Tampa Bay’s 2025 offseason is right here resulting from a 23-20 loss to Washington within the Wild Card playoffs. However earlier than we dive headfirst into free company and the 2025 NFL Draft, let’s hand out our closing spherical of 2024 Bucs Season Awards
On Saturday, the Pewter Report workers voted on the Bucs’ 2024 MVPs, Greatest Assistant Coach and Rookie of the 12 months. On Sunday, the PR workers voted for the Most Improved and Most Disappointing Bucs from the 2024 season. Now it’s time to dish out the ultimate spherical of awards to Todd Bowles’ troops with the 2024 Bucs Season Awards. These are seven extra participant distinctions, plus an early 2025 file prediction.
Greatest Free Agent Acquisition: LG Ben Bredeson
Typically one of the best free agent acquisitions aren’t the splashiest. That was the case with Tampa Bay’s one-year, $5 million deal for unheralded move rusher Shaq Barrett in 2019. Barrett erupted for a league-high and franchise-record 19.5 sacks that yr, incomes his first ever Professional Bowl berth within the course of. The signing of veteran offensive lineman Ben Bredeson actually wasn’t that impactful, however for $3 million on a one-year deal, he did improve the left guard place.
Bucs LG Ben Bredeson – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Bredeson is the simple winner for Greatest Free Agent Acquisition, which fits yearly to a newly imported participant to Tampa Bay by way of free company – not a re-signing of one of many workforce’s personal gamers. The Professional Soccer Focus grades might not replicate it, however Bredeson did show to be an improve over Matt Feiler and Aaron Stinnie from the 2023 season. Bredeson began all 18 video games and was a consider serving to the Bucs go from the league-worst floor sport to the NFL’s No. 3 speeding assault in 2024. He’ll be a free agent once more in 2025 and may warrant one other one-year cope with a pay increase – maybe as much as $4 million.
Many assumed sturdy security Jordan Whitehead could be one of the best free agent acquisition within the 2024 offseason, however accidents and ineffectiveness stymied his return to Tampa Bay. As a result of the Bucs spent the 2024 offseason re-signing most of their very own free brokers, common supervisor Jason Licht didn’t have the cap room to do a lot else when it comes to importing new free brokers.
Newcomer of the 12 months: NCB Tykee Smith
Tampa Bay’s 2024 draft class was stuffed with hits from first-round decide Graham Barton, who was the workforce’s beginning middle, to fourth-round working again Bucky Irving, who topped 1,000 yards and was the Bucs’ main rusher. However nickel cornerback Tykee Smith, who began all 13 video games he was wholesome to play, actually made a fantastic impression on Todd Bowles’ protection.
Bucs NCB Tykee Smith and Chiefs TE Travis Kelce – Picture by: USA As we speak
Smith proved to be an improve over final yr’s slot cornerback Christian Izien, who spent many of the 2024 season as a fill-in starter at security. He was Professional Soccer Focus’ Thirty eighth-ranked cornerback in your complete league, incomes a 72 total grade, a 70 protection grade and a formidable 90.3 run protection grade.
In what was a down yr for Bucs security Antoine Winfield Jr., who was an All-Professional in 2023, Smith picked up the slack and was the first playmaker within the secondary in 2024. Smith had 54 tackles and 7 passes defensed, and was tied for the workforce lead with three compelled fumbles. He additionally recorded two interceptions, which was additionally tied for the workforce lead. The longer term is brilliant for this powerful, hard-nosed defensive again and it’s nice that Tampa Bay has added one other playmaker to the secondary.
Unsung Participant of the 12 months: DT Calijah Kancey
Think about what number of sacks Calijah Kancey might have if he performed all 17 video games within the common season? That’s what the Bucs must be questioning after their first-round defensive deal with missed practically 4 video games initially of the 2023 common season as a rookie after which missed the primary 5 video games in 2024 – each resulting from calf accidents.
When Kancey returned to motion in his second season, he got here again with a vengeance and wound up main the Bucs in sacks with a career-high 7.5. Kancey and Professional Bowler Vita Vea, who had a career-high seven sacks in 2024, shaped one of many league’s greatest one-two punches at defensive deal with. If he can handle to place his calf accidents behind him and keep wholesome for a complete season in 2025, Kancey might attain double digits when it comes to sacks and turn out to be a Professional Bowler like Vea.
After a disappointing playoff sport wherein he missed corralling Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels just a few occasions within the backfield, Kancey ought to have loads of motivation to coach even tougher within the 2025 offseason. If he can handle to remain wholesome, the upcoming season could possibly be Kancey’s greatest. However the 12 video games the Bucs acquired out of him in 2024 made him this yr’s Unsung Participant of the 12 months.
Most Inspirational Participant: WR Mike Evans
Does it get any higher than seeing Mike Evans haul in a 9-yard catch to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark for an NFL-record eleventh straight season? Not solely did the Bucs win the NFC South division for a fourth straight season in 2024 with a 26-19 win over the Saints in Week 18. Tampa Bay additionally noticed Evans attain that milestone on the sport’s closing play, as he wanted simply 5 extra receiving yards to hit 1,000 for the yr.
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
When Evans made that historic catch, he tied Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Jerry Rice for essentially the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL historical past. And Evans added one other yr to his personal league file of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin a profession, which no different participant has ever executed earlier than. Everybody within the group and within the Bucs fan base already has a love affair with Evans, however this iconic second – and the way in which it occurred on the sport’s closing play – was superb to see.
