The 2010 season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was one that relied heavily upon youngsters like Josh Freeman, Mike Williams, Legarrette Blount, Cody Grimm, Ted Larsen and James Lee. The common theme for all of those players? They largely came out of no where to have break out seasons. If the team wants to be successful this season they will need more players to step up and perform at a high level like their counterparts last year. Here are five players that must break out in order for the Bucs to be playoff bound this year. You’ll notice that most of the list and others considered are defensive players. This is largely due to the fact that our primary offensive weapons had their breakout years last year.
5. Arrelious Benn, Wide Receiver- With offenses keying in on fellow wide out Mike Williams this season, Josh Freeman will surely be looking at Arrelious Benn more often. Last year Benn made the most of the opportunities he was given and was starting to catch on to the offense before an injury cut his season short. For the Bucs to improve through the air and ultimately make the playoffs Benn will have to be the dynamic threat that he has the ability to be.
4. Tyrone Mckenzie, Middle Linebacker- This slot could be changed to Mason Foster if he ends up winning the starting middle linebacker position, but at this point it looks like the job is Tyrones’ to lose. The third year linebacker has been described as a “thumper” and is expected to make more plays at and behind the line of scrimmage than Barrett Ruud, Tampa’s last middle linebacker. Mckenzie will have a lot of responsibilities to fill if he holds the job, with the middle linebacker position looked upon as the quarterback of the defense. He’ll be responsible for calling out audibles on the field and putting players in their place. For obvious reasons, the Bucs need their middle linebacker to be successful if they want to win football games.
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3. Da’Quan Bowers, Defensive End– In the NFL it’s a general assumption that rookie defensive linemen, and specifically ends, will not make a huge impact. Well, Da’Quan Bowers could be a rare exception to that. Bowers was at one point slated to go number one overall in the draft to the Panthers, but instead dropped to the Bucs in the second round due to concerns over his knee. As it turns out, Bowers has entered camp perfectly healthy and ready to go, fully equipped with the ability and skills that once made him the best defensive end in college football. The Bucs pass rush was horrid last season and Da’Quan has to be a force in order for it to improve this season.
2. Myron Lewis, Cornerback– Drafted in the 3rd round out of Vanderbilt last season, Myron Lewis has all the physical tools nessacary to be a very good cover corner in the NFL. With risks of Ronde Barber possibly slowing up a bit this season and Talib being suspended any number of games, you can expect to see a lot more of the SEC product on the field along with E.J. Biggers. To win the NFC South the Bucs have to go through Atlanta and New Orleans who both boast very talented receiving cores, thus making the players behind Talib and Barber very important. If the Bucs are to be division champions this year, expect big things from Myron Lewis.
1. Gerald Mccoy, Defensive Tackle– Last season was a truly up and down one for Gerald McCoy. He started off hot, being extremely disruptive in the Browns game, then cooled off and hit the proverbial rookie wall, that so many of his teammates had avoided. Mccoy was just starting to catch on to things when, like fellow rookie Arrelious Benn, he went down with a season ending injury. McCoy spent the locked-out offseason training and has come back to Tampa a new man, with a ferocious hunger for success. The Bucs run defense and pass rush will begin and end with Gerald in the middle causing disruption and clogging up running lanes. Gerald McCoy must have a breakout season if the Bucs want to make the playoffs and to avoid whispers of that dreaded four letter “B” word.
Also Considered: E.J. Biggers, Dekoda Watson, Allen Bradford, Adrian Clayborn, Dezmon Briscoe, Brian Price, Quincy Black
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