This is where the pessimism of our fans loses me.
yep
But a trade and free agency help is the answer for defense this year.
If that type of help doesn’t come, we’ll be seeing a complete overhaul next offseason.
This is part of why I said "neither" to climbing or descending.
Say whatever anyone will about Bowles, but its the owners that have the Bucs in this unusual position. The owners must be behind that dead cap clearing over talent on the filed approach that has dominated this stretch and they are certainly behind the "half measure" of firing everyone but Bowles. It might work, but if it does not then what? If they used 2026 to "trade and free agency" that would have done so for a HC and a defense that would no longer be here,
Glazers may have some responsibility, but this is 100% Bowles. Bowles just does not develop players. How many years and "communication" is still the excuse with players. This should not be happening. If the stories about all of the walk through practices are true....how can players develop and learn to "communicate" with walkthrough practices. Also blitz as the default with Edge players constantly dropping in coverage is maddening. Dropping into coverage is fine, but it is done way too much in this system and mix that in with "communication" and you have Edge players covering WRs downfield.
100% Bowles.
I definitely get the frustration and thought Bowles would be fired this offseason, but it cant really be "Bowles 100% because:
1) there is a a world of difference between the way the 2025 Bucs team was assembled and the way either SB team was assembled, and
2) if you just use 2020 as an example, the Bucs have two All-Pros and a Pro Bowler -- an OLB and two inside LBs. And that is then added to by having Suh and AWJ playing lights out and of course Barret on a franchise tag The defense was top 10 in multiple categories. Barrett, White and JPP were probably the best sack trio in Bucs history. This season would be Diaby, Reddick and SVD? um . . .
Obviously the Bucs go cheap in outside FA land, so much so that I would not be surprised to learn the Jay Glazers report that the owners "just love" Todd Bowles stems, at least in part, by his willingness to "make due" (Licht's words). That does not absolve Bowles by any means. It just says that saying tis 100% Bowles is pretty hard to defend when you look at the total picture.
It's just more of the same. Maybe playoffs maybe not but if we do get there. Predictable bowles will get dusted and we will be back here a year or so from now when the glazers get their head out of their ass and realize this dude sucks and fires him that anything different will occur. By then it could be on the downside than upside but NFL isn't some competitive league with a salary cap and a window to make great moves including the coaching staff to make it work. Pretty amazing most fans see this but no let's keep doing what is guaranteed not to work.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6997529/2026/02/09/seahawks-super-bowl-champions-gm-john-schneider/
A great breakdown of how both teams got there. Unless Licht changed dramatically (or gets fired) the Bucs are never going the Patriot route because Licht is a draft and develop guy. The Patriots changed the entire team in an UNPRECEDENTED way, as you can see in the article.
The Bucs are following a similar approach to the Seahawks, but are in a different phase of that type of plan
@bucsbits - I did an an early offseason plan right out of the gate, but I’ll be picking it up as the combine gets closer.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6997529/2026/02/09/seahawks-super-bowl-champions-gm-john-schneider/
A great breakdown of how both teams got there. Unless Licht changed dramatically (or gets fired) the Bucs are never going the Patriot route because Licht is a draft and develop guy. The Patriots changed the entire team in an UNPRECEDENTED way, as you can see in the article.
The Bucs are following a similar approach to the Seahawks, but are in a different phase of that type of plan
Yes this makes sense. I believe the Bucs have been rebuilding since 2023, they just got lucky being in a crappy division. That is the only way you have one of the youngest teams is by rebuilding. Just need to rebuild at the HC.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6997529/2026/02/09/seahawks-super-bowl-champions-gm-john-schneider/
A great breakdown of how both teams got there. Unless Licht changed dramatically (or gets fired) the Bucs are never going the Patriot route because Licht is a draft and develop guy. The Patriots changed the entire team in an UNPRECEDENTED way, as you can see in the article.
