Vea
Kancey
Dennis
Diaby
McCollum
Winfield Jr.
Smith
Izien/Whitehead
Hall
From what I have seen these players are near locks to be starters moving forward.
I have seen comments that some people believe the Bucs have 3-5 true defensive starters. But from what I have seen the Bucs really need to upgrade the edge rusher position opposite of Diaby. And, to upgrade both ILB spots and opposite boundary CB with McCollum.
So to me the Bucs need four new starters on defense in 2025.
Curious to see what others are thinking.
I'm not sold on Diaby as a full time starter, atleast should be coming off on pass downs.
Smith needs to play strong safety. He needs to be on the field 100% of the time. Not only in nickel situations. Whitehead should go. Izien, although I really like him, is a backup. Hall is a rotational player. Yaya is a true #2 edge rusher. We need a stud. We need a free agent edge. Put that guy next to Vita and Kancey and we could be scary. And Yaya would be even better.
I'm not sold on Diaby as a full time starter, atleast should be coming off on pass downs.
Diaby had a high pressure rate. Braswell is not better and I doubt the Bucs can find two edge rush starters in one off season.
Smith needs to play strong safety. He needs to be on the field 100% of the time. Not only in nickel situations. Whitehead should go. Izien, although I really like him, is a backup. Hall is a rotational player. Yaya is a true #2 edge rusher. We need a stud. We need a free agent edge. Put that guy next to Vita and Kancey and we could be scary. And Yaya would be even better.
Smith is probably better at NCB because while Izien can go back to playing nickle he is better suited as a safety Unless the Bucs can find an upgrade at NCB then maybe they can kick Smith to safety.
Izien/Merriweather have shown enough for me as capable starters. And that is with Winfield/Whitehead having a down year in 2024 season.
2 LBs, 1 boundary CB, and 1 DE sounds about right. Don't care what gets addressed first just draft the right players please. We've recycled corners every 4 years it seems and same with the edge guys.
I'm not sold on Diaby as a full time starter, atleast should be coming off on pass downs.
Diaby had a high pressure rate. Braswell is not better and I doubt the Bucs can find two edge rush starters in one off season.
I don't feel Diaby on pass rush downs. Pass rushers are available, just have to know what to look for. Which Licht obviously doesn't.
Vea
Kancey
Dennis
Diaby
McCollum
Winfield Jr.
Smith
Izien/Whitehead
Hall
From what I have seen these players are near locks to be starters moving forward.
I dont think the Bucs think Smith, Izien/Whitehead and Hall are starters and I dont think they believe Dennis is anything. ore than someone who would compete for the spot.
I dont think the Bucs think Smith, Izien/Whitehead and Hall are starters and I dont think they believe Dennis is anything. ore than someone who would compete for the spot.
Smith is a clear starter at NCB because they felt that Izien wasn't good enough in the slot in 2023 which prompted the team to draft Smith in the first place. Team can move Smith to safety but moving Izien back to NCB is a downgrade. Basically what I am saying is that Smith a NCB and Izien at safety is better than Izien at NCb and Smith at safety.
There is a chance the team looks AGAIN for another NCB starter but not likely given the Bucs have more pressing needs on defense.
Hall I think surpassed Gholston and earn his starting role this past season. Not a guarantee to be re-signed but he has earned his starting stripes finally.
I don't feel Diaby on pass rush downs. Pass rushers are available, just have to know what to look for. Which Licht obviously doesn't
Diaby had some of the highest pressure rates among active pass rushers in the NFL during the regular season. And that is with him dropping into so much zone coverage too.
2 LBs, 1 boundary CB, and 1 DE sounds about right. Don't care what gets addressed first just draft the right players please. We've recycled corners every 4 years it seems and same with the edge guys.
The problem is Bowles wants big bodied edges to play the run, but he also wants guys that can play in space which means they do not exist in the NFL unless they are a freak or an NFL HOF.
So Bowles will have to settle for smaller DEs that can play in space and still rush the passer. There are players out that can play in space and rush the passer (eg Judon, Clowney) but the team really has to ramp up their efforts at edge with some higher twitch athletes to play OLB if they are going to be asked to drop into coverage 20% of the time or higher.
Boundary CB will be easier to address because zone CBs are easy to find in rounds 2 and 3 but I don't see the point of burning a first on a zone CB.
ILB is going to be a tough one to figure out which is why I have Dennis penciled into one of the spots because drafting two capable ILB that can start like edge is almost impossible. Realistically the Bucs have Dennis, sign a vet FA and then draft a ILB and let the best two win.
Pressure is subjective.
Alldaway - I don’t care what Bowles has wanted in the past, he needs to rethink his scheme and personnel preferences. He needs some lean bodies with explosive quickness at edge. Not all these big bodied bull rushing edges.
And Smith is definitely a starting safety. More safety than corner. And I’ve always said one issue with Bowles nickel is the fact that he’s gone with safeties at nickel back the last few years. But that does more fit his zone scheme. If he intended to run more M2M man he should put a corner at nickel. And Izien is not the solution at nickel or safety. He is great to have on the team as depth and for special teams.
With a heavy zone defense you do not need elite players at safety or CB which is why Winfield Jr, Whitehead, Merriweather, Izien and Smith is more than enough. But Smith is more better with his explosion as a NCB than safety because that is where he could generate more turnover in the slot versus playing centerfield. Plus, Winfield Jr can play centerfield better anyways.
The problem is if Bowles wants to keep playing a LeBeau heavy zone style of defense with fire zone in shallow areas for example. Then Bowles has to blitz NCBs and boundary CBs more because modern offenses are passing the ball out faster. A safety can only put pressure or sack a QB if they are on the line on the 8 gap or one of the A gaps but that is telegraphing what is going to happen. Delayed safety blitzes require timing and again are harder to execute.
This is why when Winfield Jr. was playing exclusive as a NCB he was able to generate pressures and sacks this way because you can disguise that blitz better. That is why they drafted Smith to do as well but did not execute that this regular season unfortunately.
So if Bowles is going to drop OLB in zone they can not telegraph that and where the blitz is coming from which is why Bowles scheme is being exposed. Bowles is telegraphing where the blitz is coming and then having Nelson or Vea drop into zone which is easy pickings for offense.
So really it isn't like the Bucs need 8 new starters on defense rather that Bowles needs to adjust his defensive scheme for the personnel he has to work with.
Are we sure about Kancey and his short arms?
Basically what I am saying is that Smith a NCB and Izien at safety is better than Izien at NCb and Smith at safety.
yes I think youre right
On the rest, you seem to be saying who is capable of being a starter which I think is a little different than going with them as starter. Their entire set of DBs this season were "capable" of being starters because they were . . starters. Doesnt mean they would be opening day starters on any NFL team
@bucsbits - the real issue is that Izien shouldn’t be our plan for next year. He is a good depth player and excellent for special teams. The best nickel players are corners.
I don't know that Whitehead is a lock. He hasn't been the same player, and his contract, although only $4.5 mil, has zero dead cap consequences. Another free agent could be brought in for the same amount of money. It depends on what Whitehead has left in the tank.
