...and it's really hard to argue with AI here
Offense: We lost Evans and while in madden franchise, having Egbuka and McMillian continue to boost ratings could step up, it's a question mark. Talent doesn't = Hall of Fame game changer. Egbuka disappeared in the second half of the year and it had nothing to do with lack of targets, McMillian cant seem to stay heathly, and Godwin is either the guy he was in 2024 or the guy he was in 2025; two entirely different receivers! Getting a new play caller should help on offense but we didnt improve losing Mike Evans, that's for sure
Defense: Added a bunch of "JAG" in their 30s. Sure, i feel it will help but i still see the defense being close to their 20th overall ranking last year as it stands today
Special teams: New coach, one special teams ace player, has got to be better
so overall, i'd have to agree, likely got slightly worse talent wise from where we were a year ago.....not sure draft can change it that much, maybe get us back to even....
McMillan cant seem to stay healthy? Dude broke his neck from a hospital ball and came back to play the same season, not like he pulled a hamstring.
why'd he miss 4 games his rookie year?
and a neck injury....thats scrary...is he one hit away from retirement i.e. Alstott?
Bowles is essentially in a contract year.
is he in a contract year
i would have argued that was last year before the extension. He is now extended through the 2028 season.
so i would argue 2027 would be the contract year now where he wont enter 2028 as a lame duck head coach
You could not have had a worse end to the year for Tampa after a 6-2 start. Maybe losing the Panthers game that was won 16-14 would have been worse, but would that have been enough to move on from Bowles in the Glazers mind? Was that fluke ugly win enough for them to keep him or was their mind made up in Summer 2025 when they did the extension.
One would think Todd is firmly on the hot seat and that 2026 must be a playoff season but who can exactly guess whats going their managements mind in the fact that he is still head coach and still defensive coordinator to boot. It's almost like they dont care.
may look at a qb as well honestly.
Backup QB needs to be addressed better than Browing.
Will be in the 30s before we are looking for a starting QB again.
I'm not opposed to draft a QB in the third or later if someone falls.
i mean, idk, third is premium capital.
if Baker goes back to 2024 or close to 2024 levels, we got our QB; if he remains a top 20ish type guy, i think we need to think bigger with QB, like first round pick etc.
so for 2026 draft, i look at this team
LDE - Al-Quadin Muhhamid - JAG
NT - Vita Vea - close to obsolete
RDE - A'Shawn Robinson - JAG
WLB - Yaya Diaby - Good
LILB - Alex Anzalone - JAG
RILB - Christian Rozeboom - JAG
SLB - Anthony Nelson -JAG
It looks to be we could use the first 4 draft picks in the front 7. The Secondary looks pretty set, would argue maybe a TE or OG would also be of better use than a back-up QB.
Bucs are higher on Roberts and Walker than most. Nick Jackson is also in the mix too.
But if the goal is to go bigger on defense the Bucs will be drafting a bigger DT and LB for the front seven. Edge rusher is a question mark.
I think the Bucs use 3 picks on the front seven, one on a boundary CB and the rest on offense (WR, OL, RB).
is he in a contract year
i would have argued that was last year before the extension. He is now extended through the 2028 season.
It's not technically a contract year but he's playing for his legacy and job. Last year wasn't this (hindsight) because he kept his job despite it being a failure of a season. A repeat this year and he's def gone.
may look at a qb as well honestly.
Backup QB needs to be addressed better than Browing.
Will be in the 30s before we are looking for a starting QB again.
I'm not opposed to draft a QB in the third or later if someone falls.
i mean, idk, third is premium capital.
if Baker goes back to 2024 or close to 2024 levels, we got our QB; if he remains a top 20ish type guy, i think we need to think bigger with QB, like first round pick etc.
so for 2026 draft, i look at this team
LDE - Al-Quadin Muhhamid - JAG
NT - Vita Vea - close to obsolete
RDE - A'Shawn Robinson - JAG
WLB - Yaya Diaby - Good
LILB - Alex Anzalone - JAG
RILB - Christian Rozeboom - JAG
SLB - Anthony Nelson -JAG
It looks to be we could use the first 4 draft picks in the front 7. The Secondary looks pretty set, would argue maybe a TE or OG would also be of better use than a back-up QB.
JAG at LB is an upgrade over injured/old David and the joke Dennks.
Anzalone is a pretty dang good "JAG" imo and he gives us flexibility in the draft to take a LB early or maybe wait.
Vea close to obsolete? Cmon now
I'm not gonna gush over our front 7 because we are still bottom third but if Kancey can give us something and we grab some talent in the draft we could be middle of the pack on defense with a solid secondary.
I also would like guard... And I'm not advocating for drafting a QB but Simpson in the third I wouldn't be mad. Allar in the 5th would be good. Nuss in the 4th.
Again they have to fall...
why'd he miss 4 games his rookie year?
and a neck injury....thats scrary...is he one hit away from retirement i.e. Alstott?
I don't blame you for being negative... We're all fed up. But you're losing objectivity.
It's not technically a contract year but he's playing for his legacy and job.
Legacy?
LOL!!!!!!
Dude I hate Bowles but he has a legacy. He's still a super bowl champion DC. He's still a 3x division champ.
He's washed and I wanted him gone and still want him gone... But to act like he doesn't have a legacy makes no sense.
The bottom line in everything I've said is he's on the hot seat + pride.
However we wanna call that, if that doesn't get the best out of him then I don't know what will.
That's all I'm trying to say...
The cynicism is ubiquitous and I'm usually more cynical than most so...
Dude I hate Bowles but he has a legacy.
He sure does.
The only HC that had a losing season with Tom Brady.
The guy who created a culture so amazing that the greatest offensive player in franchise history opted to leave for less money.
He's a legacy of dogshit, masked by playing in the worst division in football the past several years.
If you want to know what his legacy REALLY is, then let's see the crowd's reaction to his ROH induction ceremony.
Dude I hate Bowles but he has a legacy.
He sure does.
The only HC that had a losing season with Tom Brady.
The guy who created a culture so amazing that the greatest offensive player in franchise history opted to leave for less money.
He's a legacy of dogshit, masked by playing in the worst division in football the past several years.
If you want to know what his legacy REALLY is, then let's see the crowd's reaction to his ROH induction ceremony.
Cmon man you're preaching to the choir. I'm just saying he still has pride and doesn't want to go out a loser (even if we both think he already is). So "contract year".
That's all I'm saying
It's not technically a contract year but he's playing for his legacy and job.
Legacy?
LOL!!!!!!
Dude I hate Bowles but he has a legacy. He's still a super bowl champion DC. He's still a 3x division champ.
He's washed and I wanted him gone and still want him gone... But to act like he doesn't have a legacy makes no sense.
The bottom line in everything I've said is he's on the hot seat + pride.
However we wanna call that, if that doesn't get the best out of him then I don't know what will.
That's all I'm trying to say...
The cynicism is ubiquitous and I'm usually more cynical than most so...
that kind of reasonable take will get you nowhere lmao.
This is a message board that has claimed Bowles was a DEI hire etc.
of course he has a legacy and pride.
is he in a contract year
i would have argued that was last year before the extension. He is now extended through the 2028 season.
It's not technically a contract year but he's playing for his legacy and job. Last year wasn't this (hindsight) because he kept his job despite it being a failure of a season. A repeat this year and he's def gone.
yes I agree.
I think he's gone if they don't get to the playoffs, absent some unusual circumstance.