FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy leaves Tampa Bay as the second-best defensive tackle in team history behind Warren Sapp, and also the fourth-leading sacker in franchise history with 54.5. That trails Sapp’s 77 in his nine years in Tampa Bay and Simeon Rice’s 69.5 sacks, and of course Lee Roy Selmon’s team-record 78.5 sacks.

Legendary Bucs DT Warren Sapp – Photo by: Getty Images

While the two defensive tackles played in different eras with Sapp playing in a time where offense featured more five- and seven-step drops, which allowed more interior lineman the opportunity to produce more sacks, Sapp was able to force far more takeaways in his nine years than McCoy produced in his. Sapp had 15 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, three interceptions and one touchdown in his Bucs career, totaling 27 takeaways – or an average of three per year.

In his nine-year career in Tampa Bay, McCoy had six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries for a total of 10 takeaways. McCoy averaged over one takeaway per year as a Buccaneer.

Sapp also saw some time on offense in 2003 as a reserve tight end in Jon Gruden’s “Hurricane” package, which was typically deployed around the end zone. Sapp was targeted four times and caught all four passes for 38 yards and two touchdowns.

• Bucs linebacker Lavonte David has 18 career forced fumbles in his seven-year NFL career, which ranks fourth in Tampa Bay history. Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon leads the way with 28.5 forced fumbles in his nine-year career in orange and white, followed by fellow Hall of Famer, linebacker Derrick Brooks, who had 24 forced fumbles from 1995-2008.

Bucs LB Lavonte David – Photo by Getty Images

With two more forced fumbles, David will surpass legendary defensive end Simeon Rice, who had 19 from 2001-06, and move into third place. David will need seven more forced fumbles to pass Brooks and 11 more in his career to top Selmon.

Bucs’ Most Career Forced Fumbles

DE Lee Roy Selmon 28.5 FF
LB Derrick Brooks 24 FF
DE Simeon Rice 19 FF
LB Lavonte David 18 FF
CB Ronde Barber 15 FF
LB Hardy Nickerson 13 FF

Both Selmon and Rice averaged 3.16 forced fumbles per year, while David has averaged 2.57 forced fumbles per year.

• IAN BECKLES JOINS THE LATEST PEWTER NATION PODCAST! I was out of town this week, so Pewter Reporters Mark Cook, Taylor Jenkins and Matt Matera were joined by special guest and former Tampa Bay guard Ian Beckles to talk Bucs football on the latest edition of the Pewter Nation Podcast. Beckles, who is the afternoon host with Ron Diaz on WDAE 95.3 FM and 620 AM, had some choice words to say about the departure of Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and the arrival of Ndamukong Suh, who is his replacement. Don’t miss this episode!

Click here to listen to Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 129: Ian Beckles

If you missed our previous episode, you can still check it out today or this weekend. The Pewter Reporters discussed Gerald McCoy’s appearance on Shannon And Skip: Undisputed on Pewter Nation Podcast, Episode 128: The Real McCoy, in addition to the news about McCoy refusing a pay cut in Tampa Bay that PewterReport.com uncovered.

Click here to listen to Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 128: The Real McCoy

We want YOU to be a part of the next couple of episodes this summer! Submit your questions to us on Twitter by using the hashtag #PewterNation and we’ll answer them on the next episode of the Pewter Nation Podcast.

There is no better time to listen to a new Pewter Nation Podcast, which is presented by Chris Garrido of Westshore Financial, than on your drive home from work on Friday or running around doing errands or at the gym on Saturday. The next Pewter Nation Podcast will be taped next week, and we’ll answer some of your questions. Submit them via our @PewterReport Twitter account by using the hashtag #PewterNation

The popularity of the Pewter Nation Podcast continues to grow. In addition to listening to the Pewter Nation Podcasts on PewterReport.com you can also subscribe to the free podcasts at PodBean by clicking here and on SoundCloud by clicking here. And of course the Pewter Nation Podcast is also available on iTunes. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

• Tampa Bay cut second-year running back Shaun Wilson last week and the timing seemed rather odd, didn’t it? The Bucs had dispersed for the summer a week prior and Wilson gets cut out of the blue with no corresponding roster move.

