFL history to score an offensive touchdown, and here’s hoping it won’t be his last.

For those wondering what it would look like to see Vea run through an NFL O-line, here’s a sneak peek.

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Shaq Barrett tops NFL.com’s list of free agents who have made themselves money this year

See why Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com thinks Bucs LB Shaq Barrett has earned himself a big payday this year.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense held Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in check in Week 12 as the Bucs downed the red-hot Falcons on the road, 35-22.

And, once again, at the center of all the defensive action was Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett, who finished the day with a sack and five quarterback hits. Barrett, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason with the Bucs, now has 12.5 sacks on the year, tied with Chandler Jones of the Arizona Cardinals for the league lead.

Barrett has already matched Jason Pierre-Paul’s sack total from last season, when he became the first Buccaneer since Simeon Rice in 2005 to record double-digit sacks in a single season.

The stellar play of Barrett has not only earned him the respect and admiration of his teammates and Bucs fans everywhere, but, according to Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, it’s earned the soon-to-be free agent a big day, too. Rosenthal listed Barrett at No. 1 on his list of free agents who have made themselves money this season.

Here’s his explanation:

“Bucs outside linebacker Shaq Barrett’s monster performance against the Falcons’ Jake Matthews on Sunday was a reminder that Barrett has mostly maintained his scorching start to the season. Barrett had a sack, a pass defensed, a forced fumble, four more quarterback hits and five hurries, according to Pro Football Focus, in addition to forcing a few backbreaking penalties by Matthews. Signed to a one-year contract worth up to $5 million before this season, Barrett will be a strong candidate for the franchise tag.”

The Bucs have a lot of big question marks they’ll have to face at the end of the season, namely, what to do with quarterback Jameis Winston. Retaining Barrett’s services, though, whether through a long-term contract or the franchise tag, should be their top priority.

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Bucs NT Vita Vea was a beast as a high school running back

Take a look back at some highlights from Vita Vea’s time at Milpitas High School, when he was utilized as a running back.

The biggest highlight from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 35-22 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday was arguably the touchdown reception by nose tackle Vita Vea.

Vea, the Bucs 2018 first-round pick out of Washington, has been a force on defense this season for the Bucs’ stellar rush defense, but he’s also shown his versatility by lining up on a few offensive plays.

Don’t be fooled, Vea is no stranger to scoring on offense. Despite the fact that his touchdown reception against the Falcons made him the heaviest player to score an offensive touchdown in NFL history, Vea was actually used as a running back in high school.

(No joke.)

Take a look back now at some highlights from Vea’s time at Milpitas High School in California, when he used his size and strength to roll through defenses.

Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber have plenty to worry about now that Vea’s gotten a taste for the end zone. It’d be a travesty if Byron Leftwich didn’t call another goal-line play for Vea again this season. Handing the ball off to the big man and letting him punch it in seems like a no-brainer.

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ESPN’s Bill Barnwell names Vita Vea to his 2019 All-Underrated team

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell named Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Vita Vea to his 2019 All-Underrated team.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took down the Atlanta Falcons yesterday 35-22 for their fourth win of the season (their third on the road).

The star of the game was no doubt Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin, who finished the day with seven receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his season total to 1,071 yards. It’s the first 1,000-yard season of Godwin’s young career.

But, let’s not forget about the stellar day from nose tackle Vita Vea, who finished with a sack and touchdown reception in the win.

Today, Bill Barnwell of ESPN named Vea to his 2019 All-Underrated team, and in part of his assessment of the big man, Barnwell points out how one old school coach would’ve loved the nose tackle.

Take a look.

“Vea made headlines Sunday for catching a touchdown pass during Tampa’s 35-22 win in Atlanta, but there’s more to the former first-round pick than a soft set of hands… The former Washington standout added a sack and two passes defensed to his totals against the Falcons, although he’s admittedly still a work in progress as a pass-rusher, where his limited wingspan may play against him. Vea is more realistically an example of the old George Young/Bill Parcells “Planet Theory” approach to the draft, where you recognize that there are only so many 300-plus pound human beings with truly elite athleticism on the planet and draft them when you see them. Vea, who was a change-of-pace running back in high school, is the sort of player Parcells would have loved. He’s quickly growing into a rare difference-maker for the Bucs’ defense.”

