Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3 biggest draft steals in franchise history
By Cory Kinnan
2. Ronde Barber, third round, 1997
Just four years after the Buccaneers struck gold with Lynch in the third round, they added another all-time franchise great in cornerback Ronde Barber in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft. For years, the Buccaneers secondary, anchored by Lynch and Barber, were the original legion of boom long before the modern Seahawks were known as such.
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Barber is a lifetime Buccaneer, playing all 16 years of his NFL career in Tampa Bay before retiring in 2012. Throughout his career, Barber was named to five Pro Bowls and an All-Pro three times. Unlike many modern players, Barber remained a strong contributor to the Buccaneers defense deep into his 30s, tallying 47 career interceptions, eight defensive touchdowns, and 15 forced fumbles.
Looking back at the Buccaneers, it is incredible they were only able to win one championship with their defensive talent; perhaps if Tampa Bay would have invested more on the offensive side of the ball. In what should go down as the greatest defense in Buccaneers defense, Barber joins Lynch both on this list and as a perennial Pro Bowler in the late 90s to early 2000s and is a going to see his bust in Canton, Ohio over the next few years.