Even before Sunday night’s debacle against the Rams, the lack of talent on this team was becoming glaringly obvious. Aside from the injuries, when you lose Super Bowl heroes like Tom Brady, Shaq Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul, Ndamukong Suh, Rob Gronkowski, and Ryan Jensen to retirement, it’s inevitable that you’ll experience a decline.
Unfortunately, we haven’t come close to replacing these key players through drafts, free agency, or trades. While we boast about having a roster full of homegrown draft picks, it’s hard to take pride in that when the overall talent level is average at best.
In this article, I want to take a closer look at our defense and review where our talent deficiencies lay.
Defensive Line
Our defensive line always starts with Vita Vea, our first-round pick from 2016. He’s a stud big man. One of the best run defenders in the NFL. However, we’ve wasted his prime. He’s a dominant force in the middle, but without edge players who can consistently capitalize on his disruption, his potential remains untapped. He could have been a multi-year All-Pro, but needed more sack numbers to hit those types of acclaims. Our two defensive ends, Logan Hall, a second-round bust, and Elijah Roberts, a fifth-round rookie, wouldn’t start for most teams. We’re also missing Calijah Kancey, who has the talent to be a really good DT but can’t stay on the field due to struggles with injuries.
Outside Linebackers (Edge)
Moving to our outside linebackers, and one of the most important positions for most defenses. Yaya Diaby, our top edge rusher due to lack of any capable rushers, is a third-round pick who hasn’t made much of an impact over the past two years. He can be a very good complimentary edge, but struggles to be the “guy”. We signed Haason Reddick as a free agent this past offseason, after he recorded just one sack last year, hoping he would be our savior… that hasn’t happened, and he hasn’t played for the last 5 games. Anthony Nelson, a fourth-round pick, is our “give you everything he’s got” guy, but he’s not an every-down player. Lastly, there’s Chris Braswell, a second year, second-round pick. He has yet to have made a mark or to generate any kind of pressure on the quarterback this season.
Inside Linebackers
At inside linebacker, Lavonte David is a future Hall of Famer, but he’s clearly past his prime and should consider retiring after this year. And SirVocea Dennis, a fifth-round pick, plays like, well, a fifth-round pick. David still has great instincts and angles, but his athleticism has taken a big hit. Dennis excels at playing downhill, but he isn’t comfortable in space. I’m not sure he’ll be more than a goal-line, short-distance MLB in today’s NFL.
Bucs Lavonte David – Photo by: Buccaneers.com
Defensive Backs
In the secondary, we start with Jamel Dean, who is often injured, and Zion McCollum, another fifth-round pick who hasn’t exceeded expectations and was repeatedly targeted in the game against the Rams. It’s interesting that fans now hope to see Dean healthy on the field this season, after many hoped we’d but him in the middle of last season. On a positive note, we drafted Jacob Parrish, a promising rookie in the third round this year, who looks like one of the best defensive players we’ve picked in a while. He’s got a good future. We also selected Benjamin Morrison in the second round, and while he hasn’t been as impressive as Parrish, he still has potential.
Finally, we have Antoine Winfield, the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL, who hasn’t been a top-10 safety for the past two years. And on the bright side, our strong safety, Tykee Smith might be the best player on the defense this season.
Bucs Tykee Smith – Photo by: Buccaneers.com
Conclusion
Regardless of how this group was assembled, it’s simply not good enough. Yes, they may be mostly homegrown draft picks, but that’s not something to be proud of when the talent level is lacking. Some of these positions should have been filled through free agency. If your first-round picks turn into busts (like Devin White or JTS) and aren’t re-signed after their rookie contracts, you end up with salary cap space that isn’t being utilized. That money should be spent on bringing in a player or two in free agency to help fill these misses.
We don’t have enough playmakers on defense, and our front seven lacks any dawgs. General Manager Jason Licht did what he needed to do to assemble a championship team alongside Brady, but that success will only carry him so long. That team was carried by many Hall of Fame veterans that were either signed as free agents or traded for.