It turns out the team had grown weary of the oft-injured Wilson, who has missed practice this offseason as well as last year, and wound up on injured reserve last year on November 13 with a shoulder injury after rushing six times for 29 yards and catching three passes for five yards. Wilson made the team last year as an undrafted free agent out of Duke and was considered a long shot to make the 53-man roster this year.

Former Bucs KR Shaun Wilson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Wilson’s departure leaves an already uninspired Bucs backfield thin at the running back position. Peyton Barber will enter training camp as the starter with last year’s second-round pick Ronald Jones II looking to shake off a disastrous rookie season and fight for carries and playing time. Behind those two, the depth chart is wide open as former Cardinals running back Andre Ellington will battle Dare Ogunbowale and undrafted free agent Bruce Anderson for the final two roster spots.

Ellington knows the system, but has played since 2017 due to injuries, while Ogunbowale will be in the mix for Tampa Bay’s kick return duties. Anderson has an all-around skill set that appeals to head coach Bruce Arians.

Look for the Bucs to add another running back to the mix and replace Wilson before training camp to compete for a roster spot.

• HELP US REACH 33,000 BUCS FANS BY FOLLOWING PR ON TWITTER! The PR Twitter account continues to grow in popularity and there are some big reasons why. We cover Bucs practices, Bucs press conferences and break news on our @PewterReport Twitter account.

So if you aren’t one of the 32,000+ that follows PewterReport.com on Twitter please do so right now so you don’t miss out on Bucs practices, press conferences, injury updates, breaking news and notifications about the latest stories and columns on PewterReport.com. Follow us today!

• Linebacker Lavonte David and former Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy teamed up on the field over the past seven years together in Tampa Bay and became good friends off the field. It’s always difficult for teams to lose good players and for players to lose good friends when the business side of football eventually hits, and such was the case for McCoy and David.

Bucs LB Lavonte David and DT Gerald McCoy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But for David, while losing McCoy to Carolina is tough, that blow was softened with the arrival of five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

“It’s different because I’ve known Gerald for a very long time personally,” David said. “We have a friendship outside of football and I know what he’s capable of. I played with him for seven years. He’s going to bring his same force to a new team. Bringing in Suh, I’m expecting him to come in and do what he knows how to do. Come in and play hard. We’ve been watching him for a long time. He’s a dominant defensive lineman. Guys up front, and myself included, we’re expecting him to come in and dominate up front and help us out a lot on the back end playing behind him. It’s going to be fun and it’s going to be a different process. He’s got a different mentality and a different character. It’s going to be fun and we’re happy to have him.

“From what I’ve been hearing and from what I know, Suh is one of those guys that is full-go all the time. He’s one of those guys that you have to pull back some time, but that’s what you want as a football player. It’s going to be fun to see him play in this defense.”

Although they never played together at Nebraska, missing each other by one year, David has followed Suh’s career and is excited about playing with him this year.

“We’ve known each other over the years,” Suh said. “We obviously didn’t play with each other [at Nebraska]. Obviously, the Nebraska connection is very tight and [I] look forward to obviously getting a chance to have him behind me. He’s very, very talented and he’s proved that throughout the years. Glad to have him here.”

• I will be vacationing next week, so there won’t be a new SR’s Fab 5 on Friday, July 5. I want each of you to have a safe and happy Fourth of July as we celebrate America’s Independence Day from tyranny and the creation of this great nation. SR’s Fab 5 will return on Friday, July 12 with a special Bucs training camp preview.

• And finally, the Fourth of July is around the corner and there will be some special deals at Infiniti of Tampa, which is one of our new advertising partners on PewterReport.com. General manager Trent Shaw and his team are big Bucs fans and his dealership is literally just down the street from Raymond James Stadium at 4600 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.

Stop by to check out the new Infiniti sedans and SUVs and take a test drive. Infiniti offers luxury at an affordable price. Lease a new four-door 2019 Infiniti Q50 sedan with $0 down, $0 deposit and $0 due at signing for just $359 per month for 39 months.

Infiniti of Tampa’s service department also offers oil charges for nearly all makes and models of vehicles. Stop in today for a semi-synthetic oil change for just $19.95 and tell them that PewterReport.com sent you.