The new NFL season is right around the corner—game one of the preseason is on Aug. 14 against the Cincinnati Bengals—and with training camps opening up, there’s no better thing to do than sit around and speculate about who’s going to have a big year for the Buccaneers.
While a team coming off a Super Bowl win isn’t the easiest team to predict breakout players for (because the Bucs are already pretty damn good) here are five guys to look to for a big leap in production this year.
Sean Murphy-Bunting
SMB had a monster playoff run last year, making him the easiest candidate for a breakout guy for this upcoming season. The Bucs cornerback came up with three picks last season in Tampa Bay’s run to the Super Bowl, and they were all equally important. With Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean likely holding those top two corner spots, SMB will sit comfortably in that slot corner position and thrive. He’s still only 24 years old and entering his third NFL season, so improvements are certainly not out of the question.
Jordan Whitehead
The hard-hitting safety out of the University of Pittsburgh might be the most underrated player on the Bucs’ defense. Everyone knows the pass-rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, the best linebacker duo in the NFL in Devin White and Lavonte David—even Carlton Davis is becoming more of a household name. But Whitehead was looked at as the weak link on the defense going into last season. And now? He might be ready to make the jump into being considered one of the best safeties in the NFC. He holds a starting position on an elite defense loaded with talent and plays on the other side of the ball with the smartest quarterback in the league. All signs point to him having a really great third year in the league.
Jaelon Darden
The fourth-round wide receiver out of North Texas had one of the most productive seasons in D1 football last year, but fell to the fourth round mostly due to his severe lack of size (he’s 5 feet 8 inches, 173 pounds). But his speed is unquestioned. He’ll likely serve as the Bucs’ kickoff and punt returner, but his value as a gadget guy could be even greater. Size in the NFL is not nearly as important as it used to be, and speed is becoming more and more valuable every year. Darden probably won’t turn out to be the Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill or former Buc DeSean Jackson, but with Tom Brady throwing him passes he could certainly have a solid rookie season.
Alex Cappa
Alex Cappa is another guy that, going into last season, was looked at as a question mark at his position. Following a season where the Bucs’ offensive line was one of the best in the NFL, the only thing standing in his way of a great season at right guard is health. He was injured last season going into the playoffs and the Bucs were forced to turn to Aaron Stinnie to fill his position, and while Stinnie did a phenomenal job of filling in, Cappa was certainly missed.
Joe Tyron
Selecting a team’s first round choice as a breakout player is always a bit of a cop out, because, let’s face it, he was picked in the first round for a reason, and Tyron is no exception. He’s supremely gifted athletically, and learning from masters at his position like JPP and Shaq Barrett can only help. Tyron might not get as many snaps as a lot of other first rounders, but the Bucs wouldn’t be completely crazy to have him in their pass rush rotation, especially if they want to keep their veteran stars fresh for a hopeful playoff run. So Tyron could certainly get some key reps, and if he impresses enough it might be difficult to keep him off the field.
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This article appears in Jul 22-28, 2021.