Buccaneers: Trenches finally get their due with Pro Bowl selections

Five members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been selected to the Pro Bowl. However, it is the trenches that highlights the selections for the Buccaneers.

During the Buccaneers star-studded studded Super Bowl championship run of 2020 with a loaded roster, only one player was named to the Pro Bowl, and it was Jason Pierre-Paul of all people. No disrespect to JPP, but to the average fan that would come off as a little surprising. Now in 2021 during the Bucs quest to go for two as champs, this uber talented roster is getting their proper recognition.

Five Buccaneers were voted to play in the “game” while eight additional players were named as alternates. The most notable is Tom Brady, for obvious reasons, who made history by being named to his 15th Pro Bowl.

Well that’s going to get the most headlines, it is the unsung heroes getting the respect that they deserve that warrants the most praise.

Shaquil Barrett was voted to his second Pro Bowl in what’s on my call one of his quieter seasons. The thing is though, he still has nine sacks to this point. Perhaps surprisingly enough, he is the lone Bucs defender to be given the honor.

Elsewhere on the offense, the other three players to be voted to their first Pro Bowl were center Ryan Jensen, guard Ali Marpet, and right tackle extraordinaire Tristan Wirfs, who is the only player to be named a starter.

Games are won and lost in the trenches in any level of football, but it’s particularly true in the NFL. Fortunately for the Buccaneers, they are Pro Bowlers aplenty in this department. This is one of the better, if not the best offensive lines in all of football, and it’s about time they were treated as such.

Joining the Pro Bowlers who live in the trenches that were named as alternates is the best nose tackle in the game in Vita Vea, and guard Alex Cappa. This being the case, our proclamation that the Buccaneers could have five Pro Bowlers on the offensive line was actually not that far off.

The other Pro Bowl alternates that call Tampa Bay home are linebacker Devin White, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., tight end Rob Gronkowski, running back Leonard Fournette, and wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the latter of which it’s safe to say will not be playing should he be called upon.

Speaking of which, it’s safe to say that no Buccaneers may be playing in the Pro Bowl, because they have more important things to do. Let’s all hope that’s the case, as the Buccaneers find themselves back in the Super Bowl. For now though, let’s give these players a pewter pat on the back, especially the unsung heroes of the trenches.