When the Buccaneers selected Jamel Dean with the 94th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, not many knew what kind of player he would be; however, all Dean ended up doing was impress everyone. He began showing promise in camp and that continued to the preseason, and after a touchy first outing during the regular season, he began showing signs that he is going to be a nightmare in the secondary. Pro Football Focus has given Buccaneers’ third-round pick their highest rookie cornerback grade for the 2019 season. During the 2019 campaign, Dean tallied two interceptions (tied for 3rd out of all rookies) for 31-yards (7th in the league for rookies with Sean Murphy-Bunting’s 88 interception return yards, leading all rookies), 19 pass defends (ranked 7th in the league and lead all rookies), and 21 combined tackles. He did this in 5 starts and playing in 33% of the defensive snaps in 13 total games.

More Honors:  Week 10 * He is the first Buccaneers to record 4 pass defends in a single game since Brent Grimes achieved it in 2012.

Dean is one of the first Buccaneers defenders since recording PD statistics began in 1999 to record 4 passes defended in two consecutive games, and he is the first to achieve this since Brian Kelly graced a Buccaneers’ uniform(2002).

Dean was given the highest PFF rank of any defender for Week 10 at 95.5. The ranking was higher than that of CB Marcus Peters, who we all know how an outstanding game in week 10 with his 89-yard interception return shortly after being traded by the Rams, and that of Jets’ Safety Jamal Adams. Dean’s PFF ranking was quite impressive considering the company. 

Hall Of Fame Choices

One thing is for sure, while almost nothing is, the Bucs won’t be caught with their pants down in the Contract Waltz with Jameis Winston. We don’t even know who is playing the lead in this dance. What we do know is that per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times is that Clyde Christensen has been saddled with working up scouting reports on the three Hall of Fame quarterbacks that enter free agency in 2020. I think we can probably cross Brady and Brees off the list right now. Brady will probably be retained by New England, because that’s where he has always been and where he was anointed G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All-Time) after being ringed on six of his ten digits. History won’t flow quite right if he ends up elsewhere. Add to that the fact that the Patriots couldn’t be in better hands in 2020 than Brady. Where would they find anyone clearly better? I would look for the Pats to sign Brady to a two-year deal, and draft a quarterback.

Two of the three will stay put?

The other quick scratch, Brees may or may not retire this season. Nothing is final until it’s announced, but it has been reported that Drew Brees is weighing options for broadcasting after he does retire. If he does come back for one more go at it, I don’t see it being with another team. Like Brady, he’s very much a part of his team’s home town. I’m only playing the odds, so I could be wrong, but I would be very surprised if either Brady or Brees left their current teams.

Rivers the best fit for Tampa

Then there is Rivers. His situation is crystal clear. The Chargers have said they are moving on from their Canton hopeful. In turn, Phillip Rivers has already left the state and moved his family to north Florida. Rivers to Tampa actually makes a lot of sense because of the other nugget that Rick Stroud dropped on his readers. According to Rick Stroud, the Buccaneers are believed to be looking to select a quarterback in the draft to be the backup and to learn under the starter for a year or two. Rivers gets behind center with the surrounding talent the Bucs have, and I could see him with some strong stats and being a winner here. We could find more success than what we have had in the last five years by signing Rivers to a two-year deal. He takes the rookie quarterback under his wing for two years, and then the young man would take over in year three. Don’t expect the quarterback selection in the draft to come in the first round, although it is a possibility. I’m thinking that somebody on their board will slip to the second round and possibly beyond. There will still be good players to choose from in rounds 2-3 at quarterback.

Winston probably stays one more year if not longer

After saying all of that, chances are, the Bucs future at quarterback this next season is going to be Jameis Winston. Much has been rumored. The strongest one being that Winston is being signed to a longer-term fat contract. I refuse to believe, even with the past decisions that have been made over at One Buc, that ownership would tie themselves to Winston for any long term money commit. I would expect sound ownership to tag Jameis Winston for 2020, then Draft a quarterback, and let the chips fall where they may after next season.

Former NFL players urge Bucs to wrap Winston up long term

Because truly it doesn’t matter how many former QB’s, booth announcers, NFL stars of yore say that Tampa should lock Winston up for the long term, all that goes to show is that their opinions are less sound than my own, being spoken without an inside weekly view of the spectacle that is Jameis Winston. What else could explain such terribly unsound football advice? I truly have no doubt that history will bare my judgment to be wise and solid. Full of myself? Not at all, but I long ago learned to trust my football judgment, and it’s based in common football sense, a very strong knowledge of the game, and talent evaluation, with a nose for the unseen. I’m not swayed by Winston’s big numbers or moments of greatness. His five thousand yards don’t impress me in the least. Not when his biggest flaw makes him one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. When you have a player that is very good and also very bad, the bad should always take precedence over the very good no matter what; especially when the bad has only gotten worse in the five seasons he has been here.

Wrapping up

While I do not buy what Winston is selling, nothing would make me happier than for him to finally repay the Bucs for their almost blind faith in him. I don’t care who the quarterback is for this team as long as they are a winner and can be trusted and counted on in tough times. Nobody is perfect, but you have to be able to have faith in the most important position on the team. When you don’t know what you are going to get from moment to moment, that is unacceptable and impossible. It is also a serious impediment to this team, realizing it’s potential. I’d love to be proven wrong about Winston. Hear that Jameis? Make me look the fool. Nothing would make me happier, I swear! Go Bucs!!

This season has definitely been something special for Tampa Bay’s new Sack Master. 58 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 1 INT, and 6 forced fumbles later, Barrett definitely set the bar high for himself.

Fast forward to the present, and Barrett was 4th in the DPOY honors won by Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore. TJ Watt was also in the mix to be named the winner of the award. Without taking anything away from the play of Gilmore, but in my opinion, he isn’t the type of corner that you would call a “shutdown” or “premier” corner. Don’t get me wrong, he’s good, but he’s not Charles Woodson or Deion Sanders great, he’s just a good corner that had an extraordinary year.

As for T.J. Watt, I can’t really act surprised that a Watt is in the talks for the top defensive player of the year award. It is shocking, though, that there’s no mention of J.J. Watt, but injuries have dampened his season, so his brother just carried the Watt name this season. He has definitely come into his own with Pittsburgh and will be a force to be reckoned with just as James Harrison was for the black-and-yellow for years.

Barrett has definitely set the NFL on fire this season with his play and went what seemed like sack for sack with Arizona Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones for a good chunk of the season. Barrett, who signed a one-year deal, did more than just show up and show out. When he spoke with Salty Dogs Podcast during camp back in July, Barrett spoke of signing due to the opportunity to start and make plays, and well, he bet big and won big, in my opinion. Not many players can come into a franchise, with a new defensive scheme for all 11 players, and end the season setting a new sack record after 20 years. Barrett (again, my opinion), has been snubbed for the Defensive Player of the Year for the fact that he signed to a smaller marketed team. Had he stayed in Denver and compiled these types of stats, he would’ve easily been atop of the rankings, and we wouldn’t be having this type of argument.

The 2019 season had a lot of ups and downs for the Buccaneers. The center focus of a lot of those ups was former Bronco turned Buccaneer Outside Linebacker Shaquil Barrett. Barrett spent the better part of the season wreaking havoc on prominent offensive linemen and making offensive coordinators sweat.

The fruit of his labor was 19.5 sacks and an interception, because of this, he was given the Deacon Jones award. Congratulations Shaquil! We hope to see you in a Bucs uniform next season!