Todd Bowles Excited About One Rookie
May 31st, 2024
Todd Bowles is watching.
Sometimes, you can tell an older defensive coach like Todd Bowles gets real tired real fast of underwear football.
Unlike some, Bowles doesn’t use sweeping platitudes about players in underwear football. He may compliment a player but quickly will note his is not practicing in pads or getting hit.
So Joe’s ears perked up this week when Bowles seemed excited about a certain rookie in underwear football No, he wasn’t talking about safety Tykee Smith. In fact, Bowles was discussing rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan.
“He’s very competitive, extremely smart, very heady football player – which is what we thought going in,” Bowles said. “I really can’t wait to get the pads on him, get him acclimated and see him play in the summer.”
Yes, Bowles knows he doesn’t want to get sucked in by underwear football and start drinking the Kool-Aid. Joe remembers Tommy Streeter and Kenny Bell being absolute underwear football All-Pros when they were with the Bucs.
When the pads came on, they vanished.
It’s one thing to look good in glorified flag football. It’s a whole different story looking good in real football when you can and will get drilled by linebackers.
May 31st, 2024 at 10:05 am
The Bucs are a blessed franchise.
Godwin is one of the greatest 3rd round picks of all time.
Getting J-Mac in the 3rd? To be our #3 WR?
For 2-3 years behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin?
The best WR combo in the NFL.
We are a blessed franchise.
Like getting Wirfs and Winfield the same year we got Brady?
Wow.
In Licht and Bowles we trust.
May 31st, 2024 at 10:23 am
For Tampa Doesn’t a Good Draft to a GREAT Draft come down to Braswell? If he hits the others will be just icing on the cake.
May 31st, 2024 at 10:23 am
Ok well “getting pads on him” doesn’t mean anywhere NEAR what it used to mean. Football fans romanticize the gladiator component wayyyyyyy too much. Look no further than how butt hurt fans got with what Austin Rivers said, which was true by the way – you have guys that have always played basketball and never played football a day in their lives, get in to the league and become hall of fame tight ends. Put a young Lebron on an NFL training program with far less cardio and I dont want to hear any moron tell me that a 4.5 40 265 pound freight train cant take a hit from a 205 pound Antoine Winfield. The point is, the NFL today IS basically 7 on 7 football now. Where are the Steve Atwaters now?? Ronnie Lott? Sean Taylor? Whos head hunting who over the middle? Please advise, I like to see anyone try. It is 90 percent about ROUTE RUNNING. A lot of (most of) the receivers fall down anyway before they get hit. Quarterbacks are no longer throwing to special spots, or throwing receivers open. Its pitch and catch with crossing routes all day
May 31st, 2024 at 10:24 am
What I like most about JMac is his route running & that on tape he seems like a hands catcher to the point passes rarely hit his body. I think he’ll be fine once pads come on, until then let him keep getting his technique on point and dig into that playbook.
May 31st, 2024 at 10:25 am
i think he will be a great asset behind Godwin and Evans
May 31st, 2024 at 10:42 am
2-3 years behind Evans. Godwin is gone next year
May 31st, 2024 at 10:50 am
Well said, Teacherman.
Go Bucs!!!
May 31st, 2024 at 11:12 am
I didn’t mind them picking McMillan (would’ve considered it) but I think I might of consider Jerry’s son Brenden or Ed’s son Christian’s brother Luke instead. Plus they’re usually able to learn everything much quicker being around football so long with it in the family.
May 31st, 2024 at 11:21 am
Have they put up the overhead shade for the pen and mike club?
May 31st, 2024 at 12:11 pm
Godwin’s replacement after next season?
May 31st, 2024 at 12:14 pm
gofortheface30…spot on mate.
May 31st, 2024 at 12:21 pm
BucVoyager Says:
May 31st, 2024 at 10:42 am
2-3 years behind Evans. Godwin is gone next year
You are correct Sir..
May 31st, 2024 at 12:32 pm
The Bucs WR room is definitely getting better. Lately, every draft is loaded up with a ton of really good wide receivers. All the teams feel like they’ve got the best set of WRs in their franchise history. So the Bucs must get better because everyone else is too.
May 31st, 2024 at 1:01 pm
I don’t think I would put Rice or McCaffery anywhere in the ballpark of McMillan. Just because they are someone’s son or brother doesn’t mean squat in the NFL.
These kids get handed everything on a silver platter. You have to WORK to be great and maybe they do, but their production doesn’t hold a candle to the bright star McMillan is going to be. We are talking about a 6th round Palmer and a 3rd round Jalen too. Of course teams who spent a top 10 draft pick on a WR feel they got better. But do they have 2 GREAT WRs already on the team?
Tampa is gonna be entertaining to watch this year and there will be a game where we hang 40 on somebody. I see some serious blowouts this year.
Staying healthy is obviously paramount, but the depth is better than it has been in years. Even during the Brady years.
