“Big Indicator” At One Buc Palace
April 26th, 2025
“Mr. Glazer, we don’t ef with the formula. Like nobody tells you what oil stocks to short.”
There’s a theme among the Buccaneers’ six new draft picks and it’s easy to detect.
Every player is a high-production dude and a high-character guy. None are hope-based picks that include looking the other way when a guy has run afoul of common decency.
One Buc Palace has become one tight pirate ship in recent years.
So the Bucs have a new assistant general manager, Rob McCartney. He’s a recent in-house promotion and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht trotted out McCartney today to talk to media after the Bucs’ final draft pick.
McCartney had lots to say, but Joe jumped on a comment about fourth-round pick edge rusher David Walker and fifth-round pick Elijah Roberts, who will play defensive tackle for the Bucs.
“They’ve both been really productive, which for us is a big indicator, and the both play really, really hard,” McCartney said.
Joe’s eyes widened when McCartney called production “a big indicator.” Not every team is like that, and the Bucs have become increasingly production-focused in their drafts.
And this year’s picks were all about production in so many ways. JoeBucsFan.com draft guru Sean Sullivan texted Joe about how every Bucs pick has impressive college production and none are projections.
Man, if Licht has nailed another draft, mid-January should be a heck of a time of year.
April 26th, 2025 at 7:38 pm
I love the picks. I do think we need another legitimate ILB.
April 26th, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Shilo Sanders coming to Bucs underwear football camp.
April 26th, 2025 at 7:42 pm
Production sounds like “he gets on base” lol. I would rather have production than promise without
April 26th, 2025 at 7:44 pm
Desmond Watson is now a Buc!
Vita can get some rest while this TANK of a human eats up two defensive lineman positions. He may lose some of that 464 pounds in the heat now..
April 26th, 2025 at 7:45 pm
I am happy to see the picks to round out / improve rhe secondary. That seemed to me to be the biggest issue we had last year. Let’s hope rhe addition of a receiver will enhance our scoring opportunities as well.
Overall draft rating = B+
April 26th, 2025 at 7:45 pm
Bold Prediction: This draft featured 15 fourth-round gems, 9 fifth-round gems, 7 sixth-round gems, and 4 seventh-round gems. Additionally, approximately 10 players (give or take a few) should be on opening day rosters, not just this year, but also for the next two years or more.
That said… PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, GO GET THOR GRIFFITH! I will never evaluate another player again—he’s going to make it in the NFL. HE WILL! If he doesn’t I’ll shut up sit down and never comment on another player EVER AGAIN!!
April 26th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
I like having nice people on the team and in the community, but we didn’t win either of our super bowls by only having cupcakes.
Suh, seems like a nice citizen but he stepped on throats. Sapp.. well, everyone knows about him.
AB- his own category
Fournette, Keyshawn decent enough guys it seems but definite locker room management situations. Two SB trophies.
Devin White- say what you will, but he took over those playoffs…
Just saying
I like when we win.
April 26th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
Joe, this one is for you…try to find out if the Bucs were planning on taking Jeff Bassa in the 5th and then he goes to the Chiefs exactly one pick before us. I always thought he was the ILB that we were laying in the weeds to grab
April 26th, 2025 at 7:47 pm
If we’re signing Watson, Licht better get a volume discount on Mounjaro.
April 26th, 2025 at 7:48 pm
This seemed to be a great draft. If these guys pan out then the team should be much improved.
April 26th, 2025 at 7:55 pm
This draft seemed a little different somehow. I’m not sure why? I expected more defense in the picks.
I’m really surprised with no DL and no ILB! That’s on Bowles- thinking he has the players already. In this respect, he’s putting on lot on the line with his defense.
April 26th, 2025 at 8:02 pm
We have ILB starters both Walkdr and Deion were productive starters on their previous teams, not stars, but not scrubs, Dennis came out looking like a stud, its his 3rd year, he has time to show what hes got and if he stays healthy, hes gonna ball out
April 26th, 2025 at 8:11 pm
The let down I am experiencing is due to one factor: This was supposed to be loaded at the top with big bodies. I get that Nolen/Grant were gone, but we drafted ballerinas with 1-2. They may be good, but big guys came in later rounds where to odds of success are lower. I wanted another VV.
April 26th, 2025 at 8:18 pm
I love the two edge pics. One is a speed dude with a ton of pass rush moves and the other is a high production, high energy, big guy.
Basically edge just went to a group with depth and the future present and so did wide receiver and cornerback.
April 26th, 2025 at 8:26 pm
Looks like another great draft. One of the best drafting teams and best culture teams adds another feather to its cap I think. See how it shakes out… will likely hinge on Egbuka and Morrison, Egbuka I believe can’t miss and if B-Mo stays healthy… Bucs stay winning !
