24-year old WR Preston Parker didn’t do much as a rookie last year for the Buccaneers.  He caught 4 passes for 42 yards (10.5 avg) and he also returned 10 kickoffs for 178 yards (17.8 avg) last year for the Bucs.  This year though, Parker has stepped up.  He has played in 12 games so far this year and he caught 32 passes for 429 yards (13.4 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  He has also returned 20 punts for 213 yards (10.7 avg) and 14 kickoffs for 307 yards (21.9 avg) for the Bucs this year.  Parker has now got his mitts on the ball 66 times for 949 all purpose yards (14.4 yards per touch)  Parker is averaging 79.1 total all-purpose yards per game so far this year.

The Buccaneers are too quick to give up on the running game so far this year.  They need to stick with it and feed the ball to 24-year old RB LeGarrette Blount.  In his last two games, Blount has carried the ball 38 times for 210 yards (5.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He has also caught 4 passes for 62 yards (15.5 avg) in his last two games.  Blount has played in 9 games this year and he has carried the ball 138 times for 644 yards (4.7 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He has also caught 11 passes for 128 yards (11.6 avg) so far this season.  Blount has now played in 22 games in his first two years with the Bucs and he has carried the ball 339 times for 1,651 yards (4.9 ypc) with 10 TD carries.  He has also caught 16 passes for 142 yards (8.9 avg) so far with the Bucs.  Blount is an outstanding power back and the Buccaneers should be building the offense around him instead of QB Josh Freeman.

36-year old cornerback Ronde Barber still has it.  He has played in 9 games for the Bucs so far this year and he has 45 tackles, 2 interceptions, 8 passes defensed, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery and 4 tackles for a loss.  He has now played in 218 games in his 15 years with the Buccaneers and he has 1,108 tackles, 42 interceptions (7 returned for TDs), 191 passes defensed, 14 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, 27 sacks and 52 tackles for a loss.  The Buccaneers really need Barber to play well this weekend against the Packers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot of their younger receivers stepping up so far this year.  2nd year WR Mike Williams has not been playing too well this year though.  He has caught 31 passes for 317 yards (10.2 avg)  with 1 TD grab so far this year.  The explosive plays he made in 2010 just aren’t there so far this year for Williams.  Preston Parker has literally come out of nowhere to be a solid WR for the Bucs.  He has caught 23 passes for 310 yards (13.5 avg) with 2 TD grabs in 2011.  Arrelious Benn has been making a lot of plays down the field for the Buccaneers so far this year as he has caught 15 passes for 243 yards (16.2 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Dezmon Briscoe has also been productive for the Bucs in 2011 with 16 grabs for 196 yards (12.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running the ball well so far this year as they are averaging 111.8 yards rushing per game and 4.3 yards per carry.  LeGarrette Blount is leading the way for the Bucs’ running game so far this year as he has carried the ball 77 times for 328 yards (4.3 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He has also caught 4 passes for 58 yards (14.5 avg) so far in five games this year.  The Bucs hope that Blount will be able to return from injury soon.  Earnest Graham has been a lifesaver for the Bucs once again this year.  Graham has played in all six games for the Bucs so far this year and he has carried the ball 35 times for 193 yards (5.5 ypc).  He has also caught 25 passes for 165 yards (6.6 avg) in 2011.  He will continue to be the main man in the backfield until LeGarrette Blount returns to action.  Kregg Lumpkin is the #3 in line for the Bucs this year, but he’s #2 in line right now.  Lumpkin has played in all six games for the Bucs so far this year and he has carried the ball 4 times for 20 yards (5.0 ypc).  He has also caught 6 passes for 42 yards (7.0 avg) so far this year.  The Bucs need the backs to keep up the good work.

24-year old WR Preston Parker didn’t show much as a rookie last year for the Bucs.  He played in 9 games in 2010 and he caught 4 passes for 42 yards (10.5 avg).  He also had 1 carry for 7 yards and he returned 10 kickoffs for 178 yards (17.8 avg) last year.  But this year, Parker has really stepped up.  He has played in all four games for the Bucs so far this year and he has caught 16 passes for 223 yards (13.9 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He is third on the team in receptions and he is leading the Bucs in receiving yards so far this year.  Parker has also returned 7 punts for 73 yards (10.4 avg) and 5 kickoffs for 118 yards (23.6 avg) so far this year.  Parker has touched the ball 28 times this year for 414 yards (14.8 avg. per touch)….as he has been outstanding.  The Bucs hope he can keep up the good work.

31-year old RB Earnest Graham is the backup RB for the Bucs this year.  But, he’s the main man when the Bucs fall behind as LeGarrette Blount isn’t much of a pass catcher.  Graham has played in all 3 games for the Bucs so far this year and he has carried the ball 11 times for 30 yards (2.7 ypc).  But, he has also caught 20 passes for 116 yards (5.8 avg) so far this year.  Graham has career highs of 49 receptions, 324 receiving yards and 1 TD grab so far in his career.  He’s likely to set new career highs in all three of those categories in 2011.

23-year old QB Josh Freeman is off to a good start this year for the Bucs.  He has played in both of the games for the Bucs so far this year and he has completed 50 of 74 passes (67.6%) for 502 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 INTs (84.4 QB Rating).  Freeman has also carried the ball 7 times for 42 yards (6.0 ypc) this year.  Freeman is probably going to get even better this year, but the Bucs are happy with his performance so far.

23-year old Josh Freeman took his game to a new level last season with the Buccaneers.  Freeman played in 16 games for the Bucs last season and he completed 291 of 474 passes (61.4%) for 3,451 yards with 25 TD passes and 6 interceptions (95.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 68 times for 364 yards (5.4 ypc) last season.  Freeman has now played in 26 games in his first two seasons in the NFL with the Bucs and he has completed 449 of 764 passes (58.8%) for 5,306 yards with 35 TD passes and 24 INTs (82.2 QB Rating).  Freeman also has carried the ball 98 times for 525 yards (5.4 ypc) so far in his career.  He has a unlimited upside!

24-year old Josh Johnson ran the Bucs’ version of the Wildcat Formation last year.  He played in 7 games for the Bucs last season in which he completed 14 of 16 passes (87.5%) for 111 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs (95.6 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 4 times for 39 yards (9.8 ypc) last season.  Johnson has now played in 13 games in his NFL career and he has completed 77 of 141 passes (54.6%) for 796 yards with 4 TD passes and 8 INTs (56.9 QB Rating).  Johnson has also carried the ball 26 times for 187 yards (7.2 ypc) in his NFL career.  Rumors abound that the 49ers are going to try to deal for Johnson, because Jim Harbaugh (the Niners’ new head coach) coached Johnson in college at San Diego.

VERDICT:  The Bucs are set at QB for the foreseeable future with Freeman & Johnson at QB.

The Buccaneers took a flier on 24-year old rookie RB LeGarrette Blount signing him after the Titans cut him before opening day.  Blount has really repaid the Bucs for giving him a big chance to get his career started on the right track.  Blount has played in 12 games for the Buccaneers so far this year and he has carried the ball 182 times for 941 yards (5.2 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  He has also caught 3 passes for 12 yards (4.0 avg) so far this year.  Blount has rushed for over 100 yards in a game 4 times so far this year for the Bucs.  Blount has really been hot lately.  In his last four games, Blount has carried the ball 68 times for 445 yards (6.5 ypc) with 2 TD runs and he also has caught 1 pass for 3 yards.  He has the look of an NFL featured RB so the Bucs hit the jackpot taking a chance on him.