This current team will have even more gaps to fill next year than they did last year. And relying on only a new draft class to build your team, won’t solve our problems. Licht still has never drafted an impactful edge rusher, so where will he find at least one this offseason? How will he replace Lavonte David, and will he need to replace Dennis as well? We’ve invested heavily in McCollum and Winfield, yet they aren’t making plays.
Coach Bowles’ defense has been embarrassingly bad over the past three games, and while much of that falls on him, Licht deserves his share of the blame. His ability to evade responsibility is quickly diminishing.
While we boast about having a roster full of homegrown draft picks, it’s hard to take pride in that when the overall talent level is average at best.
This is a great point. Are we drafting starters but no stars?
great write up
This clearly falls at the feet of Jason Licht and his poor roster construction, we saw last a team in the Rams who went in even harder than we did when they traded all their top draft picks from the last several years. The difference is the Rams have Les Snead a competent GM who knows how to build a scouting department and find diamonds in the rough along with a coaching staff that can turn other teams cast offs into highly productive players.
You are talking about offensive players at the beginning, and then the essay is about the defense. You are talking about replacing Brady and Gronk, offensive players.
But anyway, the Bucs took their shot, won a Superbowl and got in salary cap hell to do it. This year Licht chose to continue to build through the draft rather than mortgaging picks or future cap. It's my opinion/prediction that, rightly or wrongly, Licht no longer has the desire to go through another period of cap hell. He wants to build year after year and be a team like the Chiefs, but without a Mahomes its more likely its the Steelers that we're becoming - winning seasns every year but never really have the horses to win it all.
If you want to win it all you have to go all in at some point. Perhaps Licht just didn't think this was the year to do it. But it was. With all the injuries it's probably a good thing he didn't go all in and bring in a couple big names. But he didn't know about those injuries ahead of time - which is why if he didn't make those big moves this year perhaps he's never going to.
@catherder - you’re right. I wanted to start by showing all the personnel losses from those teams, but then drill down into the defensive losses. You might be right about Licht’s intentions, but that doesn’t work for any team, and he hasn’t shown he's capable of building through the draft. Kansas City has had huge issues with their cap as well, that’s why they’ve lost key players over the years as well. That’s part of the game. Gotta push it as much as you can. The best teams get into cap trouble. Licht will do that soon, or not be here much longer.
This clearly falls at the feet of Jason Licht and his poor roster construction, we saw last a team in the Rams who went in even harder than we did when they traded all their top draft picks from the last several years. The difference is the Rams have Les Snead a competent GM who knows how to build a scouting department and find diamonds in the rough along with a coaching staff that can turn other teams cast offs into highly productive players.
The Rams definitely have a great coach and Les Snead. Also lots of parallels, but the thing that stands out is we won by picking up an outside QB and so did they, but their QB is still there, so we sort of started a rebuild while they cruised along. Anyway:
We won a Super Bowl and then went 13-4 and then won the next 3 division championships
The Rams won a Super Bowl and then went 5-12, 10-7 (2nd), 10-7 (1st).
Their 5-12 season they have no premium picks and then injuries, but with Stafford and McVay they bounce right back. They then go on to get a lot of sacks from their 3rd round pick and their best receiver is a 5th round pick (maybe one of the best in the league). So yes, good point on diamonds in the rough.
And then of course Jared Verse stands out. We would have had to trade Down to get to him, but we stayed and got Barton . .. . but then taking Braswell then in the second.
To me -- and I am totally guessing - that contrast of Verse (who many people posted about here) versus Barton then Braswell seems like the Bucs thought was they can make do with a blitzing pass rush. The 2024 draft certainly doesnt place the Bucs as a team that was thinking it really needed outside pass rush. In that instance they likely trade down for Verse. He was in our back yard so plenty of time to scout him. I dont know his draft profile, but he seems to be the "fire starter" on the front there.
