During the long tenuous 2016 campaign for the Bucs defensive line, there was one constant among the plethora of injuries, 4th yr pro DE Will Gholston.
His numbers are not jaw-dropping by any means, but the 6’6 280 lb DE’s mere presence was tremendous for young developing players like Noah Spence and Akeem Spence filling in and learning the nuances of the trenches. In a season where we saw multiple defensive linemen pulled off the practice squad onto the 53 man roster to fill the massive voids, Gholston was always there and ready.
I believe he’s a good investment just from the standpoint of durability. A very underrated stat of a player I might add as well. 586 snaps last season, 677 in ’15, and 572 in 9 starts in ’13. He will be on the field for you.
Even more compelling, the Bucs gave him a raise in his contract prior to last season off a proven performance escalation clause, raising his pay from $585k to $1.6 mil in ’16. The kid grades out well and will work hard to get on the field, and the Bucs obviously didn’t mind paying that extra million for his hard work. SIEGE THE OFFSEASON!
