Training camp is underway for all 32 clubs, which means Madden ratings assessed by EA Sports are here. The latest edition of the esteemed video game franchise has been released. For the Buccaneers, five players were listed in the top 10 at their respective positions: Tristan Wirfs, Vita Vea, Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Lavonte David. All made the distinguished 90 club, with Wirfs and Winfield Jr. leading the group with a 94 overall rank.
Tristan Wirfs just inked a five-year contract extension, making him the highest paid player in Bucs' franchise history and the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. In 2023, Wirfs underwent a transition from right to left tackle and was rewarded with a trip to the Pro Bowl. Last season, Wirfs logged 1,233 snaps, including the postseason and per Pro Football Focus, he yielded just five sacks and six quarterback hits over 19 games played. Among all tackles with 850-or-more pass-blocking snaps in 2023, Wirfs ranked fourth with an 84.3 pass-blocking grade. With freak athleticism, he anchored the line and set the tone in the trenches.
Antoine Winfield Jr. earned All-Pro honors following a historic season on the gridiron and became the not only the highest-paid safety in NFL history with a four-year contract, but the highest-paid defensive back. He posted 122 tackles, 12 passes defensed, eight quarterback hits, 6.0 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions last season – all of which established new career highs. Winfield Jr. became the first player since data became available in 1999 to finish a season with 100-plus tackles and at least three interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries and sacks in a single season. He was also the lone defensive back since 2000 with 6.0-plus sacks and six-or-more forced fumbles in a season, and the lone defensive back with seven-or-more takeaways and 5.0-plus sacks. Among defensive backs in 2023, he finished first in sacks (6.0), first in forced fumbles (six), first in fumble recoveries (four), tied for third in takeaways (seven) and third in quarterback hits (eight). Winfield led the NFL in most games with a takeaway and a sack in 2023, with four-such performances. He is the enforcer for Tampa Bay, patrolling sideline-to-sideline. Winfield Jr. can do it all at an elite level: Line up in the slot, set the edge against the run or line up in the post to prevent the big play over the top.
Next up, Mike Evans came in with a 91 overall ranking, placing him among the hierarchy at the position. Evans, a future Hall of Famer, continued his reign of terror on defenses in 2023. He is the first player in NFL annals to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in each of the first 10 seasons of his career (record four years longer than Randy Moss in second place). In 2023, Evans accumulated 79 catches for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns. He tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions and ranked ninth in receiving yards, and his 15.9 yards per catch was his highest mark since 2019. Evans is the Buccaneers all-time leader in receptions (762), receiving yards (11,680), touchdown receptions (94), total touchdowns (95) and 100-yard receiving games (36). Evans has joined Moss, Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison as the only players ever to surpass 11,000 receiving yards and 90 touchdowns over their first 10 seasons. Evans' total of 10 1,000-yard receiving seasons are tied for the second most in NFL history, matching Moss's total and trailing only the 14 posted by Jerry Rice. The high-point specialist is the Bucs' offense catalyst, on track to immortality in Canton.
Nose tackle Vita Vea and linebacker Lavonte David round out the group with a 90 overall grade at their respective positions. With Vea off the field in 2023, the Bucs allowed 4.1 yards per carry and a 56.7% defensive success rate. With Vea on the field, the unit only allowed 3.5 yards a carry and a 64.6% defensive success rate. He clogs holes and solidifies the Bucs' renowned run defense. Vea dominates at the point of attack and concluded the 2023 season with 5.5 sacks, shedding blockers to get into the backfield. He is a key cog in Todd Bowles' defense, along with David. David, touted as one of the best off-ball linebackers in the game, showed no signs of regression in 2023. His 17 tackles for loss were the second-most in a single season by a player age 33 or older since data became available in 2008. David concluded last year's campaign with 4.5 sacks, 134 tackles, five quarterback hits and five passes defensed. He has fluid footwork to cover tight ends in both man/zone and routinely sniffs out screens. His instincts are second to none and David sets the standard of excellence not only in Tampa Bay, but across the league.
