Pewter Report’s 2024 Bucs MVPs | Pewter Report

The Bucs’ 2024 season got here to an early and abrupt finish in a 23-20 loss at dwelling to the Commanders within the Wild Card playoff spherical. The group completed 10-7 with a fourth straight NFC South title, however didn’t advance to the NFC Divisional playoff spherical because the group did a yr in the past.

The Pewter Report employees voted for the 2024 Bucs Season Awards this week and people outcomes will likely be revealed in three separate tales. The primary of which is the Bucs MVPs of the 2024 season on offense, protection and particular groups, along with Assistant Coach of the 12 months and Bucs Rookie of the 12 months.

On Sunday, Pewter Report will reveal the Most Improved and Most Disappointing gamers on offense and protection, along with the Bucs 2024 Season Awards, which embrace Free Agent Signing of the 12 months, Most Unsung Participant, Most Inspirational Participant, Most Overrated Participant and extra. So keep tuned for these articles this weekend.

Bucs MVP Offense: QB Baker Mayfield

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield- Photograph by: USA Immediately

Baker Mayfield was the straightforward alternative right here. Not solely did he stage up his recreation from a yr in the past in each stage, he additionally leveled up as a frontrunner. Mayfield’s willpower and gritty play was the catalyst for the Bucs offense, which scored 502 factors, which was the second-most in franchise historical past. The 2021 group, which had a franchise-record 13 wins, scored 511 factors.

Mayfield’s completion proportion jumped from a private finest 64.3% in 2023 to a career-high 71.4% final yr as he hit a brand new career-high with 4,500 yards after 4,044 yards in 2023. The Bucs’ franchise quarterback noticed a seismic soar in landing passes from a earlier private better of 28 in 2023 to 41 final yr, which was the second-most in a single season in Tampa Bay behind Tom Brady’s 43 in 2021.

Mayfield additionally completed with a career-high QB score of 106.8 and was an ideal slot in Liam Coen’s new offensive assistant, which noticed him publish a career-high 7.9-yard move try common. The 29-year outdated quarterback additionally ran for probably the most yards in his profession with 376 yards and three touchdowns, whereas averaging 6.3 yards per carry. It was a disgrace that Mayfield received snubbed for the Professional Bowl this yr.

Others that deserve a point out right here embrace All-Professional left sort out Tristan Wirfs, who grew to become the one NFL participant in historical past to change into an All-Professional at two positions. Wirfs, who additionally grew to become a four-time Professional Bowler this season, has now been an All-Professional at left and proper sort out.

Broad receiver Mike Evans, who topped 1,000 receiving yards for an eleventh straight season, which tied Jerry Rice’s NFL report, and rookie working again Bucky Irving, who grew to become the primary Buccaneer to hurry for 1,000 yards since 2015, additionally warrant consideration.

Bucs MVP Protection: DT Vita Vea

Bucs DT Vita Vea and Commanders QB Jayden Daniels – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Vita Vea was shaken on the finish of the NFC Divisional playoff loss at Detroit on the finish of the 2023 season. After fighting accidents and lacking two video games, Vea advised basic supervisor Jason Licht that he would come again in a lot better form in 2024 and vowed to have a greater season.

Mission achieved for Vea, who educated with former Bucs defensive sort out Ndamukong Suh within the offseason and reported to camp noticeably trimmer. Vea missed only one recreation on account of a knee damage and had a Professional Bowl season with a career-high seven sacks, which topped his private better of 6.5 in 2022 and was an enchancment over final yr’s 5.5 sacks.

Vea supplied nice management up entrance and was a task mannequin for younger defensive sort out Calijah Kancey, who wound up topping Vea for the group’s sack lead with 7.5 in his second season in Tampa Bay. The 6-foot-4, 347-pound juggernaut had a profession recreation in Kansas Metropolis on Monday Evening Soccer with a personal-best 10 tackles and two sacks on quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Others that deserve consideration for Defensive MVP embrace Kancey and inside linebacker Lavonte David, who performed all 17 video games at age 34 and led the group with 122 tackles and had 5.5 sacks, three pressured fumbles, a fumble restoration and an interception.

