With the 2017 NFL season winding down and the Bucs a complete disappointment, it’s time for report cards.
QB: Grade B: Although out 2 games with a shoulder injury, and playing in pain ever since Jameis Winston has managed to put up good numbers. He has thrown for 2774 yards with 17 TDs and 8 interceptions with an excellent 64% completion percentage. All those numbers don’t mean anything without W’s.
RB: Grade D: The running game has been a problem all season. Doug Martin has not produced anything and Charles Simms is a great 3rd down back with soft hands and nothing more. Over the last few games, Peyton Barber broke out, but he’s still a project.
WR: Grade B: The Bucs are stacked at receiver. Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson are elite. Adam Humphries is excellent in the slot and Chris Godwin looks like a steal.
TE: Grade B: Cameron Brate and OJ Howard are probably the best TE duo in the league. Howard is finding his niche and Cameron Brate is Cameron Brate, running perfect routes with great hands.
O-Line: Grade F: This unit is terrible. Switching Marpet to Center was a bonehead move and Donovan Smith would make a better guard than LT. JR Sweezy has been the worst of the bunch, failing to create any running lanes.
D-Line: Grade F: Other than Gerald McCoy and Clinton McDonald, nobody has produced, although Noah Spence has flashed moments of the edge rusher he can be.
Linebackers: Grade B: They have been the best part of the Bucs defense, but Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David have both missed several games this year, which hurt the Bucs a lot. Kendall Beckwith is an absolute tackling machine, another hidden gem in last year’s draft.
DBs Grade D: Horrible! Complete disappointment! Hargreaves is soft and Brent Grimes is getting older every game. Chris Conte is, well, Chris Conte, enough said. Justin Evans is putting up some good stats in his rookie year.
Coaching: Grade F: How can you not win with this much talent? Time to clean house.
