The 2008 season produced similar results in the passing game when compared to past years.  Our #1 Wide Receiver was the focus of our QB, eliciting more than double the targets of closest Bucs receiver.  There were some sensational grabs, down the field plays, and a highlight play for the world to see.  The difference?  The name on the back of the jersey read Bryant, not Galloway. 

Antonio Bryant, a Pitt product, a mercurial receiver who has bounced around the league due to perceived attitude problems and drug/drinking issues took a giant leap back onto the NFL landscape in 2008 with a productive season for the offensively challenged Buccaneers.  He totaled 83 receptions for 1,248 yards and 7 touchdowns.  This ranked him 11th in receptions, 8th in yards and T12 in touchdowns.  A banner year for anyone, but particularly for a guy we scraped from the trash heap.  Bryant’s 2008 season is remarkably similar to 2005 Galloway and 2003 McCardell.  This season also put Bryant’s name high on the Buc’s leader board, with the T5 total in receptions, 4th best in yards behind names like Carrier and Me-shawn in the Buc's annals.

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Even more impressive was his ability to catch the ball. This seems like a simple task for a player who makes his living doing this, but as my previous article showed, AB performed better than most in this category.

The question now becomes not what did we have, but what do we have.  What can Bryant do in year 2 donning a Buccaneers uniform?  Can he repeat his career year?  Can he continue to find some of the magic that was on display as the only bright spot in Carolina?  A look back at his previous years shows some startling numbers.

 2008 obviously stands out as his career year.  The other 5 seasons (2007 was a N/A as Bryant was on the sideline due to legal issues) are pedestrian as far as what you would want to see from a #1 receiver.  No individual season stands out.  In fact, some might point to his motivation to A) get paid and B) re-establish himself as a player in the NFL as to why he performed so well in 2008.  This is probably part of the equation, though only AB himself knows this.  The talent has been there, but it takes desire, work ethic, and a team to make a player great.  As a former 2nd round pick and Biletnikoff winner as a sophomore, the talent was there.  Perhaps he expected immediate NFL success or after securing a sizable contract, the desire and work ethic faded.

His re-emergence may have come from a different avenue, having a coach who gave him a chance and catered to him.  Without being privy to locker room conversations, and on the field discussions, this is all just hypothesized, but Bryant was dismissed from two teams, the 2004 Dallas Cowboys and the 2006 San Fran 49ers due to clashes with head coaches (Parcells and Nolan).  Gruden is/was more laid back than either of these guys in terms of being a disciplinarian and "father figure".  Any human being will tell you that more times than not, when someone gives you a chance after no one else does, you tend to try a bit harder.  Can you measure that?  Not in a way that I know of, but Bryant's desire to get back in the game, Gruden's ability to look the other way on past character issues, and a scheme that targets one primary receiver all led to a big year.  Can this be re-produced in 2009?

I expect to see a decline in Bryant's numbers for two reasons.  1) We will become a run heavy offense.  More running plays = less opportunities to catch passes (though it should open up the field).  2) The addition of a playmaking tight end/wide receiver.  More playmakers typically means the ball is spread around.  Bryant and Winslow should help each other out in terms of drawing coverage and freeing up zones.  A decline in Bryant's numbers won't necessarily mean he has regressed; it could be a product of several things, including the two listed above.

There are still some question marks surrounding Bryant.  Has he put past issued behind him?  Can he co-exist with a coach and a young QB?  Will he be able to handle another high profile name on the offense?  Can our young QB's (assuming they start) get him the ball?  Having made his way back into the NFL circle, will he still have the chip on his shoulder?

As Bryant saunters into the 2009 season, perhaps we as fans will get the best of him again.  He is, after all, on another one year deal (though it's a bit higher from his 08 pay, $605,000 to $9,884,000).  If he can continue on his "team first" path, accept his role in the offense, and look to capitalize on his opportunities, Bryant should lead the Bucs offensive attack again and produce another great year from the former Pittsburgh Panther. 

* As a side note, Bryant has played with current Buc’s QB’s for 4 regular season games.  All came with the Browns and Luke McCown.  In those 4 games, McCown and Bryant hooked up for 16 catches, 197 yards and 2 TD’s