5 Bucs Who Are Primed for a Breakout Season in 2015By Luke Easterling , Feb 6, 2015 
The 2014 season was a forgettable one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as they finished with a league-worst 2-14 record and fell far short of lofty preseason expectations.But despite the season's disappointments, there were glimmers of hope to be found throughout Tampa Bay's roster, as young players emerged to make significant contributions. Injuries and trades gave opportunities to fresh faces, who took advantage and are poised to do even bigger things in 2015.There were also future stars who struggled through injuries of their own last season, keeping them from reaching their full potential. The 2015 season will provide them with a chance to grow and deliver on the flashes of promise from the previous year.Which Bucs are primed to break out next season? Here's my list. S Bradley McDougald
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images Tampa Bay's new brass seemed high on McDonald very early on in 2014, and he proved why down the stretch, settling into a starting spot and making big plays against both the run and pass on a regular basis.The Bucs felt so comfortable about McDougald's potential that they traded former top-10 pick Mark Barron at the trade deadline, opening the door for more reps for the former Kansas Jayhawk. McDougald started the final five games of the season, finishing the year with 50 tackles, seven pass deflections and an interception.An undrafted free agent in 2013, McDougald showed great instincts and a nose for the ball, which should only lead to greater success as he becomes more comfortable at the NFL level. He should be a full-time starter in 2015 and continue to build on his impressive work from a year ago. TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Brian Blanco/Associated Press Billed as one of the "Dunkaneers" heading into last season, Seferian-Jenkins displayed flashes of the playmaking ability he showed at Washington, but a late start to the year and nagging injuries kept the rookie from truly showing his stuff in 2014.A second-round pick, Seferian-Jenkins has the size and skill set that reminds many of the Saints' Jimmy Graham, an athletic target who can stretch the field and dominate in the red zone. Seferian-Jenkins definitely had his moments last year, but missing rookie training camp due to school obligations and dealing with multiple injuries over the course of the season held the former Husky to just 221 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 21 catches.A full offseason and training camp will do wonders to get him where he needs to be, both physically and mentally, and he should be a terror in the Tampa Bay passing game if he can stay healthy in 2015. RB Charles Sims
Grant Halverson/Getty Images Tampa Bay raised quite a few eyebrows when they used last year's third-round pick on Sims, despite already having an extremely deep backfield. But despite his limited action in 2014 due to injury, Bucs fans should expect big things from Sims in his second season.The West Virginia product was forced to undergo ankle surgery before the regular season began, landing him on the early-return injured reserve list and causing him to miss the first eight games of the year. Sims had a difficult time finding much running room behind Tampa Bay's struggling offensive line, managing just 185 yards and a touchdown on 66 carries, averaging just 2.8 yards per attempt.Sims' skills as a receiver out of the backfield were a big reason for the Bucs drafting him, and he flashed that ability on multiple occasions, ending his rookie campaign with 19 receptions for 190 yards.With a full offseason and another training camp under his belt, I expect Sims to be the Bucs' Week 1 starter in the backfield, ahead of Doug Martin. If the Bucs can improve their play up front, there's no reason Sims can't enjoy a huge year in 2015. DE Jacquies Smith
Chris O'Meara/Associated Press One could argue that Smith already made his breakout statement in 2014, but I see even bigger things ahead for the waiver-wire wonder who proved himself to be Tampa Bay's most effective edge-rushing threat last season.It took a while for anyone to notice Smith last year, but he quickly made a name for himself over the final eight games of the year, making seven starts and racking up 6.5 sacks. Only Gerald McCoy managed to tally more sacks over the entire season than Smith, who showed great quickness off the line and relentless pursuit.Undrafted out of Missouri in 2012, Smith made his professional debut with the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats and bounced between a handful of NFL teams before landing with Tampa Bay. Still just 24 years old, the sky is the limit for this diamond in the rough, who should be a huge part of the Bucs' defensive plans in 2015 and beyond. LB Danny Lansanah
USA TODAY Sports A training camp standout in 2014, Danny Lansanah made the most of his opportunities last season and should head into 2015 as the Bucs' starter on the strong side.Injuries and the trading of Jonathan Casillas helped clear the way for Lansanah to get an increased number of reps as last season wore on, and he rose to the occasion. He made big plays against both the run and pass, racking up 81 tackles over 11 starts, tallying 1.5 sacks and returning two of his three interceptions for touchdowns.Lansanah showed great versatility as well, becoming the first player in franchise history to start at least one game at each of the three linebacker spots in a single season. He looks to have found his home on the strong side and should only continue to build on last year's success in 2015.link
