PR just posted this video by SR
"Pewter Pulse: Bucs Must FLOOD THE DEFENSE In 2025 Offseason"
Linebacker - "get rid of Britt . . they need 2 speedy LBs who can cover . . . flood the position"
CB - "move on from Dean like they did from Davis". "McCollum a KEEPER" "Blow up everyone else besides McCollum and Smith"
S -- "upgrade the position . .. Whitehead big concern . . cant be the presumptive starter in 2025 -- Edwards, Izien, Merriewether. . . not starters"
"Set at DT, need an ALPHA edge, pencil in SVD as one LB but flood position, secondary . . move on from Dean and blow up everyone else besides McCollum and Smith"
Winfield, Vea, Diaby, McCollum, Kancey.
Everyone else can go or stay for a fraction of the price.
Winfield, Vea, Diaby, McCollum, Kancey.
Everyone else can go or stay for a fraction of the price.
So, the defense that did "less with less" . . had 5 NFL starters and one of them . . . the STAR player (Winfield) . . . was clearly injured all season and playing at a fraction of his ability
First move of the offseason
"Jennings will also be in the mix at the position. He played in all of the Ravens’ preseason games, recording seven solo tackles and three assisted tackles while earning a 47.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. While that grade does not jump off the page, the player grading site was high on his coverage abilities, giving him a 75.4 grade.
The Bucs’ linebacking corps was most vulnerable in coverage in 2024, so it makes sense that the team would look to shore up that deficiency."
I think LVB finished with a 59 coverage grade
Bowles would play more M2M with better talent
Bowles
"“I think early on, maybe the Denver game, I would say that was not a good ballgame for [deand & McCollum]. But when they were together, it gives us freedom to play more man [defense] and trying to cover different guys and do a lot of things. Obviously, when they get hurt, then you have to adjust things. You have to change up a little bit.
“But when you get them both healthy at the same time, which is tough to do, obviously, you got two good corners."
HIS POINT ABOUT "when they are together" was on full display in the playoff game BECAUSE Dean goes down Hayes comes in and is immediately burned by McLaurin for a TD AND late in the game the two CBs switch sides (not typical) to make sure McCollum was on McLaurin (as much as possible)
We're spoiled. We've been fortunate that for the last six years the starting QB has not missed a game. Before that we've needed the backup to start in 13 of the 20 previous years and in 28 of the 49 seasons in total.
Season(s) Quarterback (games) Ref.
1976 Steve Spurrier (12) / Parnell Dickinson (1) / Terry Hanratty (1) [1]
1977 Randy Hedberg (4) / Gary Huff (6) / Jeb Blount (4) [2]
1978 Doug Williams (10) / Mike Boryla (1) / Mike Rae (5) [3]
1979 Doug Williams (16) [4]
1980 Doug Williams (16) [5]
1981 Doug Williams (16) [6]
1982 Doug Williams (9) [7]
1983 Jerry Golsteyn (3) / Jack Thompson (13) [8]
1984 Jack Thompson (3) / Steve DeBerg (13) [9]
1985 Steve DeBerg (11) / Steve Young (5) [10]
1986 Steve DeBerg (2) / Steve Young (14) [11]
1987 Steve DeBerg (8) / John Reaves (2) / Jim Zorn (1) / Vinny Testaverde (4) [12]
1988 Vinny Testaverde (15) / Joe Ferguson (1) [13]
1989 Vinny Testaverde (14) / Joe Ferguson (2) [14]
1990 Vinny Testaverde (13) / Chris Chandler (3) [15]
1991 Vinny Testaverde (12) / Chris Chandler (3) / Jeff Carlson (1) [16]
1992 Vinny Testaverde (14) / Steve DeBerg (2) [17]
1993 Steve DeBerg (1) / Craig Erickson (15) [18]
1994 Craig Erickson (14) / Trent Dilfer (2) [19]
1995 Trent Dilfer (16) [20]
1996 Trent Dilfer (16) [21]
1997 Trent Dilfer (16) [22]
1998 Trent Dilfer (16) [23]
1999 Trent Dilfer (10) / Shaun King (5) / Eric Zeier (1) [24]
2000 Shaun King (16) [25]
2001 Brad Johnson (16) [26]
2002 Brad Johnson (13) / Rob Johnson (2) / Shaun King (1) [27]
2003 Brad Johnson (16) [28]
2004 Brad Johnson (4) / Chris Simms (2) / Brian Griese (10) [29]
2005 Brian Griese (6) / Chris Simms (10) [30]
2006 Chris Simms (3) / Bruce Gradkowski (11) / Tim Rattay (2) [31]
2007 Jeff Garcia (13) / Luke McCown (3) [32]
2008 Jeff Garcia (11) / Brian Griese (5) [33]
2009 Byron Leftwich (3) / Josh Johnson (4) / Josh Freeman (9) [34]
2010 Josh Freeman (16) [35]
2011 Josh Freeman (15) / Josh Johnson (1) [36]
2012 Josh Freeman (16) [37]
2013 Josh Freeman (3) / Mike Glennon (13) [38]
2014 Josh McCown (11) / Mike Glennon (5) [39]
2015 Jameis Winston (16) [40]
2016 Jameis Winston (16) [41]
2017 Jameis Winston (13) / Ryan Fitzpatrick (3) [42]
2018 Jameis Winston (9) / Ryan Fitzpatrick (7) [43]
2019 Jameis Winston (16) [44]
2020 Tom Brady (16) [45]
2021 Tom Brady (17) [46]
2022 Tom Brady (17) [47]
2023 Baker Mayfield (17) [48]
2024 Baker Mayfield (17)
It is not spoiled it is deliberate planning to have capable OL and a scheme where the football is out of the QB's hands. Helps to have elite WRs too.
