Bucs K Ryan Succop – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR Ryan Succop changed that in 2020 and was a steady presence over the next three years, rising all the way up to seventh on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard for points scored. That’s what made moving on from Succop this past offseason at least a bit of a gamble. The Bucs got reliability from the veteran, and even if he didn’t have the leg strength to connect from 50-plus yards anymore, their record of finding kickers hasn’t been the best over the last decade. But general manager Jason Licht and the Bucs’ brass made that decision and replaced Succop with Chase McLaughlin, something of a journeyman over the course of his career. And that decision has paid off in spades, as McLaughlin has been everything Licht and Co. could’ve dreamed he’d be when they signed him. Chase McLaughlin Has Been Money For The Bucs In Tampa Bay’s 34-20 win over Green Bay in Week 14, Chase McLaughlin connected on field goals of 39 and 46 yards. Those will have been lost in the four-touchdown day from Baker Mayfield, as well as the season-best game from Chris Godwin and Rachaad White’s fourth straight game with 100-plus scrimmage yards. 
Bucs K Chase McLaughlin – Photo by: USA Today But what shouldn’t be lost is the confident feeling that everyone would have had when McLaughlin jogged onto the field for those kicks. That confident feeling has been there with McLaughlin ever since the early days of the season. It’s a far cry from the pre-Succop days, and it’s even a far cry from last year, when Succop was 2-of-7 on kicks from 50-plus. While the offense’s improvement in recent weeks has gotten Tampa Bay to 7-7 and within range of another playoff berth, it’s important not to forget what Chase McLaughlin has meant to this Bucs team as they’ve positioned themselves for a charge toward an NFC South title three-peat and a fourth straight playoff appearance. In 14 games so far, the 27-year-old has connected on 23 of his 25 field goal attempts. Both misses were blocked kicks, one from 40 yards out in a win over Chicago and another from 50 yards out in a loss to Buffalo. Those two blocks shouldn’t distract anyone from just how reliable McLaughlin has been. He’s been as reliable as Succop was from inside 40 yards, going 16-of-16 to this point. And he’s given Tampa Bay more than Succop would’ve been able to with his declining distance. McLaughlin is 7-of-9 from 40 yards and beyond, including 5-of-6 from 50-plus. He’s also 29-of-29 on PATs. There have been ups and downs for the Bucs on both offense and defense, but the kicking game has been steady. From his 57-yard game-winning field goal against the Vikings in Week 1 to his two big kicks in Week 15 against the Packers, McLaughlin has been giving the Bucs everything they’ve needed from the kicker position. Chase McLaughlin Has Earned A Future In Tampa Bay 
Bucs K Chase McLaughlin – Photo by: USA Today It’s been a rollercoaster of a career for Chase McLaughlin, as the Bucs are his eighth stop since 2019. He split 2019 between the Colts, Chargers and 49ers, then spent parts of 2020 with both the Jaguars and Jets. From there, he played for the Browns in 2021 before going back to the Colts in 2022. Now, in 2023, he has solidified himself as someone the Bucs can believe in not only this year, but going forward. McLaughlin signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay this offseason before fending off Rodrigo Blankenship for the kicking job in training camp. He’s certainly done enough up to this point to earn another contract with the Bucs, becoming a top-10 kicker in the league. The Bucs have had plenty of trouble finding kickers over the years, as everyone knows. Finding Succop when they did helped them win Super Bowl LV, but he was also in the late stages of his career. To find McLaughlin at 27 could be huge for Tampa Bay, as he really could provide a steadying presence at an important position for years to come. The post Bucs Found A Gem In Chase McLaughlin appeared first on Pewter Report. Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-found ... claughlin/
