Tag: Marc Sessler

Marc Sessler believes this Bucs rookie will be a Pro Bowler in 2020

Find out which Buccaneers rookie Marc Sessler of NFL.com thinks could wind up as a Pro Bowler in 2020.

The Buccaneers’ third-ranked offense got a major upgrade this offseason with the additions of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, former champions with the New England Patriots who will reunite together in Tampa.

Not only that, but the Bucs added some great young talent in the draft, including offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who the team hopes will be a foundational piece along their O-line.

But one of the Bucs’ other big moves was taking talented safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in round two. The former Minnesota star and son of three-time NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield Sr. is ready to live up to his family name.

Marc Sessler over at NFL.com is such a fan of Winfield that he predicted he’d be a first-time Pro Bowler after his rookie year.

Per Sessler:

“The vast majority of Tampa’s starry offensive parts have already made the Pro Bowl. If we can tear ourselves away from Tom Brady and friends for just a second, I present to you the case of Antoine Winfield Jr. His 5-foot-9 frame and notable injury history are talking points, but so are his unteachable instincts, closing speed, versatility and NFL bloodline. Winfield doubled as a safety and slot corner at Minnesota and said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he patterns his game after Tyrann Mathieu. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles helped unleash Honey Badger in Arizona and knows exactly what path to follow with Winfield.”

Bucs fans are eager to see what Winfield can bring to this Bowles-run defense. He’ll hopefully add more strength in the secondary, which came on strong in the second half of last season.

While I think Winfield will be an immediate impact player, I’m surprised Sessler didn’t go with linebacker Devin White as his pick for a first-time Pro Bowler. White seems poised to take a major step forward this season on a team and defense with championship expectations. I think he’ll answer the call.

Plus, he’s already told Tom Brady he’s got his back on defense.

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Marc Sessler says Brady to the Bucs creates ‘seismic ripples in the NFC’

See why Marc Sessler of NFL.com has put the Bucs on his list of NFC contenders now that Tom Brady is their quarterback under center in 2020.

Even though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t been postseason participants since 2007, that hasn’t stopped many from pegging them as playoff contenders heading into the 2020 season now that they have Tom Brady as their quarterback. Despite their 7-9 record in 2019, the Bucs boasted the league’s third-best offense, even with Jameis Winston throwing 30 interceptions.

The Bucs have a new look to go along with their new quarterback, so it seems that the winds of fortune are finally changing for Tampa Bay after a decade of futility. And while the New Orleans Saints will rightfully enter the season as the favorites to win the NFC South, the Bucs aren’t a team to be overlooked.

In his look at the pecking order in the NFC, Marc Sessler over at NFL.com put the Bucs in his category of contenders, along with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. That group sits right below the tier of true contenders in the NFC like the Saints, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. Still that’s a strong group for the Bucs to find themselves in, considering their struggles over the years. But as Sessler points out at the beginning of his piece, Brady to the Bucs has created seismic ripples in the NFC.

Here’s Sessler’s reasoning for Tampa Bay’s placement in the pecking order:

“What more can be said about the Bucs? Brady joins a talent-rich offense across from a stout Tampa defense led by the returning Shaq Barrett. The team won seven games with the last quarterback tossing a league-high 30 interceptions. Coach Bruce Arians won’t suffer those frustrations again, assuming Tom Brady is still Tom Brady.”

It’s a big assumption for us to believe Brady will be his usual self, especially since he’ll be 43. We’ve been spoiled by how well he’s played into his 40s. But, hopefully, the sunny weather of Florida and playing for a guy like Bruce Arians will invigorate him and get the Bucs back to the playoffs.

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Marc Sessler explains why the Bucs are poised for a return to the postseason

See why Marc Sessler of NFL.com named the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one of three teams poised for a return to the postseason.

The ink has barely dried on Tom Brady’s contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but already there’s excitement and buzz around this team that’s been missing for years. A fan base that has grown used to high draft positions and early offseasons is ready to embrace Brady and his championship ways.

Even if Brady fails to deliver a Super Bowl title to Tampa Bay, a mere trip to the playoff would be a step in the right direction for a franchise that hasn’t made the postseason since 2007, and hasn’t won a postseason game since their victory over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.

But, after a strong free agency period, coupled with a veteran head coach in Bruce Arians, the Bucs appear ready to take the league by storm in 2020. Marc Sessler over at NFL.com named the Bucs one of three teams, along with the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers, he thinks will make a triumphant return to the playoffs next year. For the Bucs, it would end their 12-year postseason drought.

Per Sessler:

“Mike Evans. Chris Godwin. O.J. Howard. A fiery defense. Plus a refreshing new companion in straight-talking coach Bruce Arians. On paper, the parts exist to make noise in the NFC South. With the Panthers in transition and the Falcons something of an underwhelming mystery, Tampa looms as a candidate to climb after losing six one-score games during last year’s 7-9 output. That came with ex-passer Jameis Winston hurtling for 30 touchdowns — but also 30 interceptions with a record-setting seven pick-sixes. Imagine if Brady — equaling last year’s numbers — tosses just eight interceptions.”

Sessler’s explanation makes perfect sense, and is why many people are jumping on the Bucs bandwagon. But, he does offer a few words of caution about why the Bucs might stumble. He wonders if perhaps Bill Belichick correctly scouted Brady’s demise, and he also warns about the hype that surrounded the Cleveland Browns last year before they spiraled out of control.

There’s plenty that can happen between now and Super Bowl LV next year in Tampa, but the Bucs and their fans have hope for the first time in a while. And that’s something to celebrate and hold on to.

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Marc Sessler hilariously explains why he wants Jameis Winston to win a Super Bowl

Find out why NFL.com writer Marc Sessler would love to see Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston win a Super Bowl.

We are less than a week away from Super Bowl LIV in Miami, where one team is destined to be immortalized, while the other is left to wonder “what might have been?”

Super Bowls offer a chance for players and coaches to cement their legacy and leave a lasting impression on the game, itself. Come Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will either be showered with praise for leading his team to a Super Bowl victory, or again subjected to the question about whether he will ever win a Super Bowl.

While there are only two teams playing on Super Bowl Sunday, Marc Sessler over at NFL.com offers up a list of 10 NFL figures he’d love to see win a Super Bowl. And, in his own hilarious way, Sessler explains why Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston finds himself on this list.

Take a look.

“This entry is based less on logic and more on a fantastical what-if scenario that sees Winston — poisonous pick-six potential and all — guide a ragtag squad to Super Bowl glory. Maybe it’s Tampa — maybe it’s an entirely new home for the hot-and-ice-cold signal-caller. Sign me up for a January run that sees Winston pair 14 touchdown lobs with 14 head-spinning interceptions on the spartan road toward Super Bowl treasure.”

That would be a very Jameis Winston way for the Bucs to win a Super Bowl. Hopefully, Tampa Bay will find a way back to the postseason next year. Whether or not the quarterback leading them there will be Winston remains to be seen.

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