Vea has been a beast for the Bucs this season, and his pairing with Ndamukong Suh has made the Bucs’ rush defense one of the best in the NFL.

Tampa Bay will take to the road again in Week 13, this time staying in-state as they travel to Jacksonville to face the 4-7 Jaguars. Despite their big win against the Falcons, the Buccaneers currently find themselves as underdogs against the Jags.

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Bucs underdogs against the Jaguars despite a convincing win in Week 12

Despite a convincing road win against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves as underdogs in Week 12.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked into Atlanta yesterday for their game against the Falcons in desperate need of a win. Not only that, but the Bucs were going up against arguably the hottest team in the NFL.

Atlanta started the season just 1-7, but in their previous two games heading into Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay, they had gone 2-0, outscoring their opponents 55-12, while their defense collected 11.0 sacks and four interceptions in that time.

But Tampa Bay played solid football on both sides of the ball yesterday, upsetting Atlanta 35-22. The Bucs are now 4-7, with three of their wins coming on the road. They’ll play on the road, but in-state, next week when they travel to Jacksonville to face the 4-7 Jaguars.

Jacksonville is coming off a humiliating 42-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, and are still looking for their first win with quarterback Nick Foles under center.

Given how well the Bucs played on the road against Atlanta, coupled with the short travel distance between Tampa and Jacksonville, you’d think the Bucs would finally find themselves as a favorite on the road this year.

Well, not quite yet.

The opening line for the Bucs-Jags game has Jacksonville as -1.5 point favorites at home. The over/under is set at 49.5. I think this game will be a shootout between offenses, so I’d go with the over. And, for once, I’d actually be confident taking the Bucs on the road.

[Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.]

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Jameis Winston’s 20th interception puts him in a class with Jay Cutler

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston now shares this “honor” with former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston certainly has his defenders still, even after last week’s four-interception game against the New Orleans Saints.

It might be hard for those defenders to stand by him after watching him today against the Atlanta Falcons, though. Despite a 71-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Godwin, Winston threw two interceptions in the first quarter, with the second one eventually leading to a Falcons touchdown.

The two picks give Winston 20 on the season, a new career high. And, those 20 picks in 11 games puts him in a class with former NFL quarterback, and interception aficionado, Jay Cutler.

Take a look.

Winston is the first Buccaneers quarterback since Josh Freeman in 2011 to have 20 or more interceptions on the year. Freeman had 22 in 15 games for the Bucs that year, so Winston could easily break that mark before the year is over — or even today’s game against Atlanta.

It’s time to stop defending Winston. The Buccaneers, and more importantly their fans, deserve a whole lot better.

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Will Mike Evans one day break this seemingly unbreakable Jerry Rice record?

At just 26 years old, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans could eventually break this Jerry Rice record.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is just seven yards away from another 1,000-yard season entering Sunday’s Week 12 showdown with the Atlanta Falcons.

It would be the sixth-straight 1,000-yard season for Evans, tying him with Hall of Famer Randy Moss for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons by a receiver to start a career.

That’s all well and good, but let’s keep in mind that Evans just turned 26 at the end of August. He’s just entering his prime.

So, if Evans manages to stay healthy, could he possibly do the unthinkable and one day break Jerry Rice’s record of 11-straight 1,000-yard seasons?

I’m sure many people are wondering how many 1,000-yard seasons Rice had to start his career. Well, it turns out, he came up 73 yards short in his rookie season. After that, however, there was no stopping Rice on his historic and Hall of Fame-worthy tear through the NFL over the next 11 years.

Take a look.

Rice would ultimately go on to have 14 seasons with 1,000 receiving yards, most in NFL history.

Back to Evans, though.

He shows no signs of slowing down at the moment. The only question, though, is how long can he keep this production up? And, should Tampa Bay decide to start over at the quarterback position through the draft, Evans could be part of a rebuilding process on offense, one where a rookie might not get it to him as consistently as he’s used to.

Still, if there’s one receiver in the NFL you should never bet against, it’s Evans. He’s only scratching the surface of what he can do. I’m sure those Madden ratings folks feel embarrassed now.

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