Last week, Bleacher Report’s Doug Farrar ranked the receiving groups for every NFL team from 32 all the way down to one. The Buccaneers came in at No. 2 on the list, which is certainly some high praise for the new group.
The Buccaneers are a hot pick around the NFL right now, which is due in large part to the upgrades on the offensive side of the ball. Fans wanted weapons for quarterback Jameis Winston and they got some big-time additions in the offseason. The hype around Tampa Bay is real right now, with national media joining in as well. Doug Farrar of Bleacher Report put out his rankings of the NFL’s wide receiving groups last week and the Bucs landed at No. 2.
Farrar does a solid job of breaking down Tampa Bay’s group, first looking at the addition of veteran speedster DeSean Jackson:
"Jackson is a perfect complement to this offense, because he has the deep speed and separation ability that nobody else on Tampa Bay’s roster possesses—only Mike Evans caught more than 10 passes thrown 20 or more yards in the air last season, and Evans, while reasonably fast, is more of a contested-catch receiver. But Jackson had the most yards of any receiver on those types of deep passes with 579, and only Indianapolis’ T.Y. Hilton caught more deep passes than Jackson’s 16. Jackson will take safeties out of the picture for Tampa Bay’s other receivers and ease Jameis Winston’s reads on short and intermediate passes."
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Jackson definitely is a major threat with the deep ball, something that the Bucs lacked in 2016. He also gives Tampa Bay a true No. 2 receiver. While Adam Humphries and Cameron Brate stepped up in a big way last year, neither presented the kind of threat that Jackson does. With Jackson in the mix, Humphries and Brate could be even more effective as they slip into supporting roles. The focus will shift to the top guys, leaving those two as under-the-radar options for Winston. Also, as Farrar points out, Jackson’s presence will help Mike Evans as well. With a legitimate No. 2, Evans will have a little less pressure to be the unquestioned go-to guy.
Even with Evans, Jackson, Humphries and Brate aside, the Bucs have even more options. The team came away with one of the biggest steals in this year’s draft when it drafted Alabama’s O.J. Howard with the No. 19 pick. From Farrar’s piece:
"And to that tight end group, the Bucs added Alabama’s O.J. Howard in the first round of the 2017 draft. At 6’6″ and 250 pounds, and running a 4.51 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, Howard has the size, release speed and blocking ability to become a major cog in this passing game."
Howard is expected to be a major piece of the offense in 2017 and beyond. His size is obviously a major advantage. And with such a talented group around him, he can ease into his role.
And as if those five aren’t dangerous enough, there are high expectations surrounding third-round pick Chris Godwin out of Penn State. He is listed in the article but not specifically mentioned, but not for lack of talent. The 6-foot-1-inch rookie will push Humphries and find a role for himself on day one. He has already turned some heads at OTAs. With more time to learn the playbook and develop a rapport with his quarterback, Godwin is yet another threat on a team that is suddenly full of them.
What these rankings also show is that times are changing for the Bucs. Their reputation around the league is changing. They’re gaining more respect. Tampa Bay’s receivers are ranked ahead of 30 other groups. Among those 30 groups are some really strong ones in Oakland, New York (Giants), Atlanta and Green Bay.
The only team ranked ahead of the Bucs on this list is the New England Patriots. Truthfully, that No. 1 spot is likely more about Tom Brady. Yes, a group that features Julian Edelman, Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski (when healthy) is potent. But if you’re looking for a truly explosive group, I don’t see how the Pats have the edge. Maybe it’s the red and pewter glasses, but I would honestly take Tampa Bay’s receiving group over New England’s. Maybe Farrar ranked the Patriots ahead due to the fact that Jackson, Howard and Godwin haven’t played a game in Tampa yet. If that’s the case, then I suppose it’s fair. But if Winston’s group performs up to the standards that we expect from them, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them at No. 1 on this list next summer.
Next: Buccaneers: Experts prefer Winston over Luck
What do you think, Bucs fans? Is the No. 2 ranking right? Let us know what you think in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook.