Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The 2013 Pro Bowl will highlight three members of the core of a very bright future in Tampa Bay. Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson gave the Buccaneers plenty of offensive production this season while Gerald McCoy helped bolster the league's best rushing defense.
The 2013 Pro Bowl will be played at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, and while it's typically a hodge-podge of replacement players, this year's Buccaneers' squad landed three legitimate Pro Bowl-level players in running back Doug Martin, wide receiver Vincent Jackson and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
Or, simply stated, a huge chunk of the foundation of a team that is improving significantly.
Martin, the 31st-overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft and the second running back taken, was easily the most productive rookie runner. He ran for 1,454 yards, fifth-most in the NFL, and 11 touchdowns, tying him with Cleveland's Trent Richardson for fifth-most in the NFL. Richardson was the third-overall pick.
Jackson was a top free agent target for several teams this past off-season, and after Tampa Bay inked him to a five-year deal worth $55 million, he shredded the league for a 19.2 yards per catch average on 72 grabs, finishing his first year with the Bucs with 1,384 yards and eight touchdowns.
McCoy, the third-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, is quickly becoming one of the best defensive linemen in the league. He anchored a Buccaneers defense that led the league in rushing yards against (82.5 yards per game) and added five sacks.
The Pro Bowl will kick off at 7 p.m. ET Sunday from Honolulu.
| AFC | NFC | |||
| Quarterback | ||||
| *Peyton Manning | Denver | Drew Brees | New Orleans | |
| Matt Schaub | Houston | Eli Manning | New York Giants | |
| Andrew Luck | Indianapolis | Russell Wilson | Seattle | |
| Running Back | ||||
| *Arian Foster | Houston | *Adrian Peterson | Minnesota | |
| Jamaal Charles | Kansas City | Marshawn Lynch | Seattle | |
| C.J. Spiller | Buffalo | Doug Martin | Tampa Bay | |
| Fullback | ||||
| *Marcel Reece | Oakland | Jerome Felton | Minnesota | |
| Wide receiver | ||||
| *Andre Johnson | Houston | Julio Jones | Atlanta | |
| *A.J. Green | Cincinnati | Victor Cruz | New York Giants | |
| Reggie Wayne | Indianapolis | Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona | |
| DeMaryius Thomas | Denver | Vincent Jackson | Tampa Bay | |
| Tight end | ||||
| Jermaine Gresham | Cincinnati | Jason Witten | Dallas | |
| Owen Daniels | Houston | Kyle Rudolph | Minnesota | |
| Tackle | ||||
| *Duane Brown | Houston | Russell Okung | Seattle | |
| *Joe Thomas | Cleveland | Jermon Bushrod | New Orleans | |
| Andrew Whitworth | Cincinnati | Matt Kalil | Minnesota | |
| Guard | ||||
| Wade Smith | Houston | Jahri Evans | New Orleans | |
| Richie Incognito | Miami | Chris Snee | New York Giants | |
| Zane Beadles | Denver | Josh Sitton | Green Bay | |
| Center | ||||
| *Maurkice Pouncey | Steelers | Max Unger | Seattle | |
| Chris Meyers | Houston | Jeff Saturday | Green Bay | |
| Defense | ||||
| Defensive end | ||||
| J.J. Watt | Houston | Jason Pierre-Paul | New York Giants | |
| Cameron Wake | Miami | Julius Peppers | Chicago | |
| Elvis Dumervill | Denver | Jared Allen | Minnesota | |
| Interior linemen | ||||
| Geno Atkins | Cincinnati | Henry Melton | Chicago | |
| Randy Starks | Miami | Gerald McCoy | Tampa Bay | |
| Kyle Williams | Buffalo | Ndamukong Suh | Detroit | |
| Outside linebacker | ||||
| Tamba Hali | Kansas City | Chad Greenway | Minnesota | |
| Robert Mathis | Indianapolis | Ryan Kerrigan | Washington | |
| Justin Houston | Kansas City | Anthony Spencer | Dallas | |
| Inside/middle linebacker | ||||
| Jerod Mayo | New England | London Fletcher | Washington | |
| Derrick Johnson | Kansas City | Daryl Washington | Atlanta | |
| Cornerback | ||||
| Champ Bailey | Denver | Charles Tillman | Chicago | |
| Johnathan Joseph | Houston | Tim Jennings | Chicago | |
| Antonio Cromartie | New York Jets | Patrick Peterson | Arizona | |
| Free safety | ||||
| Jairus Byrd | Buffalo | Earl Thomas | Seattle | |
| Strong Safety | Thomas DeCoud | Atlanta | ||
| Eric Berry | Kansas City | |||
| LaRon Landry | New York Jets | William Moore | Atlanta | |
| Punter | ||||
| Dustin Colquitt | Kansas City | Thomas Morestead | New Orleans | |
| Kicker | ||||
| Phil Dawson | Cleveland | Blair Walsh | Minnesota | |
| Kick returner | ||||
| Josh Cribbs | Cleveland | Leon Washington | Seattle | |
| Special teams player | ||||
| Matt Slater | New England | Lorenzo Alexander | Washington | |
| Long snapper | ||||
| John Denney | Miami | Don Muhlbach | Detroit |


There are 0 Comments. Add Yours.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.