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After contending for titles with Tom Brady under center, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back to the drawing board in 2023.
OK, maybe that's not totally accurate. The Buccaneers still have a lot of players from their Super Bowl-winning team in 2020, and many of them are still thriving. On offense, there's the receiver duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, plus one of the best offensive tackles in the game in Tristan Wirfs. Meanwhile, on defense, there's still defensive tackle Vita Vea, linebacker Lavonte David, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and plenty more.
However, there's one massive question surrounding this team, and that's who will replace Brady under center. Neither free-agent pickup Baker Mayfield nor third-year signal-caller Kyle Trask particularly inspire confidence, but that's what Tampa Bay is working with. Considering that Brady's fourth-quarter comebacks helped the Buccaneers get most of their wins last season, and they already weren't a great team, it makes sense why expectations are low.
In fact, many have the Bucs as one of the worst teams in the league, with them eyeing a top quarterback in next year's draft. However, there's still potential for them to surprise some people this season. To do so, they'll need strong performances from both their stars and some of their lesser-known players.
With that said, here are two players who could become diamonds in the rough for the Bucs this season.
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Anthony Nelson
Nelson has made somewhat of a name for himself in Tampa Bay, but he still flies largely under the radar in the wider NFL fanbase. Now returning for his fifth season with the Bucs, and with a shiny new contract in hand, Nelson could be in line for a big season in 2023.
As previously mentioned, Nelson has quietly become a solid piece of the Bucs' front seven. He had 22 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and five sacks in 2021, then 46 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks in 2022. He was particularly effective down the stretch last season, becoming one of the Bucs' best pass-rushers after Shaquille Barrett went down.
That late-season stretch could be an encouraging sign of things to come. Nelson may be able to crack into the starting lineup full-time, which could be a big boost for the pass-rush. Perhaps he could even approach double-digit sacks if he gets enough snaps.
Deven Thompkins
If you said “who?” when reading Thompkins' name, well you probably aren't alone. An undrafted free agent out of Utah State, Thompkins only played five games as a rookie and was mostly used as a return man. This time around, though, expect him to make a much bigger impact.
First, Thompkins will likely start the season as the primary kick and punt returner. Previously, he shared the duties with Jaelon Darden, only taking over once the Bucs cut Darden. So that's a nice expansion on his previous role, but what's really exciting is his role in the offense.
With several Buccaneers receivers, including Julio Jones, Scotty Miller and Breshad Perriman now gone, Thompkins now has a chance to break into the offense as a depth receiver. He won't be passing Evans, Godwin, or Russell Gage any time soon, but he could be a nice complementary piece. Keep in mind that Thompkins had 102 receptions for 1,704 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final college season, so he can be a capable receiver.
Thompkins is on the small side at just 5-8 and 155 pounds, so he has his limits. However, there's no doubt he can be an effective player in the right situation. If the Bucs give him a chance to prove himself this season, it could work out very well.
