Buccaneers: Grading the 2016 Free Agent Class
By Bailey Adams
Josh Robinson (Grade: A-)
Talk about low-risk, high reward. That’s exactly what Josh Robinson was for the Bucs in 2016. The team signed him to a one-year, $2 million contract as a depth piece. He looked good in the secondary at times during training camp, but he ended up not fitting into the plans for the secondary. Instead, he found his role with special teams and had an outstanding season.
With punt coverage, there aren’t really any eye-popping stats to look for. But with Robinson, it was the eye test. For those who watched the Bucs all year long, they saw that Robinson a consistent knack for making a big impact on special teams. He was a huge playmaker, helping punter Bryan Anger in a big way. Nearly any time an opponent started a drive with poor field position, it was because of Robinson.
The former UCF Knight may have come on board to play cornerback, but once that didn’t work out, he did a fantastic job of settling in with special teams. He didn’t get a whole lot of league-wide recognition, as not too many special teams players do, but he definitely wowed Bucs fans throughout the season. At only 26 years old, Robinson still has a lot left in him. Whether the Bucs are able to re-sign him or not remains to be seen, but if he returns in 2017, it would be a big bonus for Tampa Bay.