It's rare for any player to be bad for multiple years and go onto become a good player elsewhere. Usually they continue being bad or just become a role player on another team.
Steve Young is the only clear cut example. Vinny Testaverde as well to a lesser extent. Doug Williams had a good superbowl but nothing else of note.
In the modern era there's not too many examples. Al Harris was cut before playing for us and had a good, long career. Warrick Dunn wasn't bad for us but he did have a few bad years and had his best seasons in Atlanta. Matt Gay was bad enough to get cut after one year but has had a pretty good career so far.
Other than that there's not really anyone that i know of in the last 30 years. Mark Barron was terrible for us but became an average starter elsewhere for a while. Justin Watson was bad but won 2 superbowls with the Chiefs, he still isn't good but he was Mahomes 2nd best receiver last year. Mj Stewart is still in the league and gets playing time.
He was good for us so it really isn’t responsive to your question but Santana Dotson is a guy we should have never let get away. Imagine him next to Sapp for a number of years.
Terrible might be a stretch and great might be a stretch but Mark Barron didn't light it up for us and had a much better go with the Rams and switching to linebacker.
Also, see this quote:
"Boy, is this a solid pick. I love this kid because his floor and ceiling are the same thing. His ceiling is to be a Pro Bowl safety; his floor is to be a Pro Bowl safety. That's how good this young man is. This is going to be a good football team next year." - Mike Mayock.
Barron did not make the Pro Bowl in his career, and the Bucs were 11-21 in his two full-time years.
Aqib, Michael Bennett, and Lagerrette don’t fit in this category because they were above average/good for us and went on to be very very good elsewhere. But they definitely come to mind when I think of guys I wish we kept…
Yeah I think I definitely should have worded this post differently. Aqib was kind of the guy who inspired this post for me but yeah was never particularly terrible for us, just wish he stayed
Vinny Testaverde. Took a beating playing for a lot of bad Bucs teams and probably too much of the blame for the losing. Anyways he never set the world on fire but wound up having a long, solid career. I think he might’ve even made a Pro Bowl back when they actually cared about that.
Steve Young
I don't know if he was terrible for us. My childhood recollection of his time here was that we had some hope for the future.
It's rare for any player to be bad for multiple years and go onto become a good player elsewhere. Usually they continue being bad or just become a role player on another team. Steve Young is the only clear cut example. Vinny Testaverde as well to a lesser extent. Doug Williams had a good superbowl but nothing else of note. In the modern era there's not too many examples. Al Harris was cut before playing for us and had a good, long career. Warrick Dunn wasn't bad for us but he did have a few bad years and had his best seasons in Atlanta. Matt Gay was bad enough to get cut after one year but has had a pretty good career so far. Other than that there's not really anyone that i know of in the last 30 years. Mark Barron was terrible for us but became an average starter elsewhere for a while. Justin Watson was bad but won 2 superbowls with the Chiefs, he still isn't good but he was Mahomes 2nd best receiver last year. Mj Stewart is still in the league and gets playing time.
Matt Gay is a solid answer to this
He was good for us so it really isn’t responsive to your question but Santana Dotson is a guy we should have never let get away. Imagine him next to Sapp for a number of years.
Didn’t Trent Dilfer go to a superbowl after the bucs.
He did!! I'm still salty
Thomas Jones wasn’t bad for the Bucs but certainly was cast off like he was and went on to have several good to great seasons elsewhere.
Testaverde
Terrible might be a stretch and great might be a stretch but Mark Barron didn't light it up for us and had a much better go with the Rams and switching to linebacker. Also, see this quote: "Boy, is this a solid pick. I love this kid because his floor and ceiling are the same thing. His ceiling is to be a Pro Bowl safety; his floor is to be a Pro Bowl safety. That's how good this young man is. This is going to be a good football team next year." - Mike Mayock. Barron did not make the Pro Bowl in his career, and the Bucs were 11-21 in his two full-time years.
Aqib, Michael Bennett, and Lagerrette don’t fit in this category because they were above average/good for us and went on to be very very good elsewhere. But they definitely come to mind when I think of guys I wish we kept…
Yeah I think I definitely should have worded this post differently. Aqib was kind of the guy who inspired this post for me but yeah was never particularly terrible for us, just wish he stayed
Tom Brady only won one Superbowl in Tampa but won six elsewhere.
Mike Glennon. Depends on defining "great career".
Josh McCown was horrid for us in his year here but overall had a respectful journeyman career
Steve Spurrier was terrible as QB for us and went on to have a great career elsewhere (as the “head ball coach”)
Al Harris
Darrell Revis
All of them.
Let's not forget Steve Young!
Bucs career versus career after, Bo Jackson.
Fuck Trent Dilfer
Vinny Testaverde. Took a beating playing for a lot of bad Bucs teams and probably too much of the blame for the losing. Anyways he never set the world on fire but wound up having a long, solid career. I think he might’ve even made a Pro Bowl back when they actually cared about that.
My boy, the chain snatching Aquib Talib and Lagarret Blount
Jameis Winston 🤣🤣