Buccaneers’ 2015 Spotlight: Charles Sims

Dec 17, 2015 St. Louis, MO, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Charles Sims (34) against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2015 St. Louis, MO, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Charles Sims (34) against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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We are going to take a look back at the Buccaneers’ 2015 season, and how each player performed. We start by putting the spotlight on running back Charles Sims.

2015 was a developmental year for the Buccaneers. They improved to 6-10, and saw great strides in their play on offense, led by quarterback Jameis Winston. As we move to 2016, Bucs’ fans have a lot of reason to be excited.

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Now, let’s take a look back at the 2015 season. Over the coming weeks, we are going to look back at individual players on the roster and talk about how their 2015 went from their perspective. How was their performance, and what is the outlook for 2016? We start right here. Since we have spent quite a bit of time with Winston and Doug Martin already, we start with Martin’s understudy.

Today’s spotlight is on Charles Sims.

Sims joined the team in 2014 as a third round draft pick in the draft. He came into his own in 2015, rushing for 529 yards on just 107 carries, a 4.9 yards per carry average. Not only was he explosive in the running game, he proved an able pass receiver, ranking second on the team in receptions with 51. His best day of the 2015 season came against the New York Giants in week eight, where he rushed for 78 yards on eight carries in a 32-18 loss.

He also provided a solid alternative to Doug Martin. He was strong as a third down running back, converting six first downs on twelve carries. He also converted seven first downs through the air on 13 pass receptions. Doug Martin also, I believe, felt Sims’ footsteps early last year. Martin started out slow, peaking at 78 yards as his best performance over the first three weeks. With Sims cutting into his carries, Martin came alive, rushing for 100 yards in each of the next three weeks, on the way to his 1,400 yard season.

Next: Five Players the Bucs Could Select in Round Two of the Draft

Whether or not Martin is back next year, Charles Sims will be an asset for the Bucs for years to come.