“I Can’t See How This Doesn’