April 26th, 2025 at 8:28 pm
I think we missed out on Bassa
April 26th, 2025 at 8:49 pm
Sanders can not be any worse than the guys the Bucs trotted out there last year that let guys just go down the middle of the field and not a hand or body put on them. Wish him luck, of course Deion was never a big hitter but he could lock down a side of the field that QB’s would not even test it.
April 26th, 2025 at 9:15 pm
First Last, yeah, teams move up if they think another team will draft their targeted player. I do not know if the Bucs really wanted Bossa but the Chiefs thought they did. Effective smokescreen? I think the Bucs did interview him and some pundits had him going to the Bucs in their mock drafts in the 4th round.
April 26th, 2025 at 9:32 pm
Yes, I like when you’re taking guys who are productive when you’re trying to win now. In particular if you take guys who are productive AND older, meaning they’re physically ready to play early on. The only real issue is that those prospects have a lower ceiling, but generally a higher floor as well. You don’t want to do that in every draft, but when you’re trying to win now, having a solid, safe draft makes a ton of sense.
April 26th, 2025 at 9:57 pm
Is there a correlation between “loves the game of football” and high production? Warren Sapp may not have been a “superlative” character guy but he certainly loved the game. Just one example.
April 26th, 2025 at 10:09 pm
SenileSenior, there are some who believe it was Sapp’s character issues that helped him drop to the Bucs past Philly when they drafted him with something like the 12th overall pick. In fact, some might think the Bucs could have fanned the flames on those issues a bit. I think you are onto something about passion for the game. Basically teams want players not “playahs” and I think the Bucs have figured that out. It seems like Licht also realizes the concept of “productivity over potential” so the Bucs passed on some players who had meh stats in college or one flash in the pan year even if they had 99th percentile numbers at the combine and their pro days.
April 26th, 2025 at 10:31 pm
Joe, keep calling DE in a 3-4 scheme Defensive Tackle.
Joe, the only DT in a 3-4 is the Nose Tackle.
Calijah Kancey plays DE in our 3-4, Vita plays Nose Tackle (DT) and Logan Hall plays DE.
Reddick and Diaby play OLB or Edge.
In a 4-3, yeah you’d be correct, but we run a 3-4 base defense.
– You’re welcome.
There, now you won’t sound like
April 26th, 2025 at 10:32 pm
Typo… *Joe keeps calling DE DT
April 26th, 2025 at 10:33 pm
No more “looks like Tarzan plays like Jane”.
April 26th, 2025 at 11:51 pm
Love our picks but I am more excited about UFA’s Sanders and Watson. With his brother getting all of the media attention, Sanders has a lot to prove and will be an over achiever. I would not be surprised if he started alongside AWJ. Watson is a BEAST!! Every time I watched the Gators, every week, I projected him as a Buc. OMG!! Imagine Watson, Vea and Kancey destroying the middle of O lines while Reddick and YaYa assaults from the edges!! With heavy pressure on the QB our Dean and Zyon can press cover, something both are good at, instead of their social distancing defense.
Its going to be amazing the effect pressure on the qb is going to have on our D! We have the potential to have a dominant, undefeated season! What could POSSIBLY go wrong?
April 26th, 2025 at 11:51 pm
Not happy with this draft! No much needed ILB and no S. Luxury pick WR in the 1st ? I’m disappointed in JL. Usually he does much better.
April 27th, 2025 at 12:02 am
Bucs Guy Says:
April 26th, 2025 at 11:51 pm
Not happy with this draft! No much needed ILB and no S. Luxury pick WR in the 1st ? I’m disappointed in JL. Usually he does much better.
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Apparently, the Bucs feel comfortable with the ILB room and so do I. Along with David and Dennis, we also have walker jr. and Dion Jones who came on strong at the end of last season. From the footage I’ve watched, Walker Jr was pretty good in coverage across the middle, our major weak spot.
April 27th, 2025 at 3:19 am
Potential and character. I think Jason and Todd may have learned a bit. JTS? Diva?
Go Bucs!
April 27th, 2025 at 7:32 am
I just hope that elephant from Gainesville doesn’t hurt a real player in camp before he is cut !
April 27th, 2025 at 8:21 am
Lol funny SB. Hilarious post by ATL. Dude is more excited about the camp meat coming in as UDFA than the drafts itself. Occasionally you find a diamond in the rough but that is the exception not the rule. They never excite because they’re not very good and that is why hundreds of other players were taken before them.
April 27th, 2025 at 12:44 pm
AC/DC Loving Licht has done another masterful draft, watch and see. We might not have gotten what the divas on here wanted, by I think we got what we needed. Gonna be a nifty January. Go Bucs
April 27th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
But
April 27th, 2025 at 8:06 pm
Todd Bowles. Our genius DC.
Runs a 4-3 sometimes. A 5-2 sometimes. A 3-4 sometimes.
A 3-1-7 sometimes.
Todd uses multiple fronts guys!
He’s playing chess while y’all eating checkers!