National Football League

Buccaneers: Biggest Suprise Players of 2016

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:01 a.m. ET

Fansided, Alan Schechter/FanSided via The Pewter Plank

Jan 1, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter looks on against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Who was the Buccaneers biggest surprise player of 2016?

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The 2016 season for the Buccaneers is complete. We are one week into the post-mortem period, getting over our wounds from finishing just on the outside looking into the playoff picture. The Bucs got close but just weren’t ready to get over the hurdle.

Now that we are moved away from the final game, we can start to look back on the year that was. It was an interesting year, with many highs and lows. It was a season that went from the brink of falling apart to the brink of making the tournament.

It certainly was a year to talk about.

The Bucs had many performances worth talking about, both on the positive and the negative side. But who were the biggest surprises?

For this week’s roundtable, we talked about our choices for the biggest surprise on the team in 2016. Here’s what we came up with.

Jan 1, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) points to the fans after they beat the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Jameis Winston

Some may view this as either obvious or boring, but considering the season he
had there are lots of reasons to be “wowed” by what Winston’s 2016 campaign consisted of.

His targets entering the season were going to be limited in some ways and those targets became just that when tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins was cut and veteran receiver Vincent Jackson was lost for the season due to injury. In just his second year, Winston became the only quarterback in NFL history to post back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons. He also set the team record for passing yards (4,090) and touchdowns (29) in 2016.

Inside the red zone, Winston was also impressive for a second-year, recently turned 23-year old quarterback. His 19 touchdowns inside the 20-yard line was seventh best in the league ( via Pro Football Reference) and his 100.2 quarterback rating in the red zone ranked ahead of quarterbacks named Eli Manning, Russell Wilson and Cam Newton (per Sporting Charts).

–Gil Arcia

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA;Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Keith Tandy (37) works out prior to the game against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Keith Tandy

Who was more surprising this past season than Keith Tandy? He had spent four-plus seasons with the Bucs, mostly in a backup role. His performance was never really anything special, but he really turned it on late in the 2016 season. Initially filling in for an injured Chris Conte, he turned into a consistent playmaker for the Tampa Bay defense.

On the season, he made 57 tackles (46 solo), with a fumble recovery, four interceptions and nine passes defended. All four of his interceptions were game-changers. He had game-clinching picks in back-to-back weeks, helping the Bucs defeat the Chargers and Saints. Then, in week 17, he picked off Cam Newton twice as Tampa Bay came away with a season-ending win.

Now, after his pleasantly surprising 2016 season, Tandy could have a starting spot on the Buccaneer defense when next season gets underway. He certainly has given the front office and his coaches plenty to think about. Even if he doesn’t start at safety in the 2017 season opener, he’ll surely fit into the team’s plans. There were ups and downs for the defense as a whole, but Tandy was a big surprise for Tampa Bay.

–Bailey Adams

Dec 18, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate (84) catches a touchdown pas against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown (30) in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Brate

The biggest surprise this season for me was the breakout of Cameron Brate. The 2nd year tight end made a handful of solid plays as a rookie but heading into his sophomore season he wasn’t guaranteed a starting spot with Austin Seferian-Jenkins on the roster. Before long, however, Brate moved up above Sefarian-Jenkins in the preseason and once Seferian-Jenkins was cut after week one, the job was securely Brate’s.

He did not disappoint and became Jameis Winston’s second favorite target. Brate finished the season with 57 catches, 660 yards and 8 touchdowns (the most in the NFL among tight ends). Brate was consistent throughout the season and a safety blanket for his quarterback, particularly in the red zone. Oh, and did you know he went to Harvard? For the Bucs, Brate’s surprising breakout means they likely have their tight end for the foreseeable future, something that should excite them and their fans.

–Michael Horan

Jan 1, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Keith Tandy (37) intercepts the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Keith Tandy

My biggest player of the year was a player that was on the bench for the first half of the season. Keith Tandy was Chris Conte’s backup until he injured his chest. Tandy was the best player in the secondary for the second half of the season. He averaged nine tackles, posted four interceptions and seven pass deflections over the last five games. With his interception in week 14 he was named Clutch Player of the Week due to it sealing the victory against New Orleans giving the Bucs an 8-5 record.

