We aren’t replacing 2020 LVD, we are replacing an aging LB whose best days were behind him. David said as much.
So the question is, do the additions of Walker, Robinson, Anzalone, Bain, and Trotter unlock our defense.
Would be tough to think that we won’t be better positioned to do the things we want to do which an in your face 3-4 with lots of blitzes and coverage disguises.
We are the only team without a defensive coordinator
I mean shit even Gruden had bill muir
the ceiling with Bowles a 16th ranked unit. That might be good enough for the offense to carry team
assuming Robinson is better than he was in Atlanta and we are healthy then last year, we could be looking at 9 wins! Tough schedule
The Bucs added another DB that can play read and react zone play in the rookie Scott. So now with Scott, Morrison and Parrish I think the Bucs can play their "new way" on the backend. Pressure up front helps with a true rotation at OLB (Bain, Muhammad, Walker) and ILB playing their landmarks correctly. Too often Dennis was out of position or not forcing ball carriers inside while LVD was trying to do too much and look gassed as his mind was not in synch with his body. LVD body was not cooperating anymore and the film showed this.
Rozeboom was rarely out of position as he was piling up those tackles and Anazalone was always in position to make a play. Dennis could improve too along with Jackson and Bullocks. But if Trotter brings his work man like attitude he will leap frog Dennis, Jackson and Bullock quickly on the depth chart. Trotter is very polished playing the game as LB so I would not be surprised to see the Bucs platoon Rozeboom with Trotter as an example.
NCB and S the Bucs can do a lot of combinations because T. Smith used to play NCB as well as Winfield Jr. Parrish could be the starting boundary CB and kick into NCB on third downs too. MCcCollum has the athleticism to play NCB or S if need be too. Rookie Scott is supposedly going to be cross trained at safety and NCB and that was JJ Roberts role a year ago before injuries. Hayes will be a swiss army knife playing a bit boundary CB, S and NCB while also ST.
Lack of a veteran boundary CB from the big three or four is apparent (Parrish, McCollum, Morrison, and Scott).
We are the only team without a defensive coordinator
I mean shit even Gruden had bill muir
lol hilarious.
the ceiling with Bowles a 16th ranked unit. That might be good enough for the offense to carry team
I think his average defensive ranking since HC is 14 (scoring)
it could be much worse next season if, for example, the defense falters early and he loses them again
it could also be much better with the additions. It's hard to understate how poorly our ILBs played last season
the ceiling with Bowles a 16th ranked unit. That might be good enough for the offense to carry team
I think his average defensive ranking since HC is 14 (scoring)
it could be much worse next season if, for example, the defense falters early and he loses them again
it could also be much better with the additions. It's hard to understate how poorly our ILBs played last season
they ranked 20th last year given up an average of 24 points per game
remarkable during the collapse of 2-4 to end the year, they only gave up more than half the season average once
17 points
24 points
23 points
29 points
20 points
14 points
the ceiling with Bowles a 16th ranked unit. That might be good enough for the offense to carry team
I think his average defensive ranking since HC is 14 (scoring)
it could be much worse next season if, for example, the defense falters early and he loses them again
it could also be much better with the additions. It's hard to understate how poorly our ILBs played last season
they ranked 20th last year given up an average of 24 points per game
remarkable during the collapse of 2-4 to end the year, they only gave up more than half the season average once
17 points
24 points
23 points
29 points
20 points
14 points
The problem is if a defense can't hold a team to 20 or under it is hard to ask the offense to score that extra TD or FG to ensure the W. Bucs offense faltered down the stretch from their earlier averages during the season too so the Bucs were leaving on average 6 to 14 points off the scoreboard, and that would have translate to Ws.
The defense had a hard time stopping some mediocre teams down the stretch. The offense failed to perform at an average level. It was a complete collapse if you factor in special teams and then Bowles approach.
Dare to dream but the changes made on defense are substantial enough for us to really jump up in the rankings. Bain changes everything.
It was a complete collapse if you factor in special teams and then Bowles approach.
Agreed. And this is why the potential outcomes for this season have such a huge variance. Bowles has to recover the team's confidence and that is no small task.
early success critical
Same grinning idiot head coach with still no defensive coordinator. This team will be no better than they were last year.
@evans-is-my-daddy I know you want to hate watch but do you honestly think we haven’t improved on defense??
@evans-is-my-daddy I know you want to hate watch but do you honestly think we haven’t improved on defense??
I understand the doubt. Bowles can screw up the new additions and probably will.
@theknees A lot will be expected of rookies by the fans, but the reality is that rookies take time to develop. For Bain, he's almost been playing pro level football already and he seems to be a guy who comes in with a pro mentality from the jump. I can see him having a big impact pretty much right away. As for the rest of the rookies its the case where if the team is depending on them to step in and fill a gaping hole right away well that's not what winning teams do. They don't depend on rookies to save their bacon. Its the veteran additions who will have to be counted on and sure even winning teams have to depend on free agents to fill holes, but those free agents are 50 50 at best. So do we legitimately think Rozeboom, Anzalone and Robinson are going to be huge upgrades enough to turn this defense around? I hope so. They'll need to be. We thought Reddick would be a big addition last year, but he was a bust.
@theknees - Well on the first statement, you are just wrong as you commonly are here. On your second statement, yes, I think personnel-wise the team improved. They improved in the trenches, at edge, linebacker (not Trotter), and at nickel corner. That being said, I also don't see the collapse as much as a personnel problem as I saw it being coaching, execution, and poor scheming. From the soft walkthroughs, lack of practices, and game-planning to the constantly predictable blitz packages that the grinning idiot thinks is effective. So because that did not change, no, I don't think the team will be any better. Had the grinning idiot brought in a defensive coordinator that understands the strengths of Bowles defense and how to better execute it, then yes, the team would improve.@evans-is-my-daddy I know you want to hate watch but do you honestly think we haven’t improved on defense??
We thought Reddick would be a big addition last year, but he was a bust.
He was viewed as too small with a lousy attitude. We were all hopeful but there were signs that he wasn’t the guy even before he got here. I don’t see this in any of the FA signings we have done this off-season. In fact, there’s a lot more lunch pail in our defense than I can remember.
Here’s who is new - Bain, Trotter, Scott, Anzalone, Robinson, Muhammad, Rozeboom…
Speaks more to a new approach than what we did last offseason. College is such in 2026 where most are ready to contribute right away.
