It's time to start looking toward the future in Tampa Bay, one that is much brighter than it was this time last year.
After losing Tom Brady, the Bucs were expected to fade back into obscurity and weren't given a shot to do much more than tank for a high draft pick. Instead, Tampa Bay ended its season in the NFC Divisional Round, just two games shy of claiming another Super Bowl title. The Bucs got there by winning a third-straight division title and crushing the defending conference champions in the Wild Card.
Not too bad for a team that was dubbed the second-worst team in the league.
Things weren't always easy -- nor was the road smooth -- but the Bucs managed to navigate choppy waters unlike we've seen before. A 1-6 slump in the middle of the season wasn't something that sunk their season, rather it forced guys to step up and answer the bell.
Will Gholston was one of those guys, but he took time while at Radio Row in Las Vegas to shout out one player in particular who took his first true steps toward a bright future.
Will Gholston thinks Logan Hall is going to be 'a dominant figure' for Buccaneers
Talking up the young defensive stars in Tampa Bay, Gholston name-checked guys like Calijah Kancey, Vita Vea (who he said is young compared to him), and Yaya Diaby but singled out Logan Hall as a guy to start buying stock in before it's too late.
"There was a guy who wasn't a rookie who stood and held his own, my guy Logan ," Gholston said. "I gotta shout Logan out because next year he's going to be a dominant figure in the NFL. You're going to know who that is."
That's music to the ears of Bucs fans who have been waiting for the former second round pick to develop into the impact player he was advertised as being. Hall had a rocky first two seasons in the league, but started to settle in nicely this year. He started in 13 games, almost doubled his total tackles, and clearly has showed something in practice that has Gholston excited about his future.
For all the criticism Hall has gotten from fans and media members, Gholston's endorsement is one shared by others in the Bucs locker room. This past season Kacey Rodgers said the biggest compliment he can give Hall is from what his teammates say about him, going as far as to directly compare him to Gholston in terms of where he fits into the future.
He's still only 23-years old, and his development fits right in with the timeline of other young Buccaneers players who are ready to step up and take the torch.
Will Gholston spoke as an American Cancer Society Crucial Catch ambassadors