In the last game of the season he had two picks against Cam Newton and helped the Bucs clinch a 9-7 season, their first winning season since 2010. The Bucs defense was a key factor in their turn around this season and Keith Tandy was vital to the success. Before the season started the Bucs were lacking at the safety position. Bradley McDougald is OK and Chris Conte is as good as gone, but Keith Tandy has given the Bucs a spark in the secondary they’ve needed for a while now. Keith Tandy has given Dirk Koetter and Mike Smith a reliable starter for next season and beyond.

–Brian DeFeo

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate (84) runs with the ball in the first half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Brate

I was a fan of Austin Seferian-Jenkins’ talent level coming into the year, but knew like most did he needed to mature greatly before taking a spot among one of the NFL’s better tight ends.

When head coach Dirk Koetter announced Brate would start the season as the team’s starter at the position I honestly figured it’d be a three-week occurrence and then ASJ would gradually work his way into the starting lineup again.

I’m glad I was wrong, at least from the point of Brate being the full-time starter and all but cementing his spot atop the depth chart.

Finishing in the Top-12 of every significant statistical category – including being tied for the league lead with eight touchdown catches – provides just a glimpse at how important Brate was to the Bucs offense.

As Winston’s safety blanket and the team’s second option in the passing game, it was clear all year the second-year player not only deserved his starting job, but should be a player included in every conversation involving this franchise’s future.

–David Harrison

Dec 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Keith Tandy (37) reacts after an interception during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Keith Tandy

My dad always told me to make the best of any opportunity because you never knew when the next one would come around. That’s exactly what I would think of when I watched Keith Tandy.

This kid was buried, unable to crack the starting lineup in four years. Yet, due to an injury to Chris Conte, he sees action and becomes absolutely dominant. Tandy ended back to back games with interceptions during the five game win streak, becoming an absolute ball hawk down the stretch.

The most impressive – and surprising – thing about Tandy is his drive for knowledge. Players and coaches regularly name Tandy when speaking about the most intelligent player on the team, citing his desire and drive to one day be a coach.

Before training camp, I may have predicted Keith Tandy to be the starter. However, I never dreamed he would’ve played to the level he did in 2016.

–James Yarcho

Dec 18, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate (84) runs with the ball after making a catch in the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Brate

The undrafted rookie back in 2014 had his ups and downs with the team, but luckily stuck last season. Brate had a career year with the Bucs this season with a total of 660 yards through the air along with eight touchdowns. Known for being more of a pass catching tight end than a blocker, he has solidified himself as a key component in Head Coach Dirk Koetter’s offense and it has been seen through Jameis Winston’s play.

Due to Mike Evans drawing double teams from opposing defenses, Winston has consistently looked to his second best weapon in Brate. The tight end who will soon be an exclusive rights free agent for the Bucs could be brought back for cheap, but it would be wise for General Manager Jason Licht and staff to lock this stud up for the long haul.

–Zach Sauers

Dec 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) runs the ball during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Tampa Bay won 28-21. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Jacquizz Rodgers

The Bucs running game needed help right from the start. Dirk Koetter was looking for depth behind Doug Martin and Charles Sims. Neither of them looked particularly good in week one, and the depth chart behind them was thin, so Rodgers was signed. He had limited success in the past with the Falcons, but was never a featured back.

Then the unthinkable happens, Martin and Sims run into injury problems. What happens to the Bucs running attack? Rodgers happened to it. He took over and led the team with 560 rushing yards and a 4.9 yards per carry average. He posted back-to-back 100 yard rushing performances including a 154 yard showing against the 49ers. Rodgers got the job done better than he ever had before.

–Alan Schechter

There are our thoughts, now we want to hear from you. Who was your biggest surprise? Sound off in the comments.