Gerald McCoy has emerged as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league in the past two seasons. After a tough rookie year and a sophomore year hampered by injury, McCoy has roughed up offensive lines without missing a game these last two years. He even tallied a career-high 9.5 sacks from the interior in 2013. Now coach Lovie Smith wants even more from him.
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“Everyone has talked an awful lot about Gerald McCoy and we should,’’ Smith said per ESPN’s Pay Yasinskas.” Very seldom do I make the statement, ‘best at’, but to me he’s the best at his position in the league. That standard, I’m always talking to Gerald about that — ‘Gerald, you can’t blend in. You can’t be great. You have to stand out. Lead us.’ The great players accept that challenge”
With the Buccaneers returning to a Cover 2 defensive scheme, McCoy can once again shine as the expectations will be even higher on the defensive line. Smith maintains that’s just what McCoy expects.
“You can’t give him too much. He knows what’s at stake this week. That’s why we have confidence too. I think you can be a good player, a good team, if you have good players. But you need a couple special players in the group. I feel like we have that.’’
If the Buccaneers want to surprise a few people this year, they’ll need special players like Gerald McCoy to stay healthy and maintain their performance throughout the season.