“Tough As They Come”
April 26th, 2025
Rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison, the Bucs’ second-round pick.
Remember when Bucs head coach Todd Bowles dropped that “killer instinct” line four weeks ago at the NFL Owners Meetings?
Bowles turned a few heads when he said his team is lacking enough killer instinct, and Bowles added it’s up to team leaders (not coaches) to pull it out of each other.
Well, Joe also thinks fresh attack-dog bodies on the Bucs roster can help, too. Perhaps one is rookie second-round pick Benjamin Morrison out of Notre Dame.
He’s got a killer-instinct kind of way about him and any freshman who can haul in six interceptions like Morrison did in 2022 has a strong foundation of toughness. Speaking on CBS HQ, recently fired Titans GM Ran Carthon said Morrison is a force.
“You don’t hear this much when you’re talking about the corners, ‘[Morrison] is as tough as they come,'” said Carthon, who gave the Bucs a “B+” grade for their Round 2 pick.
Carthon, the former Gators and NFL running back, isn’t one to put a bunch of tough-guy labels on players, so his take caught Joe’s attention.
If Carthon can win a starting outside cornerback job from Jamel Dean in training camp — remember, Dean stays healthy and looks good in camp — the Bucs defense might have a much different nastiness to it.
April 26th, 2025 at 5:09 pm
Carthon competing with Dean?
April 26th, 2025 at 5:09 pm
I don’t really care if he wins the starter job or not, you need depth and he’s going to play a ton of snaps. His tape is fantastic, and I just hope with getting an infusion of talent in the defensive backfield it means Bowles isn’t going to use lack of depth as an excuse to continue to play his God-awful soft zone garbage nonsense. Hopefully this is a sign that Bowles is going back to the aggressive man-to-man defense that the Bucs won a SB with, instead of Bowles awful zone where he, by design, just has guys standing around waiting for something to happen. If Todd continues with that awful zone, then it doesn’t matter who is playing for the Bucs at corner, they’re not going to be very productive.
April 26th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Agree rod
Seems to me they are looking for guys that can play multiple positions on d.
Outside: Dean, zyon, morrison, hall.
Inside: parrish (can play outside if needed)
Safety: Winfield (can play both and nickel), izien (can also play nickel), tykee( can play nickel if needed).
There are a few exclusive outside guys, but depending on matchups, there are lots of chess pieces to move around.
April 26th, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Good Point Rod Munch. But Bowles said months ago that there was gonna be changes not just in scheme but in ways having to compete for every job. And I can see lots of competition for minutes. I believe we’re going to be an improved defense. DR says if we can get to top 10 we should be good. Only time will tell but I believe in this team!
April 26th, 2025 at 5:43 pm
First time ever!!!!! I agree 💯 with Rod Munch…YAY
April 26th, 2025 at 5:50 pm
How is it these bad teams have 10-12 draft picks?
April 26th, 2025 at 5:52 pm
The last 3 drafts Jason has just drafted smart dogs. Smart players that got that dog in them.
I think Jason learned a lesson after JTS. Just saying.
April 26th, 2025 at 6:00 pm
For all you Jamel Dean fans/apologists, why did the Bucs draft CB’s? The answer is pathetically obvious. When you are one of the worst teams in the NFL in pass coverage, you better draft at DB’s. Finally, for all the McCollum boosters, he is at best mediocre. The best pass defense is a ferocious pass rush. Licht didn’t help the team with admittedly a good WR 1st rounder. Either CG is in worst shape than we know or it was foolish to resign both CG and ME for mega contracts. If CG can’t play, why not just say so and give him a $60Mll gift?
April 26th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Rod, thank you for saving my thumbs the typing. I have nothing else to add.
April 26th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Zyon is in the top 25% in all but playing the run, but his biggest strength of staying on the field–he was in the top 5% of snaps of all corners last year.
Anyhow, we lost games last year because of depth—there were dudes on the field who should have been bagging groceries at Publix
April 26th, 2025 at 6:24 pm
Gipper … ‘For all you Jamel Dean fans/apologists, why did the Bucs draft CB’s? The answer is pathetically obvious.’
Maybe not THAT obvious Gipper. Bucs lacked depth at outside CBs (Dean, McCollum, Hall then ???). So we drafted Benjamin Morrison (6’0″ & 193 lbs with 4.47 speed) in Rnd 2. NFL.com had him rated at 6.20 (6.20-6.29 … meaning ‘Will eventually be average starter’).
