For months fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been working to produce the Top 50 Players in franchise history, in honor of the organization's upcoming 50th. The process was primarily driven by fan voting earlier in the offseason but also involved input from former and current members of the media covering the team and staff employees.

While the full list has now been revealed – the top five is Derrick Brooks, Lee Roy Selmon, Warren Sapp, Mike Evans and Rondé Barber – the debates the Top 50 extravaganza are sure to spark will be more than half the fun. As such, we've assembled some contributors to the process to answer a few questions as to how they ended up with the answers they did. Today's question: "What was your toughest mission from the overall top 50?"

Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times

Paul Gruber at 17. He made no Pro Bowls. That's totally due to the fact he was on horrible football teams. But he was a Pro Bowl quality LT. As good as any during his era. He's in the ROH. But most won't have him that high. His consistency was the thing. And he did it without the benefit of many good players around him.

Nick Pugliese, Tampa Tribune

I put Paul Gruber 13th. Lot of people don't remember him when they think of great Tampa Bay players because the Bucs were so bad while he was manning left tackle. But he was a solid player and good guy. Arguably the best player in franchise history to never play in the postseason.

Greg Auman, FOX Sports

I'll offer up two names, for different reasons: Doug Martin and Rob Gronkowski. They were both in the bottom 10 of the 50 in the final list, but I had them between 20 and 30. With Martin, I just felt like he had two of the best rushing seasons in team history -- both 1,500-plus yards, Pro Bowl nods, and running back is another position where the Bucs don't have an amazing legacy. Doug wasn't a part of any playoff success, but I thought he did enough to register nationally in a way that only so many people outside the Hall of Fame/Ring of Honor crowd did. With Gronk, the question was that he was only here two years -- how high can you put someone with only two seasons? But Gronk had two touchdown catches in the Super Bowl for the Bucs -- you don't get more big-time than that, and he's a Hall of Famer who was central to that second championship, so for me, that elevated his two seasons over a lot of guys who were here for long, sustained runs, but not as vital to as much team success. There are so many different criteria to consider that there isn't a right or wrong answer as much as different people having different thoughts on what's most important to contribute to a franchise over 50 years.

Scott Reynolds, Pewter Report

I had quarterback Baker Mayfield at No. 17, and was surprised he came in at No. 38 on the team's list of top 50 Buccaneers. Mayfield had the second-best season for any Tampa Bay QB last year, which are the second-most in a single season behind Tom Brady's 43 TDs in 2021. Mayfield, who threw for 4,500 yards and a team-record 71% completion percentage, is also the only Tampa Bay QB to make two Pro Bowls in franchise history.

If he has another season in 2025 like he had last year he'll quickly climb the team rankings in only his third year in red and pewter into the top 5 QBs in Bucs history in passing yards and be second pass Brady for the second-most TDs. If he wins a Super Bowl he'll be the best QB in Tampa Bay history – taking that title from Brady. Ranking him at No. 17 I'm betting on Baker.

Fred Goodall, Associated Press

Player I may have ranked higher than most others?: My best guess would be Paul Gruber or maybe even James Wilder. That's mainly because I may have been the only participant who covered them. To put it mildly, the team was dreadful during their careers. But Gruber came in as the fourth pick in the draft, started every game he played over 12 seasons and I can't remember them losing a game because he didn't do his job. He was very consistent and very much underrated because of the team's lack of success.

Ira Kaufman, Pro Football Hall of Fame Voter

Brad Johnson was my choice at No. 24 and it's easy to overlook his role during the 2002 championship season. That team was obviously powered by a historic defense, but Johnson led the NFC in passer rating that year and was twice named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. When he returned from a lower back injury in time for the postseason, Johnson was poised and productive as the Bucs finished 15-4.

Joey Johnston, Tampa Tribune

Two caught my eye:

I ranked Ricky Bell No. 27 (he finished No. 45).

I ranked Rob Gronkowski No. 19 (he finished No. 50).

Ricky Bell was a personal favorite. He had the sensational 1979 season, of course, with 1,200-plus rushing yards and a great playoff game. But he was also a man of high character who endured great criticism while playing behind a porous offensive line and weathering injuries. He stayed the same person when glory came his way. He was the No.1 pick in the 1977 draft and was constantly compared to the player picked behind him (Tony Dorsett), but handled it all with class and professionalism. Ricky Bell was class personified and the fact that he died tragically at age 29 made his story even more compelling.

Roy Cummings, Tampa Tribune

Maybe Jameis Winston. I know he didn't make it onto several lists. He might have missed the cut on a lot of lists. But he's still the team's all-time passing leader, and without him, Mike Evans might not be headed to the Hall Of Fame.

Katherine Smith, Bay News 9

I had Tom Brady at No. 2. It was difficult to put Brady ahead of Derrick Brooks, who actually deserves to be in the Bucs GOAT conversation. But for all that he did in three seasons, and I'm not just talking about winning a Super Bowl. He changed a losing culture into a winning one, which is really hard to do. And that perennial playoff culture persists even though he retired.

Rock Riley, WDAE Radio

I ranked Tom Brady 3rd just behind Brooks and Sapp and ahead of Lee Roy Selmon because of the remarkable feat Tom pulled off. Coming to a new organization, during Covid, no preseason and leading the Bucs to win the Super Bowl and at 43 years old, to me was phenomenal. I know he was only a Buc for three years but I still can't believe this accomplishment. Incredible!.

Rick Odioso, Long-Time Buccaneers Executive

I felt Ricky Bell would have been a consideration for the top 20, but ended up at 45. If you were here in 1979, you would recognize the huge role he played on the first Buccaneers playoff team. The fact that he did not do more afterwards stems from the disease that cost him his life in 1984, so I recognize that he doesn't stand out when looking at a stats list.

Scott Smith, Buccaneers.com

Now that the full rankings are out, I know where I stand and there are three players I value more than the average voter: wide receiver Joey Galloway, guard Davin Joseph and cornerback Brian Kelly. I could make a credible argument for any of the three, but I will focus on Davin Joseph, since I had him ranked 16th and his eventual spot on this list was 32nd. That's quite a discrepancy! Ali Marpet has since come along and maybe that complicates things, but I think Joseph was the best offensive guard in team history and those positions tend to get undervalued. At least his impact lives on through Turkey Time with the O-Line.