Monthly Archives: December 2019

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Lavonte David Makes History

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Lavonte David made history in 2019. Despite being snubbed for the Pro-Bowl, David was named to NFL’s All-100 Team by the final Friday of the season. 

David joins Hardy Nickerson, Ronde Barber, and Derrick Brooks as the only Buccaneers to accomplish that type of honor.

On the final Sunday against the Falcons, David made his 1,000th tackle as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (currently has 1,007 tackles).

Not only did David set franchise records, but he also accomplished something only one other player has done previously. He joins Hall of Fame linebacker, former Baltimore Raven Ray Lewis, to have at least 1,000 tackles, have at least 20 sacks, and at least 10 interceptions within their first eight seasons.

Since being drafted in the 5th round in 2012, David has 1,007 tackles, 22.5 sacks, and 11 interceptions in his 8 seasons. His contract is set to expire after the 2020 season, but I don’t see this man going anywhere except to the Hall of Fame as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

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Bring JPP Back!

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So while being a fan, waiting for the players for autographs by the parking lot; one player I was lucky enough to get an autograph from was Jason Pierre-Paul. It only took 17 weeks, but who’s counting.

Holding a quick nonchalant conversation, I asked: “You coming back next season“?

Smiling and showing off a grill that shined like his personality, he said,

“If they want me back, hell yeah I’ll be here!”

In 29 games with Tampa Bay, the 10-year pro has 76 tackles, 21 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 pass deflections. Since returning in Week 8, he racked up 8.5 sacks and 2 FF, and 24 tackles. Since coming to Tampa, the energy and focus that he brings are why he is a leader in the locker room. He is a Un-Restricted Free Agent.

My advice: Bring the man back

Playing couch GM for a moment, but RE-SIGN him to at least another one-year deal. We all know he’s worth the money.

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Bucs 2019 Rush Defense Amongst Best

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The 2019 Buccaneers defense has just ranked as the best in franchise history. They allowed 3.26 yards per attempt, while only allowing one 100-yard rusher all season (Seattle’s Chris Carson 105 yards in week nine).

While setting franchise-best records, this unit also is the 11th-best rush defense in the past four decades and the best in nearly a decade.

With players such as Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Shaquil Barrett playing on one-year contracts; and Vea and White on rookie deals, the chemistry is definitely there for that front-seven.

Lavonte David becomes 4th player to record 1,000 tackles as a Buccaneer

Lavonte David (1,005) joins former Buccaneers Hardy Nickerson (1,028), 2019 Ring of Honor inductee Ronde Barber (1,428), and Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor member Derrick Brooks (2,198) to record 1,000 tackles as a Buc. David also joins Baltimore Ravens Hall-of-Famer Ray Lewis to have at least 1,000 tackles, at least 20 sacks, and at least 10 interceptions in their first eight-seasons since the NFL started recording sacks in 1982.

Credit: Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com

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The Buccaneers 2019 Season is History

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If Jameis Winston is not to be re-signed then he will have ended his Buccaneers careers the same way it started; a pick-six. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the toss and elected to receive in overtime; Winston takes the snap, tosses it up to Cameron Brate and it goes 28 yards in the opposite direction to pay dirt. Falcons win.

On September 13th, 2015 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the Tennessee Titans in Raymond James Stadium. I was there and it was hotter than hell, but there was no way I was going to miss a #1 and a #2 overall 2015 NFL draft picks battle it out on the same football field. Especially when it was their first game. Titans get the ball to start the game, Mariota and company score with ease, Jameis Winston attempts the first pass of his NFL career and it is a pick-six.

Winston did some great things on Sunday. He capped off a historic season. He set every franchise record for passing, he became the 8th QB in NFL history to throw for 5,000k yards in a single-season. He became the first QB to throw for over 30 TDs and 30 INTs in a single-season. He was also this year’s NFL passing leader. A tough decision is to be made on whether Winston will be back in a Bucs uniform next year or not, but I see him back for at least one more season.

Shaquil Barrett virtually comes out of nowhere and does exactly what I and the Bucs Life News staff believed he would do, fill a specialty role and wreak havoc on opposing offenses. We figured he would have a productive season, but not of the 19.5 sack variety, we thought more in the 8-10 kind. So glad we were wrong. Shaq now owns the Buccaneers franchise single-season sack record, which was previously owned by Warren Sapp (16.5). Barrett will be another priority to re-sign this offseason; maybe even to a long-term-cap-friendly deal.

The season wasn’t pretty, but it sure was exciting. Now that the season is over for Tampa Bay, the real work begins.

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The Thirty-Five Million Dollar Question.

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According to JC Cornell, Jameis Winston is targeting $35 million a year on a contract extension. We heard close to a month ago that the Bucs are working on a contract with Jameis Winston, but the details were not given to us.

Question is do the Bucs pay anywhere close to that, and if not, will someone else?

According to spotrac.com, Winston’s current market value is about 4-years $107 million, which is $26.8 on average, $30-35 million is not unreasonable for him to ask for.

Stats are for losers!” I see that being slathered all across social media, or, “Jameis Winston has never made it to the playoffs.” Since when is our football team called the “Tampa Bay Winstons”? And since when are the stats for losers? Winston’s stats over 5-years are creeping up on quite a few “Winner’s” career stats, if not already surpassing them.

