A brand new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts each Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Every week, the Pewter Reporters sort out one other robust query. This week’s immediate: What does Santa have to convey the Bucs for 2025?
Scott Reynolds: The Bucs Want An Edge In 2025, Particularly On Protection
Former Bucs DT Ndamukong Suh and OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
This Bucs group has loads of expertise, but it surely lacks an edge. Tampa Bay doesn’t have a killer intuition mentality, particularly on protection and that’s performed an enormous function in so many video games misplaced on the finish as a result of Todd Bowles’ unit couldn’t get off the sector on third down with a key cease or get a well timed takeaway.
The Bucs have extra of an edge on offense with Liam Coen as an aggressive play-caller. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is a gritty chief stuffed with swagger and toughness. Proper sort out Luke Goedeke brings depth and is the enforcer alongside the offensive line. Rookie working again Bucky Irving has introduced some Chicago toughness to Tampa Bay with a hard-nosed working type that electrifies the group at Raymond James Stadium to the purpose during which they chant his title.
A group can by no means have an excessive amount of of an edge, however the place the Bucs want it most is on protection. There’s loads of expertise on the defensive facet with the likes of defensive tackles Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, security Antoine Winfield Jr., outdoors linebacker Yaya Diaby and cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Jamel Dean. However what this group is lacking is a gridiron murderer. A stone chilly killer or two who convey fireplace and depth to the unit, and the sting to complete off opponents.
Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht is aware of this and is actively on the lookout for this lacking trait on protection. Tampa Bay had these kinds of gamers earlier than in outdoors linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul and defensive sort out Ndamukong Suh, every of whom introduced some nastiness to the protection and helped the Bucs win Tremendous Bowl LV. Older Tampa Bay followers bear in mind the likes of linebacker Hardy Nickerson and Corridor of Fame defensive sort out Warren Sapp, who made the Bucs protection essentially the most feared unit across the league within the late Nineteen Nineties.
Licht traded for JPP and swapped out good man Gerald McCoy for Suh in free company in 2019. However he would possibly want Santa Claus’ assist to search out that sort of edgy defender through the draft, free company or a commerce in 2025. The Bucs have loads of gamers on Santa’s good listing, however it could be nice to search out a couple of who might reside on the naughty listing, too.
Matt Matera: A Go Rush From Their Exterior Linebackers
Panthers QB Bryce Younger and Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Picture by: USA At this time
There was a lot pleasure concerning the potential of the Bucs’ edge rushers going into the 2024 season. Yaya Diaby was dominating in coaching camp and even when he was injured in follow, the assumption was simply get him to the common season and he’ll be fantastic. There was optimism over rookie second-round choose Chris Braswell being the way forward for this cross rush.
Hope was sprouting round second 12 months gamers Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez, particularly after Ramirez had a hat trick of sacks in a preseason recreation. And even Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who had not performed as much as his hype, was not less than considered within the sense that possibly he’d play his finest in a contract 12 months. Effectively…none of this occurred.
Sadly Diaby has had a down 12 months the place he’s getting near the quarterback however not getting sacks. He has 2.5 sacks via 15 video games and it’s come as a shock to many. Braswell hardly sees the sector anymore, having performed two snaps on Sunday night time. Watts has been on injured reserve whereas Ramirez has solely wearing 4 video games and totaled 30 defensive snaps.
Tryon-Shoyinka has made no impression and has been enjoying much less currently than Anthony Nelson, who’s been the one standout outdoors linebacker for Tampa Bay this season. Nelson’s three sacks lead all Bucs edge rushers and his compelled fumble in additional time towards the Panthers was a High 5 play that the protection has made all season.
The shortcoming of the skin linebacker to get to the passer has trickled all the way down to the remainder of the protection. Tampa Bay is relying closely on defensive tackles Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey to get the job executed, and whereas they’ve executed rather well, it’s ultimately going to put on on them as a result of their enjoying greater than ever.
The blitzes don’t hit the identical as a result of opponents understand it’s coming because it’s the one method that they generate stress. Offenses are in a position to choose it up, leaving loads of time for the quarterbackcs and fewer defenders in cross protection, which has already been an enormous challenge.
Taking a look at subsequent season, they’ll want a bounce-back 12 months from Diaby specifically. JTS is probably going gone, however hopefully Nelson is re-signed for depth. That leaves a largely unproven Braswell and an excellent much less confirmed Watts and Ramirez. The Bucs might should dip into free company to search out their subsequent prime cross rusher, or spend one other early draft choose on a participant to get an improve.
Bailey Adams: Bucs Want An Inside Linebacker (Or Two?)
Bucs ILB Lavonte David and Chargers WR Ladd McConkey – Picture by: USA At this time
I’d wager my Christmas presents that a lot of what’s on the Bucs’ want listing for Santa Claus pertains to their protection, however an impression inside linebacker must be close to the highest of that listing. And to not get to grasping throughout a season of giving, but when Mr. Claus might make it two impression inside linebackers – possibly one through free company and one other via the draft – that might be a real Christmas miracle that Tampa Bay could be very grateful for in 2025 and past.
The state of the Bucs’ linebacking corps is dire proper now, as Ok.J. Britt has been a disappointment in 2024 and group legend Lavonte David is exhibiting indicators of being close to the top of his days within the NFL, significantly by way of cross protection. David is about to hit free company after this season and after going year-to-year for the previous couple of contracts, he could also be able to name it a profession.
