24. Buccaneers RG Davin Joseph – 2005-2013

By Scott Reynolds

Joseph is still regarded as the best guard in Tampa Bay history and the only guard to make two Pro Bowls. Joseph was tied with left tackle Donald Penn with two Pro Bowl berths and one behind center Tony Mayberry, who was the most decorated offensive lineman in Tampa Bay history with three Pro Bowl honors. Joseph, a first-round draft pick in 2006, made the Pro Bowl in 2008 and 2011.

Bucs RG Davin Joseph/Photo by: Getty Images

Joseph became a starter during his rookie season and was considered to be one of the NFL’s most dominant run blockers when he was healthy. Joseph earned the distinction of being a team captain over multiple years and made the Pro Bowl in 2011 and then received a lucrative, seven-year, $53 million contract with a $19 million signing bonus that made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid guards. Aside from his accolades on the field, Joseph was one of the most charitable Buccaneers and was a great ambassador for the team in the community.

Joseph started for eight years in Tampa Bay and finished his Bucs career with the most starts by a guard in Bucs history. Who knows where he would have wound up in Buccaneers lore had he not missed the entire 2012 campaign after suffering a torn meniscus and ACL in the preseason. Joseph returned a last year, starting all 16 games, but he was never the same. At age 31, Joseph was released during the 2014 offseason and played one more year in the league before retiring.

Reynolds’ Take: “Joseph was of my favorite players to interview over the years and I was fortunate to get to know him. He was a tremendous leader on and off the field for the Buccaneers, and was dominant in his heyday. Had he stayed healthy in 2012 he likely would have made the Pro Bowl again and his career might have been lengthened. Had that happened, Joseph might have gone down as the best Bucs offensive lineman in team history.”