This is why drafting another WR even if Godwin re-signs is a must. Coen can do some serious damage if the Bucs upgrade the skill positions a little more.
Defensively the reason why I didn't list ILB higher is simply because it is an easy position to fill compared to edge rusher for example.
new punter
The 6-foot-two, 217-pound punter had 107 punts for 5,773 yards during the Elks’ 2024 season. He led the CFL in gross average (54.0 yards) and net average (40.0 yards). That broke the league’s single-season gross punting record of 50.6 set by future Super Bowl champion Jon Ryan in 2005. Julien also tied for the CFL lead with eight punts downed inside the 10-yard line and recorded 15 single-point “rouges,” including an incredible game-winner in overtime.
This is why drafting another WR even if Godwin re-signs is a must. Coen can do some serious damage if the Bucs upgrade the skill positions a little more.
Don’t need to burn a Day 1 or 2 pick on WR if Godwin is re-signed.
Would love to see Culp on the field more.
This is why drafting another WR even if Godwin re-signs is a must. Coen can do some serious damage if the Bucs upgrade the skill positions a little more.
Don’t need to burn a Day 1 or 2 pick on WR if Godwin is re-signed.
Would love to see Culp on the field more.
I don't think we should draft any WR unless there is insane value.
Agreed
This is why drafting another WR even if Godwin re-signs is a must. Coen can do some serious damage if the Bucs upgrade the skill positions a little more.
Don’t need to burn a Day 1 or 2 pick on WR if Godwin is re-signed.
Would love to see Culp on the field more.
I don't think we should draft any WR unless there is insane value.
Agreed
The third round is always insane value for WRs though. Licht will probably go back to that well again because Palmer/Johnson are just utility players which is fine. And yes seeing more of Culp and Durham would be nice too.
Bucs definitely favor trenches in round 1 so I think that is where they go. Rounds 2 and 3 are usually skill positions so a DB and a WR are in play IMO.
We cannot ignore LB anymore. It's killing us
A few thoughts to mull over:
- it doesn’t matter if he has better talent, Bowles’ mojo is bringing heat and playing zone to not get beat deep. And today’s offenses are able to more easily take advantage of it.
- don’t be so quick to have LVD retire. He still makes so many plays in the run game and screen games. I’m afraid to see how this defense would look without LVD on the field.
- I think we’ve wasted Vita’s talent the last 3 years by not putting a stud edge next to him. Can you imagine a real threat next to Vita and Kancey? And not having to bring extra rushers which leads to open receivers for quick completions. QBs might have to hold the ball a little longer and let our boys do work. Yaya is serviceable, but he is really a #2 pass rusher on a team. He’d be even better with a #1 on this team.
I do not think a stud edge rusher makes a difference because Bowles is still going to want to blitz. So you need players that can play in zone. Need inside line backer that can cover the pipe and middle hashmarks and then OLB that can drop into zone but also be able to rush the passer.
Dennis is closer to being the prototypical OLB needed to run this zone defense but he is penciled in to be the ILB.
We cannot ignore LB anymore. It's killing us
The draft doesn't really show easy answers for that position which is why drafting a DB and converting them to an ILB is more likely. Patriots drafted Mapu and did the exact thing as he is a hybrid safety/LB.
That is why the Bucs also had Neal playing as a LB due to injuries.
I do not think a stud edge rusher makes a difference because Bowles is still going to want to blitz.
I hope that’s not the case. Obviously, Bowles will still blitz. All DC’s do. But you don’t need to blitz as much if you have Mad Maxx screaming off the edge.
