In Chris Conte’s two years here in Tampa, there has been nonstop criticism of the guy from some Bucs fans. Is it warranted? I don’t think so. Which is why I decided to dive into the statistics to see where he stacks up against some of the best safeties in the league. Now I looked at career numbers as well as the last two seasons that he’s been here in Tampa, which is all that we should be concerned with anyway. I came across some surprising results.

Chris Conte has played 6 seasons in the NFL, the first four with the Chicago Bears and the last two with the Bucs. So, I decided to do two sets of statistics, his career stats and his stats while playing in Tampa. I also broke down the tackles and the passes defensed into a per game average for each player as some of them have played more or fewer seasons than him. Conte’s stats are as follows:

CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13, Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Seasons-2, Games-28, Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

Now the “haters” might look at these numbers and say “See there, he’s not that good!”. But let’s look at the numbers of some of the best safeties in the game and see where he stands.

CHRIS CONTE’S CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13, Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28, Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

ERIC BERRY CAREER STATS (Kansas City Chiefs)

Seasons-7, Games-86, Tackles-430, TPG-5.0, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-14, Passes Defensed-51, PassDef per game-.6

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-32, Tackles-138, TPG-4.3, Forced Fumbles-1, Ints- 6, Passes Defensed-19, PassDef per game-.6

Berry is widely considered one of the top safeties in the NFL. Even though Conte trails him in career tackles, he has more tackles, forced fumbles and has a better TPG average in the last two years despite playing in four less games. However, Berry does show his superiority in pass coverage with these numbers. Again, he is one of the best cover safeties in the game today.

CHRIS CONTE’S CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13, Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28, Tackles-142, TPG-5.1 , Forced Fumbles-2 , Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

EARL THOMAS CAREER STATS (Seattle Seahawks)

Seasons-7 , Games-107, Tackles-574, TPG-5.4 , Forced Fumbles-10, Ints-23 , Passes Defensed-60, PassDef per game-.6

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games- 25, Tackles-107, TPG-4.3, Forced Fumbles- 1, Ints- 7, Passes Defensed-19, PassDef per game-.7

Thomas is another guy that’s considered one of the better cover safeties in the league. He’s played in the most games of anyone else on my list and has the numbers to prove it. Still, Conte has more tackles, forced fumbles and a better TPG average than him over the last two years.

CHRIS CONTE’S CAREER STATS

Seasons-6 , Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13, Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28 ,Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

TYRANN MATHIEU CAREER STATS (Arizona Cardinals)

Seasons-4, Games- 50, Tackles-231, TPG-4.6, Forced Fumbles- 3, Ints-9, Passes Defensed-34, PassDef per game-.7

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games- 24, Tackles-124, TPG-5.2 , Forced Fumbles- 2, Ints-6 , Passes Defensed-21, PassDef per game-.8

The “Honey Badger” as he’s known, is also considered one of the best in the league. He has played in less games than Conte over the last two seasons which explains the tackle numbers but their TPG average is nearly identical.

CHRIS CONTE’S CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4 , Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13, Passes Defensed-32 , PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28, Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2 , Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

HARRISON SMITH CAREER STATS (Minnesota Vikings)

Seasons-5, Games-67, Tackles-404, TPG-6.0, Forced Fumbles- 3, Ints-12, Passes Defensed-28, PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-27, Tackles-157, TPG-5.8, Forced Fumbles- 1, Ints- 2, Passes Defensed- 5, PassDef per game-.2

Smith has been a tackling machine at the safety position since entering the league, but the rest of his numbers are very similar to Conte’s.

CHRIS CONTE’S CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373 , TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13 ,Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28, Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

MALCOLM JENKINS CAREER STATS (Philadelphia Eagles)

Seasons-3, Games-48, Tackles-252, TPG-5.3, Forced Fumbles- 4, Ints- 8, Passes Defensed-33, PassDef per game-.7,

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-32 , Tackles-173,TPG-5.4, Forced Fumbles- 3, Ints- 5, Passes Defensed-19, PassDef per game-.6

Jenkins has more tackles than Conte, but their TPG average is really close as is their forced fumble and interception totals. However, Jenkins does have the edge on passes defensed.

