As the season comes to a close, keep a keen eye on the Buccaneers youth. They will likely receive an increased workload now that the Buccaneers are out of the playoffs.
Now that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are eliminated from playoff contention, the rest of 2018 can be a time for development. The roster is chock-full of young players who can use the valuable reps during the final two games of the season.
In particular, some of the Buccaneers top draft picks over the past two years need to show signs of improvement. Take Vita Vea‘s performance against the Ravens last week. Vea had a career-high nine tackles and flashed his run-stuffing abilities on tape.
Thankfully, he was finally able to answer the critics. However, he can do much more than that in the final stretch of games. If Vea can end the campaign on a high note, it should propel him to greater success in 2019.
Vea is just one example of a player who will likely see a significant boost in playing time now that the Bucs are out of the playoff picture.
For the most part, the final two games of the season are meaningless for Tampa Bay. From a glass half full perspective, a loss only helps the Bucs draft position, while more wins could show a head coaching candidate that the Bucs are just a few pieces away from contention.
Regardless of the outcome of the contests, fans can use the final two games of the season to assess the youth on the roster. Keep a close eye on the following players during the final stretch of the season.