So, as a lot as Tampa Bay wants a extra productive cross rush and a few depth within the secondary, it could be good if Santa’s elves might get engaged on some linebackers for the Buccaneer protection to rally round going ahead. On the very least, the Bucs will want one playmaking, assignment-sound linebacker to play alongside SirVocea Dennis, who will is recovering from shoulder surgical procedure. However Tampa Bay hasn’t been in a position to depend on Dennis to remain wholesome, as he missed time throughout the preseason as a rookie in 2023 and was restricted to 13 common season video games earlier than enjoying simply 4 video games this 12 months earlier than lacking the remainder of the marketing campaign with a shoulder harm.
For the primary time in a very long time with this franchise, the way forward for the within linebacker place is unclear. If Santa can work a few of his magic and clear a few of that image up, the Bucs will likely be significantly better off for it subsequent season.
Josh Queipo: An Influence Free Agent And A Excessive-Upside Commerce
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Cliff Welch P/R
Jason Licht has constructed a sustainable winner primarily via his spectacular drafting. Eight of his 11 offensive starters and all 11 of his defensive starters have been drafted by the Bucs. Whereas that may be a commendable technique that’s the envy of many of the NFL, he might use some assist in the type of extra roster constructing steps.
After attempting to maximise the group’s Tremendous Bowl window throughout the Tom Brady years, Licht has needed to be very even handed in bringing in exterior expertise. In 2023 he took an opportunity on Baker Mayfield and hit massive. Mayfield had an unimaginable bounce-back marketing campaign and earned a $100 million contract. This 12 months Licht centered totally on retaining exiting gamers however did strive a reunion with former security Jordan Whitehead. That transfer has not had the identical impression because the Mayfield addition. However the unheralded signing of left guard Ben Bredeson has helped flip the Bucs’ offensive line into an actual weapon.
Trying again on the 2020 Tremendous Bowl roster and you may see a group that was constructed via all the foremost sides of group constructing. Sure, the roster was primarily developed via the draft. Eight of the Bucs’ 11 defensive starters and 6 of their offensive starters have been drafted by Tampa Bay. However six of these different eight gamers – quarterback Tom Brady, working again Leonard Fournette, huge receiver Antonio Brown, heart Ryan Jensen, defensive sort out Ndamukong Suh, and outdoors linebacker Shaq Barrett – have been free agent signings that helped put the group excessive.
And the ultimate two items of the jigsaw puzzle – outdoors linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul and tight finish Rob Gronkowski – have been important additions through commerce for the low, low worth of a third- and fourth-round choose. My colleagues have recognized particular roster wants which are important upgrades this low season. The group wants to enhance at inside linebacker, extra depth at cornerback, and a discovering a No. 1 edge rusher. You aren’t going to get all of that within the first 12 months of even an historic draft. The Bucs ought to have extra money to spend in 2025.
This group is on the precipice of greatness. Now’s the time for Licht to complete the roster in an analogous method because the 2020 Tremendous Bowl group and fill within the gaps via various roster constructing strategies. Go rushers Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson might be accessible through commerce from groups both re-building or a group unwilling to pay them. Others will likely be accessible as nicely. Go get them, Jason.
Adam Slivon: A Youthful Defensive Teaching Workers
Bucs OLB coach George Edwards and OLBs Yaya Diaby and Jose Ramirez – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Liam Coen was not the one brilliant offensive thoughts the Bucs added this offseason. After hiring Coen, the group introduced in cross recreation coordinator Josh Grizzard (34 years previous), huge receivers coach Bryan McClendon (40), offensive line coach Kevin Carberry (41), and tight ends coach Justin Peelle (45). Every of those younger coaches have helped the offense and its place teams and served as a much-needed refresh to the teaching employees.
Going into 2025, Tampa Bay ought to have put that on their Christmas want listing to occur on the defensive facet of the soccer. No matter whether or not head coach Todd Bowles is again subsequent season, a number of defensive coaches shouldn’t be.
Though Larry Foote and Kacy Rodgers haven’t been dangerous, one wonders if having only one defensive coordinator would assist get the message throughout extra succinctly. For out of doors linebackers coach George Edwards (57), cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross (62), and safeties coach Nick Rapone (68), which means being let go to usher in recent younger minds and views that may get essentially the most out of the participant personnel. Protecting nickelbacks coach Rashad Johnson (38) looks like a should given how nicely Tykee Smith has carried out as a rookie.
All season, the skin linebackers have struggled to generate sacks and pressures and the event of the youthful gamers within the room has been stunted. See Yaya Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Chris Braswell, Jose Ramirez, and Markees Watts. The cornerback room has had its fair proportion of accidents however has lengthy lacked the playmaking chops to make a distinction. Antoine Winfield Jr. has upset and has been injury-plagued this season, however Jordan Whitehead additionally struggled earlier than struggling a season-ending harm and the backups haven’t fared nicely.
It comes all the way down to the gamers on the sector however can also be a product of teaching strategies which have yielded little outcomes. An enormous theme all year long has been the protection’s struggles to speak, sort out, and lapses in protection, particularly throughout the center of the sector. Bowles has executed what he can with the gamers that he has, however on the finish of the day, the unit is his duty as a defensive-minded head coach and it falls again on him. With the offense and its teaching employees having been constructed out over the span of a season and extremely productive, the group ought to hope a youthful defensive teaching employees is presented to them and does the identical.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
