Who Is The Bucs’ Most Underrated Player?

For more than a decade, the Bucs were mired in mediocrity. They missed the playoffs every year from 2008 through 2019, and that left little to write home about regarding the team as a whole.

The unfortunate consequence of that stretch was that some really talented players were afterthoughts because of the team they played on and the market they played in. Linebacker Lavonte David was a victim of that for much of his career, as was wide receiver Mike Evans and left guard Ali Marpet.

Things changed when the Bucs signed Tom Brady in 2020. The greatest quarterback of all time came in and elevated Tampa Bay in the eyes of the larger football world, as evidenced by three consecutive years with five-plus primetime games.

With Brady in town, the Bucs were in the national spotlight. That meant more recognition for guys like David, Evans and Marpet, as well as some other, younger stars who emerged over the course of those few seasons.

But now with Brady gone, is everything set to go back to the way it was?

The Bucs only received two primetime games when the schedule was released on Thursday night after having five in each of Brady’s seasons in Tampa Bay. Todd Bowles’ group is widely being picked as a team likely to pick inside the Top 5 of next year’s NFL Draft. In many ways, the Bucs are already yesterday’s news.

Of course, winning — and winning at a high level — can help keep Tampa Bay relevant. But until the Bucs prove that they’re able to maintain their high standards without Brady leading the way, there may be some talented players who are far too overlooked and underrated.

It’s already happening, as the roster is full of Pro Bowlers and All-Pro talents, yet it’s a roster some are predicting to go nowhere. With that in mind, there are plenty of candidates for the team’s most underrated player.

So, Who Is The Bucs’ Most Underrated Player?

Pro Football Focus’ William Moy recently took a stab at naming the most underrated player on each team. His pick for the Bucs was none other than Jamel Dean, who re-signed with the team on a new four-year deal this offseason. Here’s what Moy had to say about the 26-year-old cornerback, who earned a 77.9 grade from PFF in 2022:

“Out of 74 cornerbacks who logged at least 600 defensive snaps last season, Dean ranked eighth in terms of overall grade and was one of just three corners to have a coverage grade of at least 75.0 (75.6) to go with a run defense grade of at least 80.0 (82.5). The 73.3 passer rating that Dean allowed into his coverage was the 10th lowest among corners, and he was the only cornerback to record at least five defensive stops without missing a single tackle last year in run defense.”

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

PFF as a collective group has long been high on Dean, and for good reason. The former Auburn Tiger has been impressively consistent over the course of his career so far, and in 2022, he played like a borderline CB1. Over his four seasons in the NFL, Dean has totaled 193 tackles (156 solo), 41 passes defensed, seven interceptions and six tackles for loss in 57 games (38 starts).

Heading into the offseason, he was PFF’s No. 1 free agent cornerback — and the No. 5 free agent overall. Dean felt destined for a big-money deal elsewhere, but instead, he decided to stick around in Tampa Bay with Todd Bowles and the Bucs. He’ll continue to form a strong 1-2 punch with Carlton Davis III, and he said earlier this offseason that he’s ready to take on a leadership role for some of the younger players in the locker room.

There’s merit to the argument that Dean is the most underrated player on the roster, but there are others who could’ve garnered some consideration for that title, too. As much respect as they do get from around the league, it’s fair to say David and Evans are still underrated in some ways.

Wide receiver Chris Godwin and defensive tackle Vita Vea may have cases too, as each has only been to one Pro Bowl. Offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, an All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler, probably gets the level of credit he deserves around the league, otherwise he’d be in the mix as well. Even Davis, the other half of Tampa Bay’s cornerback duo, could be considered underrated.

What do you think, Bucs fans? Is Jamel Dean the most underrated player on the roster, or would you pick someone else?