Pictures from Mike Smith's first season as the Buccaneers' Defensive Coordinator.
Last Friday, the Buccaneers announced that Defensive Coordinator Mike Smith would remain with the team for the next couple of years. Smith had been considered a top candidate for several head coaching vacancies, and his move would have resulted in a third defensive system for the Bucs in as many seasons.
The impact that Smith had in his first year in Tampa was significant. Based on DVOA, ESPN determined that the Buccaneers were the NFL's sixth-best pass defense in 2016. After finishing No. 26 a year ago, Tampa Bay was the most improved team in the league defending the pass.
The Buccaneers' final snap counts for the 2016 season, according to Football Outsiders.
G Ali Marpet - 1,204
OT Donovan Smith - 1,179
QB Jameis Winston - 1,123
CB Vernon Hargreaves - 1,113
LB Lavonte David - 1,111
S Bradley McDougald - 1,094
LB Kwon Alexander - 1,091
CB Brent Grimes - 1,040
OL Kevin Pamphile - 1,014
OT Demar Dotson - 989
C Joe Hawley - 983
WR Mike Evans - 951
DT Gerald McCoy - 854
S Chris Conte - 829
TE Cam Brate - 820
WR Adam Humphries - 720
S Keith Tandy - 661
DE Will Gholston - 657
DE Robert Ayers - 617
DE Noah Spence - 595
WR Russell Shepard - 588
TE Brandon Myers - 578
LB Daryl Smith - 548
DT Clinton McDonald - 532
DT Akeem Spence - 479
CB Alterraun Verner - 425
DT DaVonte Lambert - 424
TE Luke Stocker - 403
RB Jacquizz Rodgers - 397
CB Jude Adjei-Barimah - 385
LB Adarius Glanton - 332
RB Doug Martin - 322
WR Vincent Jackson - 313
CB Josh Robinson - 305
RB Peyton Barber - 295
WR Freddie Martino - 278
OT Gosder Cherilus - 278
WR Cecil Shorts - 268
TE Alan Cross - 266
DE Ryan Russell - 246
RB Charles Sims - 238
DB Ryan Smith - 229
LB Cameron Lynch - 223
OL Evan Smith - 214
CB Javien Elliott - 212
DE Howard Jones - 194
OL Caleb Benenoch - 156
K Roberto Aguayo - 144
P Bryan Anger - 137
LS Andrew DePaola - 133
RB Mike James - 110
DT Channing Ward - 90
C Ben Gottschalk - 90
LB Josh Keyes - 88
DT Sealver Siliga - 71
RB Antone Smith - 71
DT John Hughes - 66
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins - 52
WR Josh Huff - 50
CB Johnthan Banks - 44
S Major Wright - 32
OT Leonard Wester - 28
QB Mike Glennon - 15
FB Austin Johnson - 8
RB Russell Hansbrough - 3
DE Jacquies Smith - 2
WR Donteea Dye - 2
"There are plenty of reasons behind Tampa Bay's improvement in 2016," ESPN's Aaron Schatz wrote. "A lot of Bucs fans will point to new defensive coordinator Mike Smith replacing Leslie Frazier, and they got worried when it looked like Smith might leave for a head coaching position elsewhere. However, just as important has been a healthy, consistent secondary. In 2015, the (Bucs) had only one cornerback start over half the team's games, journeyman Sterling Moore, who wasn't even on the team this past season. Instead, rookie Vernon Hargreaves and free-agent pickup Brent Grimes each started all 16 games."
Hargreaves and Grimes rarely stepped off the field in 2016. Hargreaves played 97.6 percent of the Bucs' defensive snaps, the most of any defensive back on the team. Grimes was on the field for 93.9 percent of the time, the fifth-most of any Buccaneer defender and third-most of any defensive back on the team. Both will return for 2017.
The Buccaneers recorded 17 interceptions, tied for the fourth-most in the league. The team allowed opponents to convert just 34.4 percent of their third-down attempts, the best rate in the league. They will head into 2017 returning the majority of their starters and, just as importantly, their defensive signal-caller. For ESPN's full list, click **HERE**.
