Buccaneers: Winners and losers from the 2017 season

Winners

Kendell Beckwith

One of the biggest surprises from this season was the play of third round rookie Kendell Beckwith. With Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David already in place, it was strange to see general manager Jason Licht spend a third round pick on another linebacker, but Beckwith proved he was worth it. The LSU product seized the starting strong-side linebacker spot in training camp and never looked back, playing in all sixteen regular season games. Beckwith was fourth on the team in tackles with 73 total, and chipped in a sack and a forced fumble as well.

The nature of Beckwith’s position means that he won’t get the same opportunities for sacks and interceptions that his counterpart Lavonte David does, but he’s the type of rock-solid, reliable tackler that will have a place on the Bucs roster for quite a while. Expect bigger things from Kendell Beckwith in 2018 with an improved overall defense.

Donovan Smith

Arguably the biggest concern entering this season was the progression of left tackle Donovan Smith. The big right tackle struggled with consistency throughout his first two seasons, which triggered questions about Smith’s potential upside. Smith answered a lot of those questions in his third season, and earned himself a spot amongst the winners.

Smith’s durability is the first noteworthy trait of his game. In three seasons he has yet to miss one start, which was particularly useful this season. When Ali Marpet and Demar Dotson hit injured reserve with knee injuries, Smith was left as the only quality offensive lineman available to keep quarterback Jameis Winston off the ground. Though the Bucs’ running game was inconsistent this season, Smith did a fine job of clearing out space on the left side of the line. Entering this season the weakest part of Smith’s game was his pass protection, but he cleaned that up as well in 2017, especially down the stretch. It’s still unclear what Donovan’s ceiling is as a professional, but this season was a major step in the right direction.

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Lavonte David

I don’t think Lavonte David will ever have a truly losing season in his career. Sure his win/loss record isn’t great but there hasn’t been a single year in David’s six year career in which he wasn’t among the league’s best linebackers. This season was no different. Once again playing for a lost cause, David led his team in tackles, forced and recovered a league-leading and career high five fumbles, and racked up a hundred tackles, all in thirteen games played. According to Pro Football Focus, he also had the second most run stops in the entire league.

David was without question the best Buccaneer defender this season, and perhaps the entire team, but was snubbed from both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro team. Those that watched the Bucs know that David’s play was still elite, but his strange lack of interceptions and sacks may have played a roll in the snub; for the first time in his career, David did not record either a sack or an interception. I very much doubt that the drought continues into 2018, which is good news for a Buccaneer defense that desperately needs more sacks and interceptions.

Demar Dotson

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The longest tenured Buccaneer was also one of its best players in 2017. Though he spent the final

five games of the season on injured reserve, right tackle Demar Dotson was at the top of his game in the first eleven. At the time of his injury Dotson was Pro Football Focus’s fourth highest rated tackle in the entire league, and the second best in pass blocking; they named him a second team All-Pro, as well. It seems safe to say that Dotson was the best Buccaneer offensive lineman in 2017, and a clear winner.

The bad news is that Dotson’s status for next season is very much in question. Dotson will turn 33 next October and will be returning from a serious PCL tear, so it’s worth wondering if he’ll be able to recapture the magic he found this season. The Bucs will likely opt to trust in Dotson’s recovery for next season instead of searching for a replacement immediately; his play and tenure warrant the leap of faith, in my opinion. The Buccaneers offensive line isn’t far from being a strong unit, but it needs a healthy Demar Dotson.

 Chris Godwin

The winner list wouldn’t be complete without the best Buccaneer receiver on it. Chris Godwin made it as a winner several times this year, and got more and more worthy every week, especially down the stretch of the season. With Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson locked firmly in place as the teams starting receivers it took some time for Chris Godwin to start getting targets and opportunities. Cam Brate, O.J. Howard, and Adam Humphries made it even more difficult. A late season injury to Jackson allowed Godwin to step into the starting role and he thrived; in the final two games he produced lines of three catches for 98 yards, and seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown

In a rookie wide receiver class dominated by middle round picks, Chris Godwin was the fourth most productive player, with a final stat line of 34 catches for 525 yards and a touchdown. Godwin’s late season emergence and his chemistry with Jameis Winston should secure Godwin a starting role in 2018, and I expect he’ll continue to be on the winners list often in the future.