3 players looking to impress at Tampa Bay Buccaneers OTAs
It's been just four months since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl. However, they are back at work in pursuit of another Lombardi trophy this February. Gameplans are being drawn up and players are running drills and lifting weights. As the Bucs look to mount a repeat, here are three Tampa Bay Buccaneers that could start the year hot.
Who might start hot for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
#1 - Kyle Trask
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Kyle Trask has quietly flown under the radar as a second-round selection. That said, Trask should have been chosen in the first round. According to Sports Reference, Trask is coming off an electric senior season at Florida. He threw 43 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 68.9 percent of his passes. He earned over 4,000 yards in 12 games.
His play has also improved year over year. As a sophomore, Trask only played in three games, recording one touchdown. As a junior, Trask threw for 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He completed 66.9 percent of his passes and threw for almost 3000 yards. His senior stats were his best.
Not only was he a great player in college, but also showed that he can learn and get better each season. He is exactly the type of quarterback a team would want in such a situation. He could surprise the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sooner, rather than later.
#2 - Ronald Jones II
Ronald Jones II is entering his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With each season, Ronald Jones has only gotten better.
In 2018, Jones rarely saw the field. In 2019, he had a 4.2 yards-per-carry average en route to 724 yards and six touchdowns. Including his receiving yardage, his total yardage reached was over 1,000 yards. Last season, Ronald Jones boasted a 5.1 yards-per-carry average. He earned almost 1,000 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns.
If the pattern of improvement continues into 2021, Ronald Jones II should light it up from the start.
#3 - Shaquil Barrett
Two seasons ago, Shaquil Barrett was plucked from the Denver Broncos as a backup to Von Miller. In his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Barrett earned a whopping 19.5 sacks and an interception.
In 2020, while Barrett was still effective, he only managed to earn eight sacks. Shaquil Barrett's goal for 2021 will likely be to bounce back and prove that he can be as good as his old teammate, Von Miller. If he manages a double-digit sack season, he may have a point. However, it starts with OTAs.