Winston has been in the league for 5 years, and the Bucs as a team haven’t exactly been contenders. You can’t blame Winston entirely for the Buccaneers going 30-50 since 2015, but some of you will surely try – Just like you can’t entirely blame, Josh Freeman, Mike Glennon, and Josh McCown for the Bucs going 27-53 from 2010-2014.

The Buccaneers will keep Jameis Winston, and I truly do not believe they try to give him a transition or a franchise tag. I think he will nab 27-28 million a year for the next 4 years, either from the Bucs or someone else. As of now, no talks between the Bucs and Winston have been going on, but you better believe that the agents have been talking up a storm.

 

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The Buccaneers Make Roster Adjustments

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The Buccaneers had recently (Tuesday, December 24th) waived tight end Jordan Leggett and wide receiver Ishmael Hyman to make room on the active roster for wide receiver Jaydon Mickens and cornerback John Franklin; However, Hyman and Leggett have been re-signed to the practice squad.

Hyman was activated when Mike Evans was placed on injury reserve with a hamstring injury. Hyman got his first NFL action in Detroit, but it was very limited, having been targeted just once for a three-yard gain. He did have a better game during last week’s loss against the Texans but was again limited. He was targeted three times, catching the ball just once for a 31 yard gain.

Cornerback/ Wide Receiver/ Quarterback John Franklin is a career backup. He may or may not get playing time, but is a body in case we need one. He is listed as a cornerback on the roster.

Wide Reciever Jaydon Mickens is a punt/kick return guy, and he’s not very good at it. It is the last game of the season, and we are depleted in a few areas, so this is just another body.

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Riddle’s Rundown: Winston and 5,000 passing yards

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This Sunday, unless the world ends, Jameis Winston will throw for enough yards to join some very elite company.

Currently, Winston sits at 4,908 passing yards, and after Sunday, he will have thrown for over 5,000 yards. He will join Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Mathew Stafford, Dan Marino, Ben Roethlisberger, and Patrick Mahomes as the only other QBs in NFL history that have reached that milestone. There’s no question that all of the QBs on that list are elite or were back in their day, but with Winston, it is bittersweet.

Yes, Winston will throw for 5,000 yards, but he’s also responsible for 28 INTs and 12 fumbles, five of which he lost. It’s nice to see how far along Winston has come over the years, but he still has not improved in turning the ball over. In no way does Winston get the entire blame, he has been sacked 46 times, and he didn’t have much of a running game, but 28 INTs are just inexcusable. I will congratulate him when he hits 5,000 or more. But if the Bucs are to ever succeed the turnovers must be cut down on because nine multi-interception games will not cut it in this league.

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Praise for Bruce Arians

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When the season ends Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will finish with a record 8-8 (or 7-9). Now, as for some off-season priorities, let’s just push those to the side and enjoy the final Sunday of Bucs football until Training Camp kicks off next summer.

The fact that the team currently has 7 wins is enough validation alone, but winning “8” and breaking even, says Bruce Arians has changed the culture of this team.

No-Risk It, No Biscuit!

That mentality seems to have sunk in on both sides of the ball. The offense has exploded through the air (not so much on the ground though).

Arians is also to thank for bringing in Todd Bowles and acquiring players such as Shaq Barrett (who has 16.5 sacks and is at least half a sack from setting the franchise record) and a swap in the No. 93 jersey from Gerald McCoy to Ndamukong Suh. 

Has the whispering done enough to keep Jameis Winston?

Everyone and their mother is aware of why Bruce decided to come out of retirement and become the head coach. If you for some reason have no idea, it was to coach Jameis Winston the same way he did Manning, Roethlisberger, and Carson Palmer. Yes, the turnovers have sky-rocketed, but so have the touchdowns, yards, and his deep ball.

My expectation is Arians is secure with where Winston is, and the Bucs retain the QB for the future.

The case for Coach of the Year?

Arians is already a two-time Coach of the Year (2012,2014), but as for the 2019 season, the 67-year-old coach may not be the NFL’s Coach of the Year, but he’s for sure been the best thing since Tony Dungy for this franchise.

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Lavonte David Selected to NFL 2010s All-Decade Team

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Lavonte David is easily one of the most underrated and overlooked linebackers in the league, but Chris Wesseling, Around the NFL Writer for NFL.com, could not pass him up when putting together his 2010’s All-Decade Team. He is one of three selected, Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner are the other two.

“David may be the most underrated player on this entire list, earning only one Pro Bowl selection and one first-team All-Pro despite topping all off-the-ball linebackers in forced fumbles (20), tackles for loss (116) and solo tackles (717).” – Chris Wesseling

From ranking third in franchise history for solo tackles with 717 to second, eight behind Derrick Brooks for interceptions by a linebacker with 17 as well as second, again behind Derrick Brooks (84), for pass defends by a linebacker and second behind #55 (24) for forced fumbles with 21 and second for sacks by a linebacker behind Broderick Thomas(26.5) with 22.5. He is also first in franchise history for fumble recoveries with 14 by a linebacker, and first in tackles for a loss with 116. Lavonte David has accomplished a lot of great things in his football career.

 

He joins Ronde Barber 2000s, Warren Sapp 2000s, Derrick Brooks 2000s, Hardy Nickerson 1990s, and Lee Roy Selmon 1980s to be selected to the All-Decade Team.