Ryan Neal Is Out
December 16th, 2023
Won’t play Sunday.
Bucs safety Ryan Neal did not make the trip to gloomy, cold Green Bay this afternoon as he was downgraded on the injury report to out.
Neal is still recovering from a bad back and it is bad enough that he couldn’t fly.
So that’s another starter in the secondary out along with corner Carlton Davis.
December 16th, 2023 at 12:59 pm
It happens this time of year, and he’s not too great anyhow.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:10 pm
Another Jason Licht bust…so glad we dumped Mike Edwards for this guy.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:11 pm
That is addition by subtraction. No loss at all.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:16 pm
JTS, Hall, D. white, Davis Dean and Neal. Not exactly GM Licht’s stellar acquisitions.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:37 pm
Pels…….agree licht swings and seems his picks go outta the park or it’s his third strike. No singles doubles or walks.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:41 pm
We couldn’t afford mike Edward’s and SMB.
We may have a chance with Neal out !
December 16th, 2023 at 1:43 pm
No worries. The Pack will clobber them anyway. Love v Mayfield at Green Bay….no contest.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:44 pm
Lmao Davis and Dean play rock, paper, scissors to determine who gets to sit out each week. Dump them both. Dean was injury prone in college so nothing new with him. Neither of them should have seen a 2nd contract based on their availability alone.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:54 pm
No big deal.
I want to see some of the young guns get more snaps anyways…
Neal might want to think about adding @ 15-20 lbs this off-season and maybe re-brand himself as a weak-side/dime package LB rather than a SS.
He has actually played pretty well in that role the past few weeks.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Since76 – is that not every GM? He hits way more than he misses. Licht is easily a top 5 GM right now when drafting. Then when you figure FA’s and salary cap management in there he might be a top 3 GM. He hits in all 3 phases not many other GM’s can say that
December 16th, 2023 at 1:59 pm
So our starting Klingon DB is out, we’ll still win.
December 16th, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Did you guys quick doing the podcast? No show this week again it looks like
December 16th, 2023 at 2:06 pm
Should have kept Keanu Neal. He is a thumper back there
December 16th, 2023 at 2:06 pm
A GM with a better 10 yr record than licht got wacked this week. Both teams are rudderless.
December 16th, 2023 at 2:10 pm
@ Dool
I agree. Licht is not a bad GM at all.
Top 5? I wouldn’t go that far – but I’m comfortable saying he is maybe in the top 10…
Building this roster with only $148M – was an amazing task to accomplish.
Finding 5 or 6 starters (including a starting QB) for only $13M.
Adding 13 very talented rookies.
Most people don’t understand that only 38% of players drafted in the first round to the middle of the second round will earn a second contract.
Less than 20% of players drafted in the 2nd and 3rd round make it to their second contracts…
And the numbers get worse from there.
13 rookies made the 53 roster.
December 16th, 2023 at 2:14 pm
Hear ya…. But if we have a talented roster and a normal salary cap situation, I’m not sure 13 rookies make this roster.
December 16th, 2023 at 2:19 pm
@ Bubby
“But if we have a talented roster and a normal salary cap situation, I’m not sure 13 rookies make this roster.”
I agree.
But – keep in mind – without all those restructures which added all the dead cap space in 2023 and 2024 we would not have that 2nd Lombardi Trophy…
I believe it was all worth it.
December 16th, 2023 at 2:20 pm
“Should have kept Keanu Neal. He is a thumper back there”
Agree, Licht dumped way too many affordable pieces that made the 2022 defense a solid unit all last year….now the 2023 version looks like a Lovie Smith creation.
December 16th, 2023 at 2:21 pm
HC Grover Says:
December 16th, 2023 at 1:43 pm
No worries. The Pack will clobber them anyway. Love v Mayfield at Green Bay….no contest.
^^^^^^
Says the clown who said the Bucs would destroy the Panthers, then Tampa Bay won by 3 at home…Why don’t you leave the predictions to the grownups, like the 5-12 Rod Muncher? 😂😂😂😂😂
December 16th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
The line just dropped from GB -3.5 to -2.5.