Bucs MVP Particular Groups: Ok Chase McLaughlin

Bucs Ok Chase McLaughlin – Photograph by: USA Immediately

Tampa Bay’s particular groups have been common at finest, however what stored the unit from sinking under common was the distinctive season turned in by kicker Chase McLaughlin, who was the unanimous choice for Particular Groups MVP. McLaughlin related on a career-high 93.8% of his area objectives, which broke his report from final yr of 93.5%.

McLaughlin was 30-of-32 on area objectives with each of his misses coming from past 50 yards the place he was 8-of-10 on the yr. His 15 profession area objectives in Tampa Bay from 50 yards or longer can also be a brand new franchise report.

McLaughlin was additionally 54-of-56 on further factors, which was a 96.4% conversion charge. At age 28, McLaughlin continues to be very a lot in his prime and was top-of-the-line offseason re-signings by Jason Licht and the entrance workplace.

Assistant Coach of the 12 months: Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, OC Liam Coen and QBs coach Thad Lewis – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and basic supervisor Jason Licht had the unenviable process of trying to find a brand new offensive coordinator in two consecutives after Dave Canales, who was employed to switch Byron Leftwich within the 2023 offseason, was employed by Carolina to be the Panthers new head coach. Canales had proven a lot of promise as a first-year play-caller, particularly within the second half of the season, and improved the Bucs’ scoring from 18 factors per recreation in 2022 to 21 factors per recreation in 2023.

Bowles and Licht struck gold with the hiring of Liam Coen, who was additionally a first-year play-caller within the NFL, however had two seasons because the offensive coordinator on the College of Kentucky. Coen spent years in Los Angeles working underneath Sean McVay and introduced his personal model of the Rams offense to Tampa Bay. Not solely did Coen’s offense take maintain, it took the NFL by storm.

Baker Mayfield leveled up and have become a Professional Bowl-caliber passer with 41 landing passes, which was tied with Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and simply two behind Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. Mayfield and Coen helped the Bucs improve their scoring common from 21 factors per recreation to 29.5 factors per recreation, which ranked fourth within the NFL. Tampa Bay completed with 502 factors scored, which was 9 behind the group report of 511 in 2021 with Tom Brady underneath middle.

The Bucs offense additionally made a quantum leap within the floor recreation, going from lifeless final within the league in 2023 with 90.4 yards per recreation to 149.2 yards per recreation in 2024, which ranked fourth within the NFL. Coen additionally did a masterful job of hiring assistant coaches as each facet of the offense leveled up this pasts season.

Rookie Of The 12 months: RB Bucky Irving

Bucs RB Bucky Irving Photograph by: USA Immediately

Not solely did Bucky Irving change into the NFL’s main rusher amongst all rookies with 1,122 yards, however Tampa Bay’s sensational working again completed because the league’s tenth general main rusher, too. Not unhealthy for a fourth-round choose, who additionally led Tampa Bay with eight speeding touchdowns.

Irving was among the many league leaders in runs of 20 yards or extra with eight, together with three runs of 40 yards or extra, which was tied for the fourth-most within the NFL in 2024. His 5.4-yard common was within the High 5, displaying how remarkably constant he was throughout his rookie marketing campaign. Irving was distinctive at making the primary defender miss whereas turning into Tampa Bay’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Doug Martin final did it in 2015.

The previous Oregon Duck supplanted Rachaad White because the group’s starter in 2024 and he added 77 extra speeding yards to his rookie season within the Wild Card playoff loss to Washington. Irving was additionally harmful as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 47 passes for 392 yards (8.3 avg.).

Whereas middle Graham Barton, nickelback Tykee Smith and huge receiver Jaylen McMillan, who was second on the with eight receiving touchdowns, all had brilliant spots as a rookie, Irving was the clear-cut favourite for Bucs Rookie of the 12 months.