CHRIS CONTE’S CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13 , Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28 , Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

T.J. WARD CAREER STATS (Denver Broncos)

Seasons-7 , Games-95 , Tackles-549, TPG-5.8, Forced Fumbles-10 , Ints-8 Passes Defensed-46, PassDef per game-.5LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-26, Tackles-148, TPG-5.7 , Forced Fumbles- 5 , Ints-1, Passes Defensed-14, PassDef per game-.5

Ward is another safety widely considered to be one of the best in the game, yet over the last two seasons he only has a few more tackles than Conte and their TPG average and passes defensed average are nearly the same. Conte also has 3 more interceptions.

CHRIS CONTE’S CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13, Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28, Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4 , Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

DEVIN MCCOURTY CAREER STATS (New England Patriots)

Seasons-7 , Games-107, Tackles-541, TPG-5.0, Forced Fumbles-8, Ints-19, Passes Defensed-71, PassDef per game-.6

LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games- 30, Tackles-142, TPG-4.7, Forced Fumbles-1, Ints- 2, Passes Defensed-12, PassDef per game-.4

McCourty is tied with Earl Thomas for the most games played on this list and has the tackle totals to show for it. However, looking at the last two seasons you can see that he has the exact same number of tackles as Conte with less forced fumbles, less interceptions and about the same numbers in passes defensed…and he’s played in two more games.

As you can see, Conte holds his own amongst the best this league has to offer today. But dare I compare him to the greatest safety in Buccaneers history? How does he stack up to the great John Lynch? Well, let us take a look.

CHRIS CONTE CAREER STATS

Seasons-6, Games-85, Tackles-373, TPG-4.4, Forced Fumbles-4, Ints-13, Passes Defensed-32, PassDef per game-.4,

JOHN LYNCH’S FIRST 6 SEASONS

Seasons-6, Games-87, Tackles-359, TPG-4.1, Forced Fumbles-5, Ints-10, Passes Defensed-25, PassDef per game-.3

CHRIS CONTE’S LAST 2 SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-28, Tackles-142, TPG-5.1, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4, Passes Defensed-11, PassDef per game-.4

JOHN LYNCH’S 5TH & 6TH SEASONS

Seasons-2, Games-31 ,Tackles-194 , TPG-6.2, Forced Fumbles-2, Ints- 4, Passes Defensed- 9, PassDef per game-.3

Now before some of you get your panties in a bunch over me comparing Chris Conte to John Lynch, take a deep breathe and calm down. WOOSAH…feel better? Now, calmly and rationally look at the numbers. In less career games, Conte has more tackles, a better TPG average, more interceptions, more passes defensed and a better passes defensed average than Lynch. In the comparison of Conte’s last two seasons in Tampa and Lynch’s 5th and 6th seasons in Tampa, John has a clear lead in tackles and TPG average thanks to back-to-back years of 100+ tackles in the 1996 and 1997 seasons. I’m a huge John Lynch fan and I am of the opinion that the man should’ve been going into the Hall of Fame this year instead of the Dolphins Jason Taylor, but the numbers don’t lie. They may not tell the whole truth, but they don’t lie.

In no way, shape or form am I suggesting that Chris Conte is on the same level as the elite safeties on this list. I don’t even think that Chris would honestly put himself into that class of player. However, these numbers do show that, at least statistically, he can hang right up there with the big boys at the end of the day. If they do nothing else, they should calm down the hatred and the animosity towards a guy that the coaches and players both refer to as the best athlete on this Bucs team and the guy that should end up as the starting strong safety once again for this football team. Until then, as always…GO BUCS!!!