Right on cue to THAT ^^^ point
"“When I first got here, it was ‘F them [draft] picks.’ And now it’s, ‘how about them picks!’, you know what I mean? We are doing a hell of a job,” Stafford said. “And [Rams GM] Les [Snead] is doing a hell of a job of bringing in guys that, you know, they’re really good football players and they’re about the right stuff. I mean, there’s not a guy in our locker room that I can sit there and go, ‘you know, he’s not about what the Rams are about.’ Everybody’s bought in. Everybody is like-minded and [about] what it takes to be good and to be successful in this league.
“You know, we didn’t have a first-round pick for a while after I got here,” Stafford continued. “And he’s made the most of of guys getting picked wherever. And it goes to show you, man, it really doesn’t matter where you get picked in this draft. You know, that’s just the beginning for a lot of these guys. And if those guys have the right mindset of ‘hey, it doesn’t matter where I get picked, I’m here to start my journey in the NFL.’ Great things can happen for them.”
@bucsbits - I totally agree. I was pushing hard for us to trade up and get Verse. He was my best edge in the draft. I said if he drops to 19, go get him. (Easier said than done) Barton is fine, but he’s not a difference maker like Verse. Edge talent isn’t going to fall in your lap. You have to go get them.
The Rams have a better GM, an even better HC, and a vastly superior coaching staff. Look at how they've drafted and their FA signings, and how they develop all that talent. This is why the Bucs continue to languish in mediocrity. They do not continuously improve like great organizations do.
@bucsbits - I totally agree. I was pushing hard for us to trade up and get Verse. He was my best edge in the draft. I said if he drops to 19, go get him. (Easier said than done) Barton is fine, but he’s not a difference maker like Verse. Edge talent isn’t going to fall in your lap. You have to go get them.
This is why I've wondered about the plan inside OBP.
Bowles says in offseason less blitzing more rush 4. We are (or were) blitzing a little less, but the only real change to the front four was Reddick. We had a draft pick injured and Kancey, so maybe its a little misleading but Reddick is the only outside guy with some kind of history. Reddick goes down and the rush 4 basically dies (not that is was great).
This makes the Bucs defense seem like they are currently stuck in the middle of a transition, so rushing four (I have not seen the blitz rate against the Rams) not getting it done so do they blitz but they've been victimized by the blitz?
Philosophically the Rams defense is the same as the Bucs MINUS (huge minus) the blitzing. They dont blitz much but they play a lot of zone behind their rush ands stunts and run a lot of SIM pressure and most similarly disguise coverage.
So, do the Bucs actually mean they want to rush 4 more, but have not secured the talent or are they just giving it lip service and now they are a bit stuck with recent poor performance of the blitz? Might take getting to the offseason to get an answer. They didnt do much for the rush 4 this offseason, but they also had other needs
@bucsbits - that’s the question… is Bowles at a crossroads with his philosophy? Hard to switch when the personnel doesn’t fit. I feel that he didn’t put a huge importance on edge players over other positions, because he felt he could manufacture pass rush. But with today’s offenses that’s harder to pull off. In the playoffs you see defenses that pressure quarterbacks successfully with 4 and can mix 7 in coverage. We can’t do that, because Bowles and Licht haven’t prioritized edge to get that same type of pressure with 4.
...furthermore. I realize this is the Red Board and there's basically no time like the present to discuss any Bucs issue you feel like discussing.
But having said that - is this really the time to assess Licht's entire career as GM? On the Monday after a disgraceful loss? Overreaction Monday is a great time to bash the team if it loses, but to take the opportunity to take a shot at Licht for his entire career is out of line. This could have been posted absolutely any day of the year. Why choose Overreaction Monday after a terrible loss to come out with this detailed analysis? The timing only serves to put your objectivity into question.
@catherder huh? My objectivity? Licht is a big boy. And I’ve questioned him for a long time. Any time is a good time to discuss issues as fans. That’s why we’re fans… we’re emotional. I don’t feel bad for Licht. He does a better job than we could do. But he gets paid to hear second guessing. And I give Bowles more crap than I give anyone. Get out of here with your high moral “objectivity” projection. Either join the discussion or don’t. I don’t care.
