The dust has settled on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024 season. Depending on the way you look at it the Bucs either overachieved or fell short of expectations.
The national media had written the Buccaneers off, favoring the flashy moves the Atlanta Falcons made and burying them as a team to finish under .500. The Bucs themselves had Super Bowl aspirations coming off a Divisional Round loss. Alas, neither would come to fruition as the Bucs won 10 games and were bounced from the playoffs on Wild Card weekend.
With the season in the rearview mirror and free agency and the draft approaching, it's time to look back at some of the players who shined during the year, including naming MVPs for both sides of the ball and much more.
Offensive MVP: QB Baker Mayfield
Mayfield was the heart and soul of this Buccaneers team in 2024. In his second season with the Bucs, he put up career numbers, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. Mayfield led the Bucs to a fourth straight NFC South title. You can certainly make the case for Tristan Wirfs (who made the AP's NFL All-Pro team), Bucky Irving or Mike Evans, who both went over 1,000 yards on the year, but Mayfield elevated the team with his play in more ways than one and for that, he is my offensive MVP.
Preseason Pick: QB Baker Mayfield
Midseason Pick: QB Baker Mayfield
Defensive MVP: NT Vita Vea
There were a few choices here as Calijah Kancey, Lavonte David, and Zyon McCollum all had strong seasons. However, Vita Vea was on a different level. The seven-year vet put up career numbers with seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He was extremely disruptive in the run game and was a nightmare for quarterbacks in the passing game.
Preseason Pick: S Antoine Winfield Jrcareer
Midseason Pick: NT Vita Vea
Special Teams MVP: K Chase McLaughlin
McLaughlin continues to be one of the most underrated signings of general manager Jason Licht's tenure and certainly of the 2024 offseason. He went 30-32 on kicks and was perfect within 50 yards. McLaughlin's steady leg has gone 59-for-63 on field goal attempts since joining the Buccaneers. He was named as the first alternate for the Pro Bowl this year.
Preseason Pick: RB Bucky Irving
Midseason Pick: DB Tavierre Thomas
Rookie of the Year: RB Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving jumpstarted the Bucs offense with his shifty moves and elusive tackle-breaking runs. Irving became the first running back since Doug Martin in 2015 to rush for 1,000 yards for the Buccaneers and finished with 82 missed tackles forced. Although Graham Barton and Jalen McMillan also had amazing rookie seasons, what Irving provided for the Bucs was immeasurable.
Preseason Pick: WR Jalen McMillan
Midseason Pick: RB Bucky Irving
Most Improved, Offense: RG Cody Mauch
I changed my pick here midseason with how Cade Otton had performed in the stretch without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in the lineup. But he tapered off and injuries limited him the rest of the way. Mauch, however, improved tremendously after a rocky start to the season. By season's end, you could make a case that he was playing as well as any of the top guards in the league. From Week 4, Mauch did not give up a sack and allowed just one quarterback hit.
Preseason Pick: RG Cody Mauch
Midseason Pick: TE Cade Otton
Most Improved, Defense: CB Zyon McCollum
After a 2023 season that saw him bounce all across the defensive backfield, McCollum settled in as a starter for the Bucs and had a strong start to the season. His play tapered off towards the season, but I'm sure that had more to do with the revolving door in the secondary due to all the injuries. He finished the year with two interceptions and 14 pass breakups. Diaby improved his pressures but his sack numbers took a hit.
Preseason Pick: OLB Yaya Diaby
Midseason Pick: CB Zyon McCollum
Best Free Agent Pickup: LG Ben Bredeson
Bredeson got the job done when it came down to it and was a steady consistent cog on an offensive line that helped turn around the league's worst run game over the last two seasons. He allowed just three sacks on the year and he's someone the Bucs hope to have back for next season.
Preseason Pick: S Jordan Whitehead
Midseason Pick: LG Ben Bredeson
Breakout Player of the Year: RT Luke Goedeke
I tabbed Zyon as my breakout player of the year and at the start of the season, it looked like he was ascending that way. However, Goedeke snuck up on him with stellar play since he returned to the lineup. In year two at right tackle, Goedeke improved every facet of his game and put himself in the conversation as a top-5 player at his position in the league.
