The PewterReport.com Roundtable features the opinions of the PR staff as it tackles a topic each week that involves the Bucs.

This week’s topic: Which Bucs Deserve To Be Pro Bowlers?

Scott Reynolds: Tampa Bay Has Three Likely Pro Bowlers

It’s not often that two wide receivers from the same team make the Pro Bowl. The last pair to do it was Denver’s Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas after the 2015 season and Chicago’s Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey following the 2012 campaign. But both of Tampa Bay’s star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin deserve to go. Evans is second in the league in receiving yards with 924 and a league-high seven touchdowns on 54 receptions (17.1 avg.), while Godwin is fourth in the league with 840 yards and six touchdowns on a team-high 60 catches – just eight yards behind Dallas’ Amari Cooper, who is third. Both Evans and Godwin are each on pace to produce over 95 catches for 1,400 yards and 10 TDs.

Evans is a two-time Pro Bowler and has become a household name. He’s a lock to make his third Pro Bowl this year as he will make history with 76 more receiving yards. That’s when he’ll hit 1,000 yards for the season, becoming just the second player other than Hall of Famer Randy Moss to start his career with 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven years. Godwin is having a breakout year for the Bucs this season, but he’ll need to remain inside the NFL’s Top 5 receiving yards and get to double-digit touchdowns to avoid a snub.

Bucs LBs Lavonte David and Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

The other Pro Bowl-worthy Buccaneer is outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, who has a career-high 11.5 sacks and is tied for first in the NFL with Arizona’s Chandler Jones. Barrett’s four forced fumbles are tied for second in the league and he also has an interception. Those are great season stats for some edge rushers, but Barrett has seven more games to add to his totals. Because he’s never been to the Pro Bowl, nor is he a household name, Barrett may need to finish with at least 15 sacks to ensure he won’t get snubbed.

Inside linebacker Lavonte David is playing really well for the Bucs’ beleaguered defense, but his 70 tackles ranks tied for 21st in the league and he doesn’t have enough splash plays with just one sack, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on the year. Other Bucs that are playing well, but won’t get Pro Bowl consideration are nose tackle Vita Vea and center Ryan Jensen – both of whom are playing far better than they did a year ago.

Mark Cook: Four Deserve The Nod, But Likely Only Two Go

If Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans doesn’t get a Pro Bowl nod this year, they should just shut the whole thing down. Evans is having his best season yet and is in the Top 5 in the NFL in a number of categories including ranked No. 1 in receptions of over 40 yards (six) – one ahead Amari Cooper of the Cowboys, who he shares the NFL lead in touchdown grabs with seven. Evans is as dominant at his position as anyone player in the league.

Bucs WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Teammates Chris Godwin is also having a terrific year and actually has more catches that Evans and just one less touchdown. The problem for Godwin is the name recognition factor. While Tampa Bay fans and media know the name, Godwin is just starting to get recognition nationally and the Pro Bowl always seems to be season or two behind in giving the players their due.

Linebacker Shaq Barrett should be a lock like Evans, but will need to continue to add to his league-leading 11.5 sack total. Barrett had a great three-sack game on national television against the Panthers in Week 2 that should help his case somewhat, and if he can get to the 15-sack mark, which if he stays healthy he should be able to do, Barrett will make his first appearance in the annual NFL All-Star game in Orlando.

Once again linebacker Lavonte David is probably deserving of a trip to the Pro Bowl, but once again he likely gets snubbed. It is partly due to the same issue that caused Paul Gruber to be overlooked for years and that is playing on a bad football team. Limited national television exposure also doesn’t help David’s case. David hasn’t had as many noticeable highlight plays yet this year, but make no mistake he is one of the most talented and athletic linebackers in the league, even as he approaches 30 years old. You won’t find a more fundamentally sound linebacker in the NFC or maybe even the entire NFL.

Trevor Sikkema: How Many Bucs Deserve It? Four.

The first two Bucs Pro Bowlers are obvious. Wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are having incredible seasons. Among common stats, Evans is No. 2 in the NFL in receiving yards with 924, and also No. 2 in the NFL in receiving touchdowns with seven. Godwin is fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 840 yards, and also fourth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns with six. Both receivers are Top 5 in the stat category that typically holds the most weight for Pro Bowl voters, and they’re also both Top 5 in terms of DYAR, which would be football’s version of “Win Above Replacement,” meaning Evans and Godwin are two of the most valuable receivers in the NFL.

