Not sure how far this is from the norm, but Sunday the Bucs starting 11 on defense is all draft picks or UDFAs?
D-LINE: Nelson, Kancey, Vea and Diaby
LB's: David and Britt
DB's: Dean, McCollum, Winfield, Edwards and Izien
The "ALL-LICHT" team maybe?
As one point of comparison, the Lions added DT Reader, DE Davenport, both outside CBs and I think their NB.
Makes sense... We haven't really had funds to add FA and then it's just randomly adding Whitehead and Edwards back for cheap.
With the amount of draft capital Licht has put into edge rusher with nothing to show for it we might as well have just traded for Crosby
The Bucs haven't really spent a lot of resources at the position. JTS was drafted late and the same with Braswell and Braswell is rookie. Diaby was a late third round pick.
Too early to tell on those two players but the Bucs could have traded up and drafted Verse. But the problem is the Bucs have too many holes so that is why Barton was drafted along with T. Smith and J. McMillan. Hard to fix so many areas in one off season.
That is why I think Edge, CB and ILB are addressed in the 2025 draft.
The Bucs haven't really spent a lot of resources at the position. JTS was drafted late and the same with Braswell and Braswell is rookie. Diaby was a late third round pick.
Exactly.
The Dungy era Bucs brought in Rice. The Arians era, JPP and Barrett
in terms of the draft, true killer edge rushers are usually coming from top 10 picks the Bucs haven’t had
The Bucs haven't really spent a lot of resources at the position.
Devin White - 5th overall
JTS - 32nd overall
Logan Hall - 33rd overall
The organization has used a lot of high draft capital on defense to be at the bottom of the league in yards and points.
The Bucs haven't really spent a lot of resources at the position.
Devin White - 5th overall
JTS - 32nd overall
Logan Hall - 33rd overall
The organization has used a lot of high draft capital on defense to WIN A SUPER BOWL AND TRY TO REPEAT . . . AND NOW be at the bottom of the league in yards and points, WITH INJURIES.
CONTEXT
ALLDAWAY SAID "at the position."
you switched to entire DEFENSE . . . and then left out the context
The Bucs have spent a lot of resources in the front seven since Licht arrived with White, Vea, Kancey, Diaby, JTS, Hall, Nelson, and Braswell.
But Vea and Kancey were higher first round picks than JTS and JTS is more like a high second rounder which still makes him disappointing. White was top five and they chose White over J. allen so while the Bucs have five drafted edge rushers on the roster currently that isn't really "enough" in my book. Only JTS is a high draft pick at the position. The rookie Braswell was pick 57 at the bottom of the second round.
Barton and Wirfs were drafted in the first round. Mauch was drafted a round earlier than Diaby. Where is the edge rusher drafted in round 1 higher than JTS? Adrian Clayborn and he was pick #20 overall. Gaines Adams if you want to go further back.
The Bucs are long overdue to take and edge rusher a lot higher IMO. If it requires trading up that is fine just have to pull the trigger or trade for an edge rusher of higher caliber.
We will see what the young guys at edge show down the stretch but I think Licth gambled a bit but also punted at the position due to limited resources this off season.
Only JTS is a high draft pick at the position. The rookie Braswell was pick 57 at the bottom of the second round.
Barton and Wirfs were drafted in the first round. Mauch was drafted a round earlier than Diaby. Where is the edge rusher drafted in round 1 higher than JTS?
This ^^^, exactly.
It is impossible to know what is in the mind of the Bucs FO, but one thought that would mesh with the current circumstances is that with almost NO free agency ($ driven) the Bucs were hoping that Bowles, just like in 2023, could manufacture defense sufficient to make them competitive and he did through the first 4 games. The defense is almost the same as 2023 through the first four games, so that defense and this much better offense and . . .boom, the Bucs are competitive.
The big difference between 2023 defense and 2024 defense is INJURIES.
Its the big difference between the two teams, period. You can see the Point allowed go up wth the Falcons game (picking on Britt etc) and you cna see the scoring go down without Godwin and Evans.
let's see where the go from here against weaker competition
Just stop reaching on third round edge talent in the first and second. It's not that complicated.
We need BPA with our 1st round pick preferably on defense.
2nd round pick I want a LB. 3rd round pick I want a CB or LB.
4th -7th BPA but take a handful of corners.
Just stop reaching on third round edge talent in the first and second.
+1
Well seeing that our defense completely sucks this year, not sure if this post is meant to brag on Licht, or indict him
The Bucs haven't really spent a lot of resources at the position.
You make a good point. A 1, 2, 2, 3,3,4 really isn’t a bad investment for 4 sacks or whatever bullshit we’re getting from our edge rushers
Just stop reaching on third round edge talent in the first and second. It's not that complicated.
We need BPA with our 1st round pick preferably on defense.
2nd round pick I want a LB. 3rd round pick I want a CB or LB.
4th -7th BPA but take a handful of corners.
BAP at the end of round 1 is usually boundary CB and I think this is what the Bucs do for 2025 so they can have a five year contract at a premium positions. They will probably have to trade for an edge rusher. With a 2 or 3 they probably go ILB.
Alternative is they trade into the top 15 to take an edge rusher and have to find a way to fill the gap of ILB or CB via free agency.
Drafting Devin White over Josh Allen set this defense back. We'd probably be a top 10 unit had they used common sense.