December 16th, 2023 at 2:41 pm
So we have a chance now…
December 16th, 2023 at 2:42 pm
we need ppl that can cover and play a full season.
December 16th, 2023 at 2:43 pm
@Marine, completely agree about the overspending before the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Totally worth it. But, I’m curious about your thoughts on the spending spree before 2022, AFTER Brady unretired. Was that worth it? Do/did you think the void years and dead cap money was a good idea before 2022?
Licht’s a good GM overall, and he has improved over time, but I don’t think he’s infallible. He could use a couple winning seasons without Brady to get out of the early hole he dug for himself.
December 16th, 2023 at 3:05 pm
@ realistic
Hind sight is 20/20…
Of course now we can say we should have begun the rebuild in 2022.
But I do agree – the free agents that were added at this time were a total waste of resources.
– Julio Jones
– A. Hicks
– K. Rudolph
– R. Gage
– B. Perriman
– G. Bernard
Plus the contracts given to
– Jenson
– Godwin
– Barrett
Should also be considered lackluster deals as well.
However – in 2022 we still had the GOAT – and when you have the GOAT you have to go for the big burrito…
December 16th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
Dool… I like licht I think his hits off set his misses overall. Just one area scouts and him really miss except for Brady is QB. Which like it or not is the most important position in football. You can cover up a lot of ugly on the roster except that position. For reference look at the bucs offense.
December 16th, 2023 at 3:20 pm
First sentence is wrong. Should be “Neal” not “Beal”. Ryan Neal isn’t good at all. Not impressed with him. This defense is probably going to get a big overhaul in the offseason. I hope we franchise tag or at least be able to afford Winfield. Devin White I feel is gone, and no resign of Lavonte David and Ryan Neal and possibly Ghoulston. Just hate seeing the defense give up so many points per game (even against the lowest teams). Honestly…..a lot about this team needs to change. I hate watching every week to realize the team doesn’t get better.
December 16th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Jensen’s contract WOULD have been totally worth it, had he not been hurt. Godwin also worth it, last few weeks not withstanding
December 16th, 2023 at 3:55 pm
@ Beeej
I agree.
However – it is my speculation that we overpaid Godwin a little because we had the GOAT coming back.
We also overpaid Gage, Jenson, Barrett and Fournette for the same reason.
Like I said – hindsight is 20/20.
Looking at the big picture and putting everything into proper context – I still believe the Bucs have a good GM and everything we are going through now is fair payment for that amazing Super Bowl run we all got to experience…
December 16th, 2023 at 3:56 pm
The irrational optimism after Ridder and the Falcons actually outblundered the Bucs will be tamped down tomorrow in Green Bay.
December 16th, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Sometimes I wonder about this fan site. Define ‘fan.’ That includes the blog’s owners. Licht is a very good GM. His team won their second Stupid Bowl 3 years ago. They followed by winning their Division the last 2 years. Now, when they won the SB, they were not Division champs. Interesting, huh? Bucs have won their December games. Why can’t they win tomorrow?
December 16th, 2023 at 4:33 pm
@ orlbucs
You have to list all the possible outcomes then assign a proper percentage to each outcome.
Do the Bucs have a chance to win in Green Bay on Sunday? Yes.
But based on historical data and the current team’s inability to beat mediocre teams I would place a 25% chance that the Bucs will travel to Lambo and beat the mediocre Green Bay Packers.
December 16th, 2023 at 4:51 pm
Plenty of time to party Neal.
December 16th, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Disagree with early commenters- even though they’re not playing great ball this season, White, Dean and Davis were all instrumental in our Super Bowl win / run.
You can’t deny that. Possibly time to cut bait with several of them though.
December 16th, 2023 at 8:52 pm
Line didn’t drop
December 16th, 2023 at 9:33 pm
No loss here. Keep moving.
Merriweather plays hard. Give him his chance.
December 16th, 2023 at 9:50 pm
Bad Deal Neal. He needs to cut if he has no trade value.