What happen to the argument that Bucs should not draft man CB - LIKE DEAN - because Bowles wants to play zone?
if that was true you definitely drop dean for a zone CB
Cutting Dean saves $8.4M but you're just creating another hole. I would keep him, sign Asante Samuel Jr and move Tykee Smith to Safety. Izien is the 6th man.
Sign a starting ILB while drafting another one in the mid rounds. Then throw every last resource into edge rushers.
Dean isn't bad. just like Carlton Davis isn't bad. they just cant stay healthy
they should cut Dean and sign Charvarius Ward. Ward missed Dean/Davis like games last year but played complete seasons in the 2 prior seasons with San Francisco
one thing is for sure. This is the year for the Bucs to make a splash. They act like they did during their post Brady dead cap hit years of 2023 and 2024 and we are are destined for at best another 9-10 win season and first round playoff exit. Cant run it back with that starting defense.
that defense needs some retooling and with immediate talent upgrades
Ward will be 30 and Spotrac has his value at $15.3M a year. So you're going to cut a $15M CB, bring on $7M of dead money, to sign a 30 year old $15M CB who may or not even be better. They're fairy close. Then you still have to add ANOTHER CB to either start or play nickel. That's why I love the idea of keeping Dean and signing Asante Samuel Jr. It would also allow Dean's snaps to be lowered as you can rotate Izien in.
I don't think Dean is part of the problem. I think there's just a hive mentality to blame the defense and blow it up. 2-3 edge rushers, an ILB and a CB and the defense will be more than adequate. Maybe even good if they hit on the right edge riushers. I propose Haason Reddick on an incentive heavy deal, K'Lavon Chaisson and trade up for Mike Green.
Cutting Dean saves $8.4M but you're just creating another hole. I would keep him, sign Asante Samuel Jr and move Tykee Smith to Safety. Izien is the 6th man.
Sign a starting ILB while drafting another one in the mid rounds. Then throw every last resource into edge rushers.
Dean isn't bad. just like Carlton Davis isn't bad. they just cant stay healthy
they should cut Dean and sign Charvarius Ward. Ward missed Dean/Davis like games last year but played complete seasons in the 2 prior seasons with San Francisco
one thing is for sure. This is the year for the Bucs to make a splash. They act like they did during their post Brady dead cap hit years of 2023 and 2024 and we are are destined for at best another 9-10 win season and first round playoff exit. Cant run it back with that starting defense.
that defense needs some retooling and with immediate talent upgrades
Ward will be 30 and Spotrac has his value at $15.3M a year. So you're going to cut a $15M CB, bring on $7M of dead money, to sign a 30 year old $15M CB who may or not even be better. They're fairy close. Then you still have to add ANOTHER CB to either start or play nickel. That's why I love the idea of keeping Dean and signing Asante Samuel Jr. It would also allow Dean's snaps to be lowered as you can rotate Izien in.
I don't think Dean is part of the problem. I think there's just a hive mentality to blame the defense and blow it up. 2-3 edge rushers, an ILB and a CB and the defense will be more than adequate. Maybe even good if they hit on the right edge riushers. I propose Haason Reddick on an incentive heavy deal, K'Lavon Chaisson and trade up for Mike Green.
i'm not married to the idea of cutting Dean, and i like your view that we are adding a DB like Samuel anyway to bolster the secondary. In my mock, i have us drafting a corner in the 4th round but signing Ward.
Dean is entering his age 29 season and has yet to have a complete season so it's just he puts us at a disadvantage missing a third of the season.
you have the right idea though, we need to sign some guys in free agency at edge and CB. All for drafting to build the team but sometimes you need to add pieces to the squad i.e. Saquan to the Eagles, Gronk to the Bucs, Von Miller to the Rams, etc
If a team offers a 2nd or 3rd for Dean I think he is gone but if a team isn't offering higher compensation then you stick with Dean for another year because you can not replace him that easily unless the team is ready to use a draft pick or spend even more cap space.
As for CB Ward he is a bad solution to the Bucs main problem on defense. Main problem on defense is you need a legit edge rusher on the other side and then stack more edge rushers for a rotation (eg pass rushing DT and a nickel rusher that can come off the bench). That allows the Bucs to keep the nickel or third safety near the box to disrupt routes in the middle of the field. That is how Edwards was used before he left the Bucs and we saw a little of that last year too. Which is why I wouldn't be surprised if Edwards is returned for that role on a cheap deal.
Here is what it could look like:
Sign Uche or Judon as starter
Sign Ojulari nickel edge rusher
Sign Onwuzurike as your third interior DL off the bench and as a hedge against Kancey injury. Onwuzurike is an upgrade over Gholston and Gaines on the inside and can allow Vea/Kancey to be rotated.
Sign Chinn as your third nickel safety/box safety because Whitehead spinal injury is worrisome.
