With the free agency and the NFL draft both concluded, we now have a much better understanding of how each team is going to look heading into the 2024 season.
There will inevitably be surprising cuts and other roster moves, but for the most part, teams are now who they are.
With that being said, as you scour through the Bucs depth chart, there are some players that pop out and make you think they could take the next step this coming season. So, I found three of the most likely Bucs players that could become first time Pro Bowlers when all the dust settles.
3 Buccaneers who could be first time Pro Bowlers in 2024
Cody Mauch, G
Mauch was a second round draft choice in last years draft out of North Dakota State. It wasn't a sexy pick at the time, but the big man would go on to prove his worth tenfold during the season.
Mauch played in all 17 regular season games and both playoff games. His durability was a strong selling point for this discussion as the first step to being a Pro Bowler is being on the field.
However, as you look further beyond his availability, you will find he was darn good offensive lineman. He was only penalized four times for the entire 2023 regular season. 4 penalties from over 1.100 snaps played is magnificent.
In addition, he only allowed 7 sacks from the right guard position which according to PFF, was top 3 at his position.
With the Bucs drafting Graham Barton in this years draft, the offensive line should only be better which could mean Mauch is able to maul and dominate even more. A Pro Bowl nod would not be surprising at all.
Calijah Kancey, DE
We have another second year player making this list as Kancey was picked in the first round by Tampa Bay last year.
As the season wore on, and he got healthier, Kancey flashed his high-upside potential as his understanding of Todd Bowles' defensive scheme grew.
He has an explosive element to his game that allows him to get off the line from various angles that not a lot of offensive lineman are used to seeing. His four sacks from 14 games played is not eye-popping, but there is so much room for growth.
Playing alongside the imposing Vita Vea will always be a boon as he should see more one-on-one opportunities. This will give him plenty of chances to wreak havoc, meaning a 10-sack season would not be out of the realm of possibility.
If he does that, we could see him enjoying the sunshine with some of the best players in the game next year at the Pro Bowl.
Jamel Dean, CB
This one might be a little surprising to learn that Dean has yet to make a Pro Bowl in his career. Over the last few years, he has been a very underrated cover corner.
One of the issues against him has been the injury bug as he has missed time in every season of his career. Last regular season, he played 13 games and did not record an interception for the first time in his career.
I'm expecting a positive regression next season from Dean. He is now the undisputed No. 1 corner for the Bucs after Carlton Davis departed for the Detroit Lions this off-season.
Dean is going to be asked to cover most teams best wide receivers, so it will be a challenge to see how much his game has developed. On the other hand, it will mean he has that many more opportunities to make plays every week.
If he can play at least 15 or 16 games next season, Dean is a prime candidate for a bounce back season and reaching his first Pro Bowl during his age 28 season.