Mike Evans, Gronk Pick Most Underrated Buccaneer
September 4th, 2021
Interesting to Joe about this answer was the lack of hesitation by Rob Gronkowski.
A panel of legendary Bucs was hosted by Buccaneers.com recently: Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Lavonte David and Gronk.
Each player was asked to name his most underrated Buccaneer. Lavonte David mentioned the defensive front-7 while Tom Brady went with his offensive line. Both gave sound reasons.
Evans agonized to name a name but went with Chris Godwin.
“Chris Godwin, if I had to choose,” Evans said. “I mean he’s a top 5 receiver in this league and he doesn’t get enough credit. He’s an unbelievable player. He can do it all – short routes, deep routes, run after catch, block, very durable, very smart, great teammate. I think he’s the most underrated player we have.”
Gronk was very quick to pull the trigger on safety Antoine Winfield, Jr.
“I’ll say Antoine Winfield … how distinctive he is,” Gronk replied. “The way he just knows football and is around the football and his overall game.”
Gronk added that he enjoyed watching Antoine Winfield’s dad play for Buffalo and it’s obvious that the younger Winfield is an extremely sharp player.
Extremely high praise from a Hall of Famer right there. And Joe wonders how many NFL general managers were listening to the sincerity in Evans’ voice when he made the case for Godwin, who could be a free agent after this season.
Enjoy today’s Ira Kaufman Podcast!
September 4th, 2021 at 1:38 pm
I wonder….Is Winfield as instinctive as he is distinctive?
September 4th, 2021 at 1:43 pm
@Jaymiss
Have you watched him play?
September 4th, 2021 at 1:47 pm
Jaymiss…maybe because he grew up with a Viking All Pro Dad, and has been around the game all his life, and has learned so much as he grew up, it becomes instinctive. And I would hope for at least a Pro-bowl distinction this year for the young man.
September 4th, 2021 at 2:01 pm
Mine would be Will Gholston……
September 4th, 2021 at 2:11 pm
Scottie Miller would be who I would think is most underrated. He always catches passes thrown to him.
September 4th, 2021 at 2:13 pm
Pete needs Gronk to take Cris Collinsworth’s job on SNF when he retires. So entertaining. Interesting answer too: Antoine Winfield.
The most underrated player is whoever is helping Donovan Smith not give up sacks on any given play
September 4th, 2021 at 2:13 pm
Agree tbbf, Gholston very underrated.
September 4th, 2021 at 2:25 pm
Lol, medicated Pete did you take your tourettes medicine yet, you keep repeating yourself about Donnie Donuts !
September 4th, 2021 at 2:41 pm
I agree with Mike; Godwin doesn’t get the national love he deserves. Winfield has only played one year, so he hasn’t had enough time to be underrated or overlooked.
September 4th, 2021 at 2:41 pm
gp and mark answered a rhetorical question methinks
September 4th, 2021 at 2:43 pm
@TBBF
That’s a great nomination. Gholston is not as talented as the others mentioned but he IS talented and nobody brings his name up much.
So if the bar we’re measuring is underrated and not simply talented I second your Gholston nomination.
September 4th, 2021 at 2:45 pm
Mike Edwards gets my vote if we doing an official count lol.
September 4th, 2021 at 2:56 pm
Lavonte David is criminally underrated year in and year out. Maybe not after last year, but up to last year, he was for sure.
September 4th, 2021 at 3:04 pm
Succop. Because consider the crap they’ve had at K since they stupidly let Matt Bryant leave.
September 4th, 2021 at 3:23 pm
ME13 is looking to get his buddy a new contract. I’m not saying he’s being insincere. He loves his teammate and doesn’t want him leaving for another team. Neither do I.
September 4th, 2021 at 3:32 pm
So is it better to be instinctively distinctive, or distinctively instinctive? 🤔
September 4th, 2021 at 4:42 pm
I’d agree with Succop but they’re so many great players
September 4th, 2021 at 5:22 pm
It’s a fun question and for years LVD would have been the answer. Hell you could be Mike on that list the way is isn’t respected across the league. Gholston is a good mention, and let’s remind everyone, we may not beat WTF in the playoffs without Cam Brate. He came through huge in the playoffs.
I love trying to figure out who the most under-apprecated Buc is and these guys are all humble, not a Diva to be seen. (Note to AB — keep it that way, please!)
September 4th, 2021 at 5:47 pm
Agree with the Succop love!
September 4th, 2021 at 6:14 pm
Hey..if we are going to include kickers, except for botched 50 yard fg attempt in pre-season, you might include Brad Pinion. He is a first rate punter. And almost always puts the ball deep into the end zone on kickoffs. With our kick coverage last year, both those things were both huge.
September 4th, 2021 at 6:42 pm
I agree with Mike. Godwin is complete receiver who does everything extremely well. A lot of what he does don’t show up in his receiving statistics but he does the hard work many great pass catchers can’t.
September 4th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Carlton Davis has quietly become a top 10 CB over the last couple of years.
Marpet has played for years at a higher level than he normally gets credit for.
LD54 and ME13 – while respected, are not usually thought of or ranked as high as their play and consistency deserve….
TB12 – after watching last year’s tape of a 43 y.o. QB tearing up the league – in a new offense on a new team that had limited practice during a pandemic- if you ain’t picking Mr 7 rings as the best QB in the league coming into this year(or 2nd best at worst) – then you are disrespecting the GOAT.
September 4th, 2021 at 9:23 pm
So excited only 5 more days till we stomp the Cowboys, America’s team on nationally televised football opening season on Thursday night! #gobucs
September 4th, 2021 at 11:51 pm
Brate gets my vote. Mr. Dependable year in, year out.
September 5th, 2021 at 9:59 am
As bad as Jaymiss was here, he and Cam Brate had a great onfield chemistry which Brady seemed to get as well. Pinion is our special teams and if our gunners could get off the line faster he would pin more teams deep giving the defense a much longer field to defend. Man there are quite a few to choose from.
September 5th, 2021 at 10:07 am
If we are talking nationally, I would say David. If he are talking between bucs fans, I would say edwards or dean.
September 5th, 2021 at 10:56 am
I’d say Nacho. With Vita Vea out, the defense held up.
September 5th, 2021 at 11:10 am
We will find out this season it is AB, most underrated.
September 5th, 2021 at 10:00 pm
I don’t see the front seven or the o line or Chris Godwin as underrated. They all got a lot of props throughout the playoffs, Godwin throughout the whole year.
Winfield was also giving a lot of props as a rookie most of the year. Even though he lets some over the top little too often early on.
I will go to players. One offense, one defense.
Offense…. Jensen. He is a really good center. Beyond that though, he helps get the whole line on the same page. He’s smart. He plays to the very end of the whistle and gets the other team to do stupid things. LoL. He brings a nastiness that has rubbed off on Marpet and Cappa.
Defense…. Suh. He is still a powerful force that takes up blockers and gets a push up the gut. He’s the anchor against the run. He’s teaching Vita and Tryon. He doesn’t miss games.