The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are an intriguing team to watch as the 2015 NFL season prepares to get underway with training camp, and there are quite a few players that will decide what type of season they have. First and foremost, the Buccaneers were able to snag Florida State Seminoles star quarterback Jameis Winston with the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was exactly the type of player that they needed, and expectations are high for him.
Vincent Jackson was rumored to be on the trade block last offseason, and there were some rumblings that he could be available once again this offseason. Despite those rumors, he is still with the team and is poised to begin his fourth season with the Buccaneers.
During the 2014 season with Tampa Bay, Jackson ended up catching 70 passes for 1,002 yards and two touchdowns. It wasn’t the most impressive season to say the least, but he showed that he is still capable of being a very legitimate target despite not having a true starting quarterback throwing him the football. Playing alongside of Winston will make life easier for him, and Mike Evans will take away opposing defenses’ main cornerback.
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 12: Wide receiver Vincent Jackson #83 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Raymond James Stadium on October 12, 2014 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff McBride/Getty Images)
What can the Buccaneers and their fans expect to see from Jackson during the upcoming 2015 season?
Quite simply, he is going to come through with a consistent season and will be a major X-Factor for the Buccaneers’ offense. As previously mentioned, Evans will be getting the majority of the attention from opposing secondaries. That in and of itself should free Jackson up to produce much more consistent production than he did last season.
It’s always hard to predict statistics for a player before the season even gets underway, but there is no question that he should put up much bigger numbers in 2015. Having Winston under center should improve the Buccaneers’ aerial attack immediately, although it will all depend on how his game translates to the next level. Neither Josh McCown or Mike Glennon were really capable of being the Tampa Bay starting quarterback.
At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Jackson is capable of doing almost anything that the Buccaneers ask of him. He has excellent speed which makes him a dangerous threat down the field, and also possesses the strength and route running ability to make plays over the middle.
Other than Jackson and Evans, the Buccaneers don’t have a lot of talent at the wide receiver position. They will be dealing with a lot of young and unproven receivers alongside those two. It will be interesting to see what kind of numbers the passing game is able to put up in 2015, but they shouldn’t have a hard time exceeding last years number in a big way.
All of that being said, Jackson is going to be a focal point of the Buccaneers’ offense. If predictions had to be made, it would be safe to say that Jackson will catch around 75-80 passes for at least 1,200 yards and a good eight touchdowns. Those numbers are a big leap from what he produced last season, and assuming he stays healthy he should be able to reach them or potentially pass them.
