The NFL Thursday tour of the 10 best players per current franchise, as measured by sabermetric Approximate Value (AV), arrives in Tampa Bay today. The Buccaneers have been an interesting team to look at, historically, with strange highs (two Super Bowl titles) and strange lows (an 0-26 start to their existence). This list of players is perhaps even more eclectic, so if you knew all these guys before today, kudos to you!

No. 10: Gerald McCoy, DT—77 AV (2010-2018)

He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 draft, and McCoy made 6 Pro Bowls while with the Bucs. We consider that a successful career, for sure. In 9 seasons with the team, he also notched 54.5 sacks from his interior position—including 9.5 sacks and 14 AV in his best season (2013). Sadly, he played in an era with the team that saw zero playoff berths. Only twice did McCoy even play on winning teams (2010, 2016). Rough.

No. 9: Paul Gruber, T—78 AV (1988-1999)

This player the No. 4 overall pick in the 1988 draft, which seems like a long time ago, and he toiled in relative anonymity with the Bucs for a long time. He never made the Pro Bowl, for example, and Gruber posted just one double-digit AV season in his 12-year career (1992). He also only played in the postseason once (1997), as he missed the deep 1999 postseason run with an injury that ended his career, unfortunately.

No. 8: Hardy Nickerson, LB—80 AV (1993-1999)

The Bucs definitely got the best seasons of Nickerson’s long career, as he toiled for 6 years in Pittsburgh before joining Tampa Bay, where he made the Pro Bowl the first time in 1993—and then made it again every year from 1996-1999. He posted 4 seasons of double-digit AV, including a career-best 17 AV in 1997. Nickerson led the NFL in total tackles (214) in 1993 as well, his first season with the franchise. What a find!

No. 7: Mike Evans, WR—81 AV (2014-present)

This is the rare case of an active player still with the team; Evans was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 draft, and he is in his 10th season with the Bucs this year. He has made 4 Pro Bowls, and Evans was a key cog in the 2020 Super Bowl championship. Overall, he has scored 91 touchdowns for Tampa Bay through Week 12; he also has 4 playoff TDs in just 7 total postseason games in 2020-2022. Evans has been very good.

No. 6: John Lynch, DB—84 AV (1993-2003)

One of the star members of the 2002 Super Bowl champions, Lynch was a steal of a third-round pick in the draft; he eventually made 5 Pro Bowls as a Buccaneer before finishing his career elsewhere. With 26 interceptions and 16 forced fumbles, he certainly was a force to be reckoned with in the Tampa Bay secondary for many years. Four times he notched double-digit AV marks with the team, which impresses us.

No. 5: Lee Roy Selmon, DL—92 AV (1976-1984)

The very first draft pick in franchise history was the No. 1 overall selection in the 1976 draft. Selmon ended up being a Pro Bowler in his final 6 seasons as an NFL player, which is the way to finish out your (short) career strong, for sure. He totaled 78.5 sacks over his career, and he was a part of the building process that went from 0-14 in 1976 to the NFC Championship Game by 1979. Overall, he had 4 sacks in 4 playoff games.

No. 4: Lavonte David, LB—104 AV (2012-present)

Yet another current player, David has been to 1 Pro Bowl in his long career, compiling 32 sacks, 28 FFs, 12 INTs, and 1 safety as a Tampa Bay lifer. He was a member of the 2020 champions, of course, registering 53 total tackles in 7 postseason games. Four times, Davis has reached double-digit AV, although most people would be hard pressed to identify him in a lineup of Buccaneers. He has flown under the radar, for sure.

No. 3: Warren Sapp, DT—124 AV (1995-2003)

Definitely one to never fly under the radar, Sapp made 7 consecutive Pro Bowls with the Bucs (1997-2003), making his mark initially with these big plays in the 1997 season opener that took out both Steve Young and Jerry Rice. He was on the 2002 title team, of course, and overall, Sapp registered 77 sacks and 15 FFs while with Tampa Bay. Throw in 3 INTs, and he was all over the field for the Bucs over a long period of time.

No. 2: Ronde Barber, DB—148 AV (1997-2012)

The less famous of twin brothers in the NFL, Barber was a 5-time Pro Bowler during his long career, as he secured 47 INTs, 28 sacks, and 15 FFs while playing multiple positions for the Buccaneers. He led the NFL with 10 picks in 2001, and that was the first of 7 seasons where he posted double-digit AV marks. In 10 playoff games with Tampa Bay, he had 2 INTs, 2 FFs, and 1 sack while helping the team win the 2002 title.

No. 1: Derrick Brooks, LB—192 AV (1995-2008)

The best of the multiple defensive stars on this list that helped the team win its first Super Bowl, Brooks was an absolute beast. He made 11 Pro Bowls, picked off 25 passes, and forced 24 fumbles in his regular-season career. He also led the NFL in solo tackles three different times (1998, 2000, 2004). Brooks also posted 90 total tackles in 11 career playoffs games. His 3 pick-six efforts in 2002 also topped the league.