Bucs also drafted Jacob Parrish (5’10” & 191 lbs with 4.35 speed) in Rnd 3. NFL.com has him rated at a 6.30 (6.30-6.39 … meaning ‘Will eventually be plus starter’). But they also project him as a NICKEL corner largely because of his lack of height & a number of weaknesses playing outside.
Bottom line: Don’t write off Jamel Dean just yet. If TB would let Jamel play to HIS strengths (man-to-man instead of zone), I think he’d do fine. But our whole defense is being ‘modified’ to compensate for the lack of a consistent pass rush IMO. Nothing I see in this draft class solves that. My hope is that we pick up a Suh-like DT in free agency to provide more consistent pressure.
BTW Gipper, what should be pathetically obvious to JBFers is that Tykee Smith is now the starting Safety opposite Winfield, and Christian Izien will get competition for the Nickel position from Jacob Parrish.
April 26th, 2025 at 6:34 pm
Amen DR
April 26th, 2025 at 6:42 pm
Did anyone notice that Licht drafted areas that were hit hardest by injuries? Coincidence? 1 receiver because of McMillen, 2 CB’s then d-line for depth maybe starters/rotation? Only so many picks to go around but it does look like it is going to be the man to man nasty kick em in the teeth D that Bowles wants. Make no mistake he seems cool on the outside but he has that fire in his guts. Pride too and he called his guys out as he should.
April 26th, 2025 at 6:46 pm
And I do thing Egbuka is THEE best receiver in this draft his 3 years, again 3 years I believe confirms this. Most of these guys coming out are based on their last year of college play so really, they’re no better than NFL guys playing in a contract year and ball out for a big contract, then what? I’ll take the multi-year production over the splash last year.
April 26th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
Even i agree with munch (for a change). I also wonder if the new defensive schemes are going to include more nickel packages.
April 26th, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Rod you do get a lot of flack… Glad that don’t stop you from sharing. You and I agree a lot. We both want our team to be Tough, Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Coaching, GM, Owners, Fans support.
GO!!!!!BUCS!!!!!!
April 26th, 2025 at 9:38 pm
I think (hope?) with these CB draftees, who are strong in man, perhaps Todd will play more man this year. If that happens, and our d-line is more ferocious, our D will be better. How much better? Not sure, but it’s easy to improve from last year’s pathetic pass defense.
April 26th, 2025 at 10:17 pm
Gipper … ‘For all you Jamel Dean fans/apologists, why did the Bucs draft CB’s? The answer is pathetically obvious.’
———-
Maybe it’s because Dean is going to turn 29 during the season, and is in the last year of his deal, and you have zero depth at corner beyond Dean, Zyon and Smith – and you’re likely moving Smith to safety.
Man, I know you’re an idiot, but sometimes you shock me how dumb your takes are and how low your IQ is (football and non-football).
April 26th, 2025 at 10:25 pm
I agree 💯 with DR.
“Ballwasher61” – Best WR in a ‘draft-class’ with ZERO Elite-WR’s. Brian Thomas Jr. (23rd-overall) was the 4TH WR taken in last year’s draft… 5th, if you want to count Bowers, who’s basically a receiver, playing at TE. Though, I think he surprised some people with his blocking this season. Before the draft even began, I said that I really liked the kid (“EE”)… Hell, I watched well OVER 20+ of his college games. BUT, I’m not taking a WR at #19 in THIS year’s draft-class. Next year’s class will be much better, & the 2027-class is ‘generational’ LOADED. Plus, we had many other, much more immediate, pressing needs. It was safe and a reach. Not a great draft. Doesn’t move the needle.
I watched at least over a ‘half-dozen’ of Jeremiah Smith’s HS games while at Chaminade Madonna, & I was really excited about seeing his OSU debut! So, right off the bat I noticed that EE was still there, & was like… “Good God, HE’s STILL THERE, How Old Is He Now, 30!?” LoL. It really did seem like it… He was one of those guys, who seemed-like he’d been there FOR.EVER. Haha
April 26th, 2025 at 10:28 pm
RamblingRhino – No one truly gives me flak – they’re just frustrated admirers, obsessed with what they can’t have. They want to be me, they want my approval, and when I deny them, their love twists into anger. But it’s beneath me to hold a grudge – I let them have their little tantrums, knowing exactly what it really is.
April 26th, 2025 at 10:34 pm
I just don’t see the added talent we need for the D to significantly improve. Other than Reddick. And yes, Dean specializes in press man, man to man coverage. He and Davis played in that scheme at Auburn and play on the same D. We lose JPP, Suh and D White becomes a headcase, LVD loses a step and now we’re short on talent and long on soft zone.