Sign ASjr as NCB and move T. Smith to safety with Winfield Jr.
Re-sign Edwards as your robber safety to disrupt passes midfield.
Punt on signing a LB in free agency if LVD wants to come back. Better off drafting an ILB and developing them. LVD, Dennis, Russel and 2025 drafted ILB would round out this group.
Russell is not an NFL player.
Dennis I worry about injuries.
David is slow AF now and probably will get hurt.
Sign a MLB, draft a MLB before round 3.
Sign a MLB, draft a MLB before round 3.
Yup. You can sign a FA for good depth/rotation.
Draft your future starter at ILB.
In no particular order, go ILB, DL, and either WR or S within the first 3 rounds.
Sign a MLB, draft a MLB before round 3.
Yup. You can sign a FA for good depth/rotation.
Draft your future starter at ILB.
In no particular order, go ILB, DL, and either WR or S within the first 3 rounds.
Yup agreed but I do think we can kick the can on wr for one more year unless one falls to us.
Russell is not an NFL player.
Dennis I worry about injuries.
David is slow AF now and probably will get hurt.
Sign a MLB, draft a MLB before round 3.
Russell is fine as depth as he is an ERFA.
Dennis has injury concerns but so do Kancey and Dean.
David was better than most think last season. I think the Bucs will draft an ILB. Not many veteran ILB that I would say are worth throwing money toward though.
Yup agreed but I do think we can kick the can on wr for one more year unless one falls to us.
Most definitely. Bucs' priority should be defense for just about every position, maybe DL at the bottom of that list, but still, unless a premiere offensive talent fall to them...
Yup agreed but I do think we can kick the can on wr for one more year unless one falls to us.
Most definitely. Bucs' priority should be defense for just about every position, maybe DL at the bottom of that list, but still, unless a premiere offensive talent fall to them...
I do not see the Bucs passing on WR prospects in the third round. McMillan was a great value in the third last draft, and it is going to be a great value position in the third again most likely in the upcoming draft. Same with OG and DL respectively.
Yup agreed but I do think we can kick the can on wr for one more year unless one falls to us.
Most definitely. Bucs' priority should be defense for just about every position, maybe DL at the bottom of that list, but still, unless a premiere offensive talent fall to them...
I do not see the Bucs passing on WR prospects in the third round. McMillan was a great value in the third last draft, and it is going to be a great value position in the third again most likely in the upcoming draft. Same with OG and DL respectively.
but why? How many years evans on this team in your mind?
how about Godwin? Atleast 3 right?
Speaking of guard. The only offensive player I would consider at 19 that would realistically be there is Kelvin Banks Jr. His frame and skill set screams All-Pro guard. He'll be drafted as a LT, he'll play either OT spot well but for us we could slide him in right next to Wirfs and have a historically great offensive line.
Yup agreed but I do think we can kick the can on wr for one more year unless one falls to us.
Most definitely. Bucs' priority should be defense for just about every position, maybe DL at the bottom of that list, but still, unless a premiere offensive talent fall to them...
I do not see the Bucs passing on WR prospects in the third round. McMillan was a great value in the third last draft, and it is going to be a great value position in the third again most likely in the upcoming draft. Same with OG and DL respectively.
but why? How many years evans on this team in your mind?
how about Godwin? Atleast 3 right?
I am thinking 2 more years to be honest for Evans and Godwin maybe 3, but that could be only 2 years. Plus, if Higgins is there in the third round why would the Bucs pass on him? At 6-4 217 Higgins would compliment McMillan well.
Speaking of guard. The only offensive player I would consider at 19 that would realistically be there is Kelvin Banks Jr. His frame and skill set screams All-Pro guard. He'll be drafted as a LT, he'll play either OT spot well but for us we could slide him in right next to Wirfs and have a historically great offensive line.
Don't be surprised if Licht drafts another guard to plug in because Bredeson might be overpaid by some other team based on the Bucs offensive ranking in 2024 and not his true play performance. People assume the Bucs go defense with the first pick but guard is in play as a darkhorse possibility.
This draft is full of collegiate tackles that will convert to guard and Licht isn't going to pass up on that type of value.
This draft is full of collegiate tackles that will convert to guard and Licht isn't going to pass up on that type of value.
If that's the case, why would Licht spend a 1st on a guard?
Yup agreed but I do think we can kick the can on wr for one more year unless one falls to us.
Most definitely. Bucs' priority should be defense for just about every position, maybe DL at the bottom of that list, but still, unless a premiere offensive talent fall to them...
I do not see the Bucs passing on WR prospects in the third round. McMillan was a great value in the third last draft, and it is going to be a great value position in the third again most likely in the upcoming draft. Same with OG and DL respectively.
If there's value at the position go for it. I'm all about BPA. I just prefer that player is on defense for 80% of this draft