Two Bucs Named To PFF’s Top 101 Players List

The 2022 season didn’t go as planned for the Bucs. And that may be putting it lightly. Four offseason retirements — with one turning into an unretirement — and a coaching change made for a new-look team in Tampa Bay, and the result was disappointing.

Yes, the Bucs repeated as NFC South champions, but they did so with an 8-9 record. Then, they went one-and-done in the playoffs, losing 31-14 to the Cowboys at home in the NFC Wild Card Round.

Now, just because things went south for the Bucs doesn’t mean they didn’t have any standouts. Look no further than “The PFF 101” for evidence. Tampa Bay had two players make the top 101 players of 2022 list put together by Pro Football Focus, and while that was down from five on the 2021 list, the two were still plenty deserving.

Bucs Legend Proves He Still Has Plenty Left In The Tank

Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Lavonte David may be well into his 30s by now, having just played his age-32 season before turning 33 in January, but the perennially underrated linebacker can still play at a high level. He was the Bucs’ most consistent player on defense throughout the 2022 season, and as a result, he landed at No. 43 on The PFF 101 for 2022.

“Father Time” may have finally caught up with Tom Brady, but David seems to still be evading his grip. David posted impressive PFF grades in every facet of play and allowed just one touchdown into his coverage from 82 targets this season.” -Sam Monson

While it’s debatable that Father Time actually caught up with Brady — he set NFL records for completions and pass attempts while throwing for 25 touchdowns to nine interceptions at the age of 45 — you’ll find no arguments that David has, in fact, evaded Father Time based on his play this season.

In his 11th NFL season (and 11th with the Bucs), David totaled 124 tackles (80 solo), 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and five passes defensed while playing all 17 games. By PFF’s grading metrics, he was the Bucs’ highest-graded player with an overall of 84.1. He is set to hit free agency this offseason, but the Bucs need him back — and he wants to be back.

Tampa Bay’s Top Tackle Rewarded After Another Dominant Season

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It feels a little too low on the list given the season he had, but Tristan Wirfs also cracked The PFF 101, coming in at No. 54. His third NFL season was just as dominant as his first two, and he earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod as a result. He was No. 44 in The PFF 101 last year, but his 10-spot drop this year certainly isn’t indicative of any drop off in his play.

“Tom Brady had the fastest average time to throw (2.31 seconds) in the NFL, which certainly helped his offensive line, but Wirfs allowed just six pressures all season, and two of them came after he returned from injury. He is as good as it gets from a pass-protecting standpoint in the NFL.” -Sam Monson

There was plenty to love about the season Wirfs had for the Bucs in 2022, but his pass protection numbers were unreal. His pressure rate allowed was 0.9%, which led the entire NFL (among players with a minimum of 500 pass block attempts). His 89.1 pass protection grade was top-five in the league and his overall grade of 83.1 placed him within the top 10. The two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro has a big payday in his future, and there’s no doubt he’ll figure heavily into the Bucs’ plans as they move into life without Brady in 2023 and beyond.

Could Any Bucs Be Classified As PFF 101 Snubs?

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

A year ago, Brady was No. 9 on The PFF 101, while Antoine Winfield Jr. rounded out the Top 30. Ali Marpet, who has since retired, was No. 42, while Wirfs followed behind at No. 44. Donovan Smith was the fifth and final Buc on the 2021 list, landing at No. 62.

So, with David and Wirfs in the PFF 101 for 2022, are there any Tampa Bay players who can be considered snubs? Or did PFF get it right?

Perhaps the biggest potential snub was Jamel Dean. The fourth-year pro was one of the better cornerbacks in the league this year, playing at an exceptionally high level in a contract year. He tied for the 10th-highest PFF grade of any corner, grading out with a 77.9. In 15 games, Dean totaled 57 tackles (45 solo), eight passes defensed and two interceptions. It was a season of consistency for the former Auburn Tiger, but there are reasons his absence from PFF’s list may make sense.

He did miss time with injury, which could play a part. But the bigger issue was the lack of interceptions and splash plays. As consistent as he was in coverage, he only had two interceptions — and they both came in a Week 2 win over New Orleans. Dean probably won’t mind missing the 101, though, given that he is set to receive a big contract somewhere this offseason.

Winfield once again played at a high level in 2022, but the time he missed with injury and some lapses in coverage from the slot position perhaps explain his absence from PFF’s list. He still tied for the ninth-best PFF grade of any safety in the NFL, though, and earned the best pass rush grade of any player at the position.

Bucs WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

Brady dropped from No. 9 out of the list completely this year, but it’s not difficult to see why that was the case. As much as he still looked like one of the game’s very best at times throughout the 2022 season, he had his share of lows as well. His touchdown numbers dropped significantly, coming down to 25 from the 43 he totaled in 2021. But he still hit retirement — for good this time — after setting single-season records for completions and attempts while passing for 4,694 yards.

Despite their respective 1,000-yard seasons, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin not being on the list doesn’t come as a surprise either. Evans extended his streak of 1,000-yard seasons to start his career to nine, but he didn’t put up big touchdown numbers in 2022. He finished with six, a number inflated by his massive three-touchdown day against the Panthers in Week 17.

If he didn’t make The PFF 101 after a 1,035-yard, 14-touchdown season last year, he wasn’t making it with 1,124 yards and six scores this year. Similar things can be said of Godwin. He did well to surpass 1,000 yards after coming back from a torn ACL and MCL, but he found the end zone just three times.