The state of our Buccaneers

[caradoc]

under normal circumstances when you lose 2/3 of your Defensive position coaches you get a dropoff.  When Rod is one of them its worse.  We knew something was coming, this is just more than we thought.  I think the defensive staff is trying to figure it out right now.  Are there any players who can improve what we see?  Realisticly no.  Maybe pearson could be an improvement, but Ronde, BK, Brooks, Rice, they are the best we have ATM. 

[Rusty]

The Bucs need to replace the following in the next two years:

Offense-Wade, Mahan, Sowell, Alstott,Becht
Defense-Booger,Spires,Rice,Brooks,Quarles,Kelly,Barber,Phillips
Coaching-Muir, Biasacia

Special needs-Long snapper, Punt returner, kick-off returner, 3rd string qb, Caddy's relief pitcher, Galloway's replacement

We are a rebuilding team. Stay patient.

In my opinion at 0-4 with a promising young QB and a slow aging defense, we are looking at a 5-11 or 6-10 REBUILDING type of team for the next 2+ years unfortuneatly. That is all I am going to expect for the remainder of this year and be accepting of it; and we have just hit that point where 5-6 of our defensive players need to be replaced slowly but surely, and we need to start a new era on offense with Gradkowski and a young offensive line that is going to develop some chemistry in the near future hopefully.

I think that the defense is only a couple of players away for a return to some semblence of good play.  It won't be dominant, but we have an up and coming offense now, especially if the QB turns out.  In the offseason, we'll be heading towards a high pick in the draft with around $30 million free dollars of cap space.  That's enough to bring in the personnel needed for the defense, especially if we can move Booger and/or Simeon.

The Bucs need to replace the following in the next two years:

Offense-Wade, Mahan, Sowell, Alstott,Becht
Defense-Booger,Spires,Rice,Brooks,Quarles,Kelly,Barber,Phillips
Coaching-Muir, Biasacia

Special needs-Long snapper, Punt returner, kick-off returner, 3rd string qb, Caddy's relief pitcher, Galloway's replacement

We are a rebuilding team. Stay patient.

On O, I think it might be reasonable to say that we need a FB and a speed WR.  Mahan may still be a good C, which would solve that need.  Becht is only 28, and is not expected to be our principle TE, so I don't think we really need to get another TE, but if we do need a blocking TE, we can get one in the late rounds of the draft.

On D...I agree, we need a difference maker at every level: we need a Sapp on the DL, a young Brooks at LB and a Lynch in the secondary.  Then, we'd be ok. 

As for the coaching...I'm not even sure yet...

[Garv]

We ARE a rebuilding team, PERIOD.
Nothing wrong with that because in today's NFL you can rebuild relatively fast if you have some young players on the rise, a good draft and CAP money to spend in FA.
We have all three. We are playing for the future, like it or not.

This defense has been carrying this team and kicking ass for about 11 years now, and it's simply on the downslide now and will have to be rebuilt in at least 7 positions because we have lost alot of speed and good tackling on defense.

[ranman]

The Bucs need to replace the following in the next two years:

Offense-Wade, Mahan, Sowell, Alstott,Becht
Defense-Booger,Spires,Rice,Brooks,Quarles,Kelly,Barber,Phillips
Coaching-Muir, Biasacia

Special needs-Long snapper, Punt returner, kick-off returner, 3rd string qb, Caddy's relief pitcher, Galloway's replacement

We are a rebuilding team. Stay patient.

Thanks, Rusty.  Couldn't have summarized better with the exception of Kelly. 

[dbucfan]

Seems like time for an OLD adage.

Things are never so bad that they couldn't be worse (this year), and never so good that they couldn't be better (finally some cap room next year, but need it this year).

Bucs have been very competitive and could have won the past two games against good teams.  Gradkowski showed very well for his first game, or even his 3rd year.  McFarland seems to have retired prior to announcing it, and so have a couple of defensive backs. 

Things I don't get, Where are Winborn and Rudd?
Who sees potential in Mahan?
How did the 10 returners forget how to tackle at one time?
Why did the playbook open with the arrival of a new starter?
How did the Oline figure out to block with three and four wideouts for a new starter?
When did offensive pass interference become so damn popular with refs?  (hated the call on 84, and offsetting PI in the end zone??)
How does Wade keep a job?
What was the date of McFarland's retirement?
How did Becht, Kelly, Barber and so many STs needs make the list Rusty offered?  Looks like the bucs need two Christmases.

Just food for thought.  I don't know any of them. 

Injuries seemed to have slowed -

[4bucs]

what happened nobodys jumping up to defend Booger from stealing his paychecks,as I said before like all of last year we need push straight up the middle and we're not getting it from Mr. bandaid.Well one down and one to go thank god Yattas gone and this is Booger the golf pros last year.Those 2 were like anchors around our necks pulling down big paychecks for so long with no production.

[dbucfan]

Seems hard to comtemplate a player who all felt was underperforming got worse - maybe it was all that off season critisim from you 4bucs - jk.  Frankly, he is not doing much worse than the rest of the Dline.  Glad to see Gruden called them all out.  It needed to be done.