The most underrated player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Edwards needs a larger role than he is playing now. Obviously, this level of production should be impossible when translated to a more significant share of opportunities, but the Buccaneers need to figure this out one way or another.

If the safeties are playing well in their current positions, the Bucs will need to find another way to get Edwards on the field.

Fortunately for all members of the secondary, there are numerous opportunities to reach the field in the various nickel and dime packages that the Buccaneer defense runs. Nickel is far more common than dime, but either way, these offer opportunities for Edwards to get reps.

Especially in nickel, Edwards should start to see a greater share of reps from the nickel back spot that Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting have played. SMB and Edwards have been used in the same position this year already, and SMB struggled some during the matchup with the Raiders. If Tampa Bay wanted to get Edwards more opportunities, this would be the way to make it happen.

Edwards is only playing in his second season in the NFL but is already performing at an extremely high level. If he can keep his current pace up with a higher volume of reps, he could start to receive some recognition from the rest of the league and force the Buccaneers to create more scenarios to keep him on the field.