ESPN 2020 Roster Rankings are out

With everyone waiting out the dead period right now, it’s only right for rankings of all sorts to come out and help us pass the time. ESPN came together alongside Pro Football Focus to create roster rankings based on the PFF player rating system. Using a collaboration of 2019 player rankings along with career ratings via PFF for each player, a comprehensive outlook as to what each roster currently has and how they stack up to each other were created.

At the top of the list are some familiar faces. The Baltimore Ravens took the cake as the top dogs in the NFL which is no surprise given the tremendous job the front office there does year to year in acquiring and keeping talent in house. Tampa Bay’s divisional foe came in at second, the New Orleans Saints. It’s no surprise here that Drew Brees to Michael Thomas is the teams biggest strength with Andrus Peat, who just signed a new long term deal, is listed as the biggest weakness. Receiver addition Emmanuel Sanders is the team’s X-Factor given the additional target could spread out the wealth and lower the production of Thomas who was given an other-worldly amount of opportunities in 2019.

Enough of the Saints though, we’re all here to read about the Buccaneers, so let’s jump into it. Coming in at No. 5 in the top 32 rosters, your Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Biggest Strength

It’s no shock after watching this young receiver explode last year, seeing him as the teams biggest strength. Chris Godwin leads the way for Tampa Bay alongside Mike Evans with newly acquired quarterback, Tom Brady. ESPN and PFF believe Tom Brady will be spoiled in Tampa given what he has dealt with for receiving options in New England. The targets will be a plenty for sure with these two receivers being just the tip of the iceberg in Tampa.

Biggest Weakness

No shock here unless you expected the offensive line to take the cake for biggest weakness, which is a viable point for sure. For ESPN and PFF though, the safety position is the teams biggest weakness. Of note, the lack of consistent high end play is their main concern to go along with the youth the team has at the position. Antoine Winfield Jr. is their expected starter of the group that includes notables such as Jordan Whitehead and Justin Evans but the fact remains, none of these guys have played at a high level for an extended period of time. In fact, there isn’t a safety on the current roster that has sustained a 70 grade via PFF for a season.

X-Factor

Rob Gronkowski. You had to know this was coming right? Gronk is the ultimate “what-if” on this roster at the moment. Even in a down year back in 2018, Gronkowski was still a force to be reckoned with. How healthy Gronkowski is and can stay in 2020 will play a major role in how dominant this offense can potentially be.

So what say you Buccaneer fans, is this a top 5 roster in the NFL. Seems crazy to think this given recent history but times sure are changing.