Buccaneers Season Awards

[bucsfan333]

MVP - 

OPOY - 

DPOY - 

ROY - 

Breakout Player - 

Best Newcomer - 

Biggest Disappointment on Offense - 

Biggest Disappointment on Defense - 

Best Special Teams Player - 

 

Feel free to add your own. 

After a disappointing season, let's look at guys who stood out; both good and bad. Who you got?

Note: I left out worst special teams player because I don't want to talk about our kicker before Murray.

[bucsfan333]

MVP - Lavonte David

With how bad our defense was all year, Lavonte was consistently a badass. His play against the run is the only reason we didn't give up five yards per carry. And his timely strips/recoveries are the only reason we had so many close games. Many believed he had a down year last year but he bounced right back and played like the best 4/3 OLB in the NFL, like we know he is.

OPOY - Demar Dotson

He didn't even finish the season and I'm still giving him the nod. He only played in 11 games. But not a single one was bad. In fact, they were all great. He gave up the fewest pressures (sacks, hurries, QB hits) among ALL OTs when he was playing and he was great in the run game too. It's hard to count on him moving forward since he's battled so many injuries the last few years. But he was a rock this year.

DPOY - Gerald McCoy

Since I gave Lavonte MVP, I'm opting for someone else. We had the worst pass rush in the NFL. By A LOT. But it wasn't because of McCoy. He ranked among the best DTs with hurries and his first step is still one of the fastest in the NFL. He played through a bicep injury that nearly broke him, as you could see the tears on the sideline. If we had ANYONE else on the dline that deserved even a little respect, some more of his hurries would have turned into sacks.

ROY - Chris Godwin

I'm not giving this to Godwin solely based on his offensive output. He started the season as a gunner on special teams and was fantastic. He did a great job pinning teams deep, both downing the ball around the goalline and making tackles. Between Evans' suspension and DJax's injury, he got the opportunity to start. And he didn't disappoint. His 15 catches for 280 yards (including the walkoff TD week 17) in his three starts at WR more than show he was worth the pick. 

Breakout Player - Justin Evans

This was a toss up for me between Evans and OJ. I opted for Evans because he started more and he was considered more of a project coming out. I didn't even really like the pick at the time. But he proved me wrong. His athleticism is insane. Some of the plays he made on the ball were amazing. He intercepted the GOAT in his first start, and dropped another would-be INT in the same game. He gave up some big plays throughout the year. But he has the physical tools to be one of the best, and he showed that he's capable of becoming just that if he can become more consistent.

Best Newcomer - DeSean Jackson

There isn't a route he can't run and there doesn't seem to be a tough pass he can't catch. He did it all. And if Jameis was more accurate, he would have lead us in TDs, and maybe even yards receiving. Koetter doesn't know how to properly utilize him but that doesn't take away the fact that he's still one of the fastest guys in the NFL. He was also a strong voice in the locker room at the end of the year and I believe his leadership helped us keep fighting even when there didn't seem like there was anything left to play for.

Biggest Disappointment on Offense - Doug Martin

This was a make-or-break year for the Muscle Hamster. He lost his guaranteed money and was essentially playing for his future here. Like many flops before him, he showed up to training camp in amazing shape and looked like a monster. But after coming back from his suspension he never seemed to figure it out. He can still make guys miss in the backfield with the best backs in the league. But he failed to find the hole almost every time. He struggled to hold onto the ball in critical moments. I thought he would push for 1,000 yards but he again was one of the worst yards per carry RBs in the league. And you can't blame that on the oline when guys like Sims, Quizz, and Barber all put up better numbers.

Biggest Disappointment on Defense - Chris Baker

We screwed up expecting him to be a NT. But he was a legitimate force for Washington the last few years. He failed to put much pressure on opposing QBs and was absent against the run. We brought him in and paid him to be a force in the middle. But we got a JAG. And a low tier one at that. His antics at practice; be it taunting kickers or the accusations of not giving it his all, don't help his case either. His offsides penalty against Carolina (that may have cost us the game) caused a huge fight in the locker room after the game. It seems obvious his attitude doesn't fit in, especially with what he (didn't) do on the field.

Best Special Teams Player - Patrick Murray

We all know about the absolute mess we had at kicker. Murray came in and cleaned it up. He wasn't perfect, but he's not Justin Tucker or Stephen Gostkowski. His only downfall is that he's awful at kickoffs. But he's one of the most accurate kickers we've ever had and he's got that swagger (hate that word, but it's true) to be consistently great for us. I think he's worth another contract, and I think he can be a Buccaneer for the next 10 years or so.