To make his file even sweeter, Evans missed three and a half video games with a hamstring damage and wanted a livid end down the stretch after the bye week to hit 1,000 yards. In truth, he had essentially the most receiving yards within the NFL from Week 12 on, which was 669 yards, together with a pair of 100-yard receiving video games at Carolina and Los Angeles – all whereas serving to Tampa Bay end 6-1. That makes Evans a simple choice for Most Inspirational Participant in 2024.
Most Overrated Participant: SS Jordan Whitehead
Bringing again sturdy security Jordan Whitehead was heralded because the Bucs’ best transfer in free company outdoors of re-signing the workforce’s personal free agent stars. Tampa Bay was unable to maintain all of its free brokers in 2022, the yr after ending with a franchise-record 13 wins. Whitehead was one of many few that the Bucs simply didn’t have the wage cap room for and he signed with the New York Jets as an alternative.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead – Picture by: USA As we speak
Whitehead was a starter on Tampa Bay’s Tremendous Bowl protection and had carved out a task as a tricky run defender within the field and a stable beneath protection security. He rotated with Mike Edwards, who primarily performed on apparent passing downs and third-and-long conditions resulting from his higher protection capacity. However Whitehead appeared to enhance in protection whereas taking part in within the Jets’ Quarters defensive scheme, and had a career-high 4 interceptions in 2023.
However when he suited up for the Bucs once more, Whitehead had a horrible season outdoors of the primary two video games of the season and possibly the San Francisco sport. He did not create any takeaways, seemed misplaced in protection at occasions and missed some tackles. Whitehead had the second-worst yr of his profession, in line with Professional Soccer Focus, who gave him a 58 total grade and a 53.5 protection grade. He missed 4 video games with a pectoral damage after which the ultimate two video games resulting from a automobile accident.
The Bucs want to take a look at discovering an improve over Whitehead in case he can’t return to kind in his contract yr. He was simply the Most Overrated Participant in Tampa Bay this season.
John Lynch Gentleman’s Award (Greatest Interview): CB Zyon McCollum
A number of Bucs gamers have been very accommodating with their time when it got here to the media in 2024. Tampa Bay has a really media-friendly locker room and there have been loads of candidates to select from for Pewter Report’s John Lynch Gentleman’s Award, which yearly goes to one of the best interview. Broad receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have been within the working, as was left deal with Tristan Wirfs.
Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Picture by: USA As we speak
However cornerback Zyon McCollum, who additionally gained the PFWA Mark Cook dinner “Good Man” Award that the media voted on, deserves this recognition. McCollum was all the time pleasant and keen to talk to the Pewter Report workers and the native media whether or not it was after a win or a loss, and whether or not it was throughout the week or after the sport.
McCollum didn’t pull any punches along with his phrases in interviews, both. He instructed the reality in a really respectful manner, however was very poignant in his remarks to the media. For his candid method and his honesty, McCollum may be very deserving of this honor as a result of Lynch was the identical manner with the media again in his days as Tampa Bay Buccaneer. We’re wanting ahead to McCollum’s ascension on Tampa Bay’s protection as he has the charisma and management capacity to sooner or later presumably turn out to be a workforce captain – maybe changing Lavonte David sooner or later.
Greatest Play of the 12 months: Baker Mayfield To Jalen McMillian TD In Week 18
There have been loads of implausible performs to select from in Tampa Bay’s 10-7 season in 2024. There have been a handful of electrifying runs from rookie Bucky Irving. There was Mike Evans’ 57-yard catch-and-run at Los Angeles and his record-breaking 9-yard catch to achieve 1,000 yards within the season finale in opposition to New Orleans. And who might overlook Antoine Winfield Jr.’s scoop-and-score landing at New Orleans in his first sport again from damage?
However out of all of these performs, maybe one of the best – and most significant – was the 32-yard landing move that Baker Mayfield threw to rookie receiver Jalen McMillan within the fourth quarter of the 26-19 win over the Saints in Week 18. That landing gave Tampa Bay a lead it will by no means relinquish and helped the workforce seize its fourth straight NFC South championship. Mayfield scrambled to his proper and threw a laser to McMillan, who toe-tapped ultimately zone to file the eighth landing catch of his rookie marketing campaign.
Bucs’ File Subsequent 12 months: 11-6
Bucs HC Todd Bowles and OC Liam Coen – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
That is all the time a tough projection to make every year so early into the offseason. However Tampa Bay has stair-stepped its manner from eight wins in 2022 to 9 wins in 2023 to 10 wins final yr. With a better schedule resulting from simply 5 playoff opponents in 2025, why not go together with an 11-6 file, which might be a one-game enchancment over 2024?
It seems as if Todd Bowles will return to Tampa Bay as head coach and Liam Coen will again as offensive coordinator barring a workforce hiring him as a head coach, and Coen has solely interviewed with Jacksonville. With that continuity and a few enhancements coming to the protection by the use of free company and the NFL Draft, it stands to motive that the Bucs might proceed to enhance their common season file in 2025.
However can Tampa Bay degree up when it issues most, which is within the playoffs? Bowles has a 1-3 file within the postseason, together with a pair of house playoff losses within the Wild Card spherical in 2022 and 2024. That might be price watching in 2025.