The Bucs are following a similar approach to the Seahawks, but are in a different phase of that type of plan
Yes this makes sense. I believe the Bucs have been rebuilding since 2023, they just got lucky being in a crappy division. That is the only way you have one of the youngest teams is by rebuilding. Just need to rebuild at the HC.
This is true but at the same time they were rebuilding and winning the crappy division but not going much further than that because of the hc. The potential to go further was there and slowly going because of whatever reason the glazers and a few others at the top of the franchise have their undying faith in bowles. Feels more like a buddy move than a real serious one because like I said this team had potential. We were in a similar position to the last two super bowl teams where they just needed to cut ties with a certain coach or player(s) and could get over the hump. This time they got no balls or awareness about what's going on because the potential is or was there. Makes it frustrating for buc fans.
This is true but at the same time they were rebuilding and winning the crappy division but not going much further than that because of the hc. The potential to go further was there and slowly going because of whatever reason the glazers and a few others at the top of the franchise have their undying faith in bowles. Feels more like a buddy move than a real serious one because like I said this team had potential. We were in a similar position to the last two super bowl teams where they just needed to cut ties with a certain coach or player(s) and could get over the hump. This time they got no balls or awareness about what's going on because the potential is or was there. Makes it frustrating for buc fans.
I feel your pain.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6997529/2026/02/09/seahawks-super-bowl-champions-gm-john-schneider/
A great breakdown of how both teams got there. Unless Licht changed dramatically (or gets fired) the Bucs are never going the Patriot route because Licht is a draft and develop guy. The Patriots changed the entire team in an UNPRECEDENTED way, as you can see in the article.
The Bucs are following a similar approach to the Seahawks, but are in a different phase of that type of plan
Yes this makes sense. I believe the Bucs have been rebuilding since 2023, they just got lucky being in a crappy division. That is the only way you have one of the youngest teams is by rebuilding. Just need to rebuild at the HC.
what do we have to show for this rebuild?
Comparing 2022 to 2026
QB - Tom Brady to a younger Baker Mayfield. Check!
RB - Fournette/White to Bucky Irving. Check!
WR Evans, Godwin to now Evans (hopefully), Godwin, more weapons in Egbuka, McMillian. Check!
We are cooking with gas!
TE - Otton to hopefully not Otton. Miss!
OL - Geodeke and Wirfs only 2 that remain from 2022 line, added in Barton, Bredeson, and Mauch. Not quite sure this is a Check yet. Remains to be seen!
DL - Gholston, Vea, Hicks, Hall to Kancey, Vea, hopefully not Hall. Miss!
LB - David, White, Barrett, JTR to David, Dennis, Reddick, Diaby. Miss!
Secondary - Davis, Dean, AWJ, Edwards, Ryan, SMB, McCollum to AWJ, Tykee Smith, Parrish, McCoolumn, Morrison, Izzien; likely no Dean. Remains to be seen!
so....basically did jack shit in this rebuild on defense, added in Baker, drafted a few key talent positions to keep us relevant. Still have 2026 offseason to improve this comparison but for a rebuild, we kind of haven't done much.
The Seahawks GM is presently in the HOF discussion for building two different SB teams. The Patriots forged an unheard of path in free agency. The Eagles have put the franchise so deep in dead cap to win now
meanwhile the Bucs are patiently building through the draft and paying down dead cap lol
i guess we will see which is better in the long run.
Yes this makes sense. I believe the Bucs have been rebuilding since 2023, they just got lucky being in a crappy division.
Bingo!
DL - Gholston, Vea, Hicks, Hall to Kancey, Vea, hopefully not Hall. Miss!
LB - David, White, Barrett, JTR to David, Dennis, Reddick, Diaby. Miss!
Secondary - Davis, Dean, AWJ, Edwards, Ryan, SMB, McCollum to AWJ, Tykee Smith, Parrish, McCoolumn, Morrison, Izzien; likely no Dean. Remains to be seen!
No Super Bowl team has a 3 level defense that is "miss," "miss" and "remains to be seen" lol