LFG Bucs
May 31st, 2024 at 1:16 pm
I had the over-under on the use of Joe’s favorite term “underwear football” at 5. And lo and behold it was five even. Need to squeeze one more in there, Joe.
May 31st, 2024 at 2:03 pm
Underwear football. Go BUCS
May 31st, 2024 at 3:14 pm
It’s great to hear so many people agreeing on this kid. Perhaps we read his name often in Joe’s practice notes this summer. Speaking of Joe’s notes I’m looking forward to hear about Klein this year ever since Joe commented on the ruckus Klein was generating on the blocking sleds. Please keep an eye on that guy if ya can.
May 31st, 2024 at 3:37 pm
Excited for this young man, for Palmer to step to another level and year 2 of the best QB in the division shredding with Mike and Chris, and Rachaad.
May 31st, 2024 at 3:51 pm
I expect them to get him the ball a decent amount…provided the offense can stay on the field past that 1 yard and a cloud of dust, 2nd down bubble screen and 3rd down hail mary.
they need to get him up to speed when CG leaves. If he performs and CG’s wife loses it again they might just bench CG.
May 31st, 2024 at 4:30 pm
BucVoyager Says:
May 31st, 2024 at 10:42 am
2-3 years behind Evans. Godwin is gone next year
————————————
Chris is going to have a career year due to being moved back to slot. He’s going to be Baker’s primary dump off.
May 31st, 2024 at 5:08 pm
@gofortheface30. Your comments in general are spot on. Where you failed was using a “young Lebron” as an example. That dude gets hurt somehow someway in almost every basketball game. He wouldn’t survive two Sundays. Football is still about “ heart” and unfortunately he’s a big P!!!
May 31st, 2024 at 7:48 pm
The Bucs have done well with 3rd round draft choices through the years. As a fact, they should consider trading all picks for third rounders. Seriously.
May 31st, 2024 at 7:50 pm
he is probably the reason we released DT.
May 31st, 2024 at 8:13 pm
Gofortheface- agree but that doesn’t mean I’m up for running a route with Whitehead roaming. Ouch
May 31st, 2024 at 9:17 pm
This kid is a player.
When the pads come on- he’ll still be making plays.
Really refined for a rookie
May 31st, 2024 at 9:54 pm
Several teams in the NFL now have 2 wideouts making 20million plus. The salary cap, so far, keeps going up. Those of you writing off Godwin before he even takes a snap this year are just dinosaurs living in the past. What if he puts up career numbers in Coen’s offense? Don’t be so hasty to cut ties with the 2nd best WR in franchise history.
June 1st, 2024 at 12:33 am
I agree, Mark. This season will determine what happens with Chris. If he has the type of season that he is fully capable of having and has had in the past, stays completely healthy, looks good, has that ‘burst’ back, scores TD’s again, & the offense is explosive… Then, he’ll be BACK if he’s willing to accept a no state income tax, Mike Evans, hometown discount type of deal. If this season play out right, then they could be primed for a RUN AT IT, next season. Especially, if YaYa, Kancey, & Braswell come together, into their own, & look capable of DOMINATING. The ‘Niners & ‘Boys a will be running into some major retooling/cap issues, Stafford is getting older and banged-up, & the Lions are having to pay UP… We’ll see what happens with Green Bay & Chicago. But, that Division will be a SLUGFEST. And, who knows… Philly could end up having an entirely, brand new coaching staff. It’ll be wide open.
June 1st, 2024 at 1:30 am
Be careful Joe. LOL
He also called Diva his best player.
Gave Ramirez lots of praise saying that he was giving the offense fits. Then buried him on the depth chart.
Soo Are you still buying Bowles coach speak?
Go Bucs!
June 1st, 2024 at 2:42 am
Remember kenny Bell in the preseason game, caught a ball then got it punched out. It was over after that. Cannot remember the details. Just can think back on the afro hair and he was great till the game started then he was junk. disappointment. I think of all the draft picks, OJ Howard was the most disappointing. OJ never amounted to much despite all the hype.
June 1st, 2024 at 7:30 am
Yeah didn’t tampa have Kurt Warners son in for a hot minute?
I think zoom of these sons of legends are set up to fail if fans set the bar on daddy’s stats
June 1st, 2024 at 2:16 pm
if palmer gets laser focused and matures a bit, he’s another dangerous receiver who def has the potential to level up…
if #3 and #4 play like potential #2 type receivers, this room is lethal…
add in cade otton’s late season rapport with baker – and the white x bucky backfield……….this offense has real potential !!
June 1st, 2024 at 3:20 pm
No one ever knows How it pans out, but this definitely has the makings to be Lichts most complete and possibly best draft ever.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Oregon center pans out,, Licht clearly ranked this 6’ 5” tackle as the better center by far . Time will tell and if there is a position that Licht has done well with it’s o line . 6’ 5” center with a 5’ 11” QB time will tell .
June 1st, 2024 at 5:17 pm
Bowles … with a good GM. Front office. And good roster is a good HC. I would like to see 1-2 veterans players in defense. Like the pass rush