Buccaneers: 5 players that deserve a spot in the Pro Bowl

As the Pro Bowl voting has begun, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a number of players on their roster that deserve to make an appearance.

Pro Bowl voting has never been an exact or perfect science. Bias and popularity have always played a role in keeping the big names in and the up and comers out, and the Buccaneers have been on the losing end of this situation more than once.

Phenomenal players are left out on a yearly basis, yet injured players or popular ones that have underperformed skyrocket up through the voting. The Pro Bowl is less a judgment of skill or ability and more of an exercise in brand recognition.

Due to its small-market status, Tampa Bay has often been one of the forgotten programs with the voting process, but all of that is different this year, and the team could have more players on the roster than ever before.

Player #1-Lavonte David

Lavonte David is easily the most deserving member of the Buccaneers to earn this recognition. While the process is flawed, Pro Bowl selections make a difference in contract negations and player evaluation (which is why the process needs to change), and David has been snubbed enough times for multiple careers.

David is one of the best defensive players in the NFL, and he has played like one of the best linebackers by a clear margin.

If the voting process does what it is supposed to do, David should be a clear lock for the roster early on, and he should garner enough votes to be considered the top linebacker in the league.