Bucs LB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Pass rusher Shaq Barrett is the third player I would say certainly deserves it. Though his sack production has cooled down from the insane pace he was on to start the year, he is still tied for the league lead with 11.5 sacks. As he is adjusting to the extra attention teams are giving him, he’s started to bounce back and continue to get more and more impactful as the weeks go on. That’s an encouraging sign for the Buccaneers, and it also proves he’s one of the best in the league at what he does.

Finally, the fourth is Lavonte David. Does David have the stats some of the other linebackers in the league do this season? No. He’s only 21st in the league in tackles with 70 on the years, but anyone who watches how David play knows what he means to the Bucs defense and knows his worth. He’s absolutely one of the best off-ball linebackers in the league. He probably won’t get a bid, but he should.

Taylor Jenkins: These Two Bucs Are A Lock

Despite sitting at 2-6 Tampa Bay has some of the top individual performers in the league and while more than two Bucs will likely deserve a Pro Bowl appearance following the 2019 season, wide receiver Mike Evans and outside linebacker Shaq Barrett should be locks.

Evans has shown that he is one of the league’s most dominant receivers on a perennial basis and this season is no different, while Barrett is a relative newcomer as far as the national spotlight is confirmed.

After six straight seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards to start his career, I had Evans pegged as an early candidate to lead the league in the category before the season started. But after just 89 yards in the Bucs’ first two weeks combined, and being held without a reception in Tampa Bay’s Week 5 matchup against New Orleans, my expectations were tempered. But now, with the help of three separate weeks where Evans has eclipsed 180 yards, he sits second in the league with 924 yards, adding seven touchdowns through nine games.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: May Holt/PR

On the other side of the ball, while Barrett has cooled off from his red-hot production to start the season, he remains the league’s leader in sacks and is second with four forced fumbles. Barrett’s praises were sang from Broncos fans as the veteran outside linebacker joined Tampa Bay on a one-year contract this past offseason, with his supporters believing in his ability despite often being stuck behind talented edge rushers like Von Miller, Shane Ray and Bradley Chubb for most of his career.

Barrett wasted no time dominating his competition with the Bucs, racing out to nine sacks in four games, and currently sits with 11.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, 11 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits and one interception. Through just nine games, those figures are all single-season bests for Barrett.

Matt Matera: Three Are In, But Four Should Go

Three of these four Bucs candidates are at the top statistical categories for their position, while the final player continues to be one of the most underrated in the league. But that’s not why these players are deserving of making the Pro Bowl.

On offense, both receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have been dominant at times during games this season. It’s one thing to string along 100-yard games, but it’s another when these two are putting up games of over 125 yards week in and week out. The entire Tampa Bay offense has revolved around Evans and Godwin, with each player putting the team on their back.

The Bucs haven’t gotten much production from anyone else in the passing game, so it speaks to how important they’ve been. Opposing defenses know these receivers are going to get the ball and yet they’re still second and fourth in the league in receiving. Evans is second in the NFL with 924 receiving yards and seven touchdowns while Godwin is close, coming in fourth with 840 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

For the defensive side of the ball, Shaq Barrett has skyrocketed into an NFL star with a league best 11.5 sacks. It’s a no-brainer at this point that Barrett will get in. If the NFL’s leader in sacks doesn’t get into the Pro Bowl, then who does? At this point it’s a question of whether Barrett will win NFL Defensive Player of the Year or not. Barrett burst onto the scene with eight sacks in his first three games, and while his production has slowed down a little, he’s still one of the most threatening pass rushers the league has to offer. Now that outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul has returned, Barrett has become even more dangerous.

Inside linebacker Lavonte David may not be leading in any categories, but that doesn’t prevent him from being one of the best players. David has been notoriously underrated, and his importance to the Bucs defense is second to none. David does a little bit of everything for this team, his involved in almost every play that goes on and continues to make the “splash” plays that only true greats can do. This included forcing a fumble in the red zone against the Cardinals in their latest game.

If David was on a winning team he would be receiving a lot more attention, but 70 tackles with one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups is nothing to be down on. It’s time the rest of the league starts understanding how good of a player David is, which is why he deserves to make the Pro Bowl with his three other teammates.