8 Buccaneers Make ESPN Top 100 List, JPP Snubbed

ESPN comprised a list of who they think will be the Top 100 players in the NFL and the Buccaneers led the pack with eight. Following closely behind the Buccaneers in numbers of players making the list are the Packers and the Chiefs with seven total.

Coming in at #20 is the G.O.A.T

“Ranked as the sixth-best quarterback here after taking a team that hadn’t been to the postseason since 2007 all the way to Super Bowl LV and winning it? Even for a guy who just turned 44, Brady won’t be happy about that, and it is all the motivation he needs to go for an eighth ring.” – Jenna Laine

Considering what Tom Brady and the Buccaneers were able to achieve during the craziest season in NFL history, ranking him at 20th is a little bit of a head-scratcher. At the age of 44, Brady has pulled off an individual feat that only few could imagine, let alone experience. Winning his 7th NFL championship 4th Super Bowl MVP, Brady should be in the top 5. I didn’t make the list, so it is what it is.

Mike Evans comes in at #43

“Last season, Evans became the first and only player to reach 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first six NFL seasons. Having another year with quarterback Tom Brady will only help his quest to go 7-for-7. Even as Brady’s list of targets grows in Tampa, Evans will always be at or near the top of it because he’s such a size mismatch for most defensive backs.” -Jenna Laine

Another head-scratcher, in my opinion, as Evans had achieved something last year that places him in the top of the NFL record books. Handing in his seventh 1,000-yard season, and according to ESPN Analytics, no one has had more receptions (37), yards (1,066), or touchdowns (13) on go routes since 2018 than Evans. Wow! Another note: Evans is just one of those guys who frequently works with the team to adjust his contract to free up necessary money for the season. I know that doesn’t get you ranked in anything, but that is #1 in my book.

Shaquil Barrett sacks the #44 spot

“Since his 19.5-sack breakout year in 2019 — in which he became the first Buccaneer to reach double-digit sacks since Simeon Rice in 2005 — Barrett has led the NFL with 111 pressures, and his 27.5 sacks are the second-most in the NFL over the past two seasons” – Jenna Laine

After putting his unbelievable season in 2019, the one where he broke the single-season franchise sack record and leading the NFL with 19.5 sacks, Sack-Barrett put in an admirable 8 sacks in 2020. He didn’t break any records last year, but he helped the Buccaneers defense power their way through one of the most memorable seasons in history. Let’s not forget he sacked Rodgers 4 times in the NFC Championship. Also, handing in 27.5 sacks over the last two seasons is nothing to scoff about.

The Big Fella weighs in at #66

“Vea overcame a broken leg in Week 5 to return for the NFC Championship Game, which dramatically impacted the Bucs’ defense, and he then made it particularly difficult for Patrick Mahomes to step into his throws in Super Bowl LV. He plays an integral role in Todd Bowles’ A-gap blitzes. Many assume that at 347 pounds, he is merely a space-eater up front, but Vea moves extremely well for his size and gets into the backfield. In fact, at one point during training camp, Vea actually chased down running back Ronald Jones II.” – Jenna Laine

What can I saw about Vita Vea that hasn’t been said already? The dude is a stud. He can easily overcome double teams and wreak havoc on offensive lines. Not only can he power through those lines and open up opportunities for other defensive players to make a big play, but he also causes runningbacks hell. If he is healthy all season long, he stays an integral part of the Buccaneers’ defensive front. So glad we didn’t miss out on drafting the big guy out of Washington.

Get live at #75

“You can’t take your eyes off of White when he is on the field. He is just everywhere, finishing the 2020 regular season with a team-leading 9.0 sacks, 140 tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. His improvement in coverage will only catapult him this season into one of the top defensive players in the league.”– Jenna Laine

I did not want the Buccaneers to draft White, and I am not the only one; however, I believe that I really couldn’t live without him. The young man out of LSU won me over quickly. Any previous beliefs I had about him are all out the window. He led the Buccaneers in tackles last year with a whopping 140 total and sacked quarterbacks 9 times. The kid has a motor and is heading towards becoming one of the best linebackers the Buccaneers have ever had

Chris Godwin catches the #77 spot

“Godwin missed several games last season with injuries, including a concussion, a hamstring strain, and a broken finger that required 10 pins to stabilize the joint. That was truly the first time in his career he’d dealt with a rash of injuries. But he is healthy again and will continue to be one of Tom Brady‘s most trusted targets.” – Jenna Laine

Godwin does nothing but continues to be impressive. He may be #2 or even #3 on the depth chart, but that’s only because the Buccaneers have three #1 wide receivers. When he was drafted out of Penn State in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL draft, many Bucs fans were not familiar with the young man and didn’t have much faith in him. After putting in a solid rookie season, fans saw the potential. He gets better every season. As seen in the preseason game against the Texans, he is a very dependable target and, if left unsupervised, will make an opposing defense pay dearly.

#87 on the list but #1 in our hearts

“David joins Hall of Famer Ray Lewis as the only players in NFL history with 1,000-plus tackles, 20.0-plus sacks, and 10-plus interceptions through their first eight seasons. Lined up with Devin White in the Bucs’ defense, he is primed for another big season.” – Jenna Laine

Lavonte David has played on some of the worst and best Buccaneers football teams, and he has been two things throughout; consistent and underrated. Snubbed for just about every honor the league has, Lavonte David continues to play at a level that puts him at the top tier of the NFL. In fact, it almost seems like the veteran linebacker gets better every season. Actually, let me rephrase that. He gets better every season. The longest-tenured Buccaneers player is an absolute must for the Ring of Honor when he retires and easily a shoo-in for Canton. Drafted out of Nebraska in the 2nd round of the 2012 NFL Draft, he is the only good mark left on this organization by former head coach Greg Schiano. Yep, Greg Schiano.

Last but certainly not least is Tristan Wirfs at #96

Wirfs has started since day one of his rookie season in 2020, and he surrendered just two sacks the whole year. Between hoisting 300-pound trees on his back and doing 48-inch box jumps from a seated position — not to mention viral pool tricks — Wirfs displays astounding strength.” – Jenna Laine

A much-needed draft pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. This guy was plug n play and immediately solidified the weakest side of the Buccaneers offensive line. The rookie has been impressive, to say the least, to say the most; if offensive lineman won Rookie of the Year awards, he should have received it. I know that’s a bit of a homer-stretch, but you can’t argue with too much about it. The guy is a nightmare for defensive players who dare to venture the path to the quarterback and a bulldozer in the running game. 

ESPN decided to leave Jason Pierre-Paul off of the list. The veteran defensive end/ linebacker joined the Buccaneers in 2018 in a homecoming of sorts in a trade that, in my opinion, ripped the New York Giants off. The former USF stud turned NFL stud hasn’t shown any signs of slowing up, despite all of the crap the world keeps throwing at him. Through the loss of appendages and a broken neck received in a vehicle accident, Jason Pierre-Paul continued to overcome all that was stacked against him. He was absolutely snubbed from ESPN’s list. If it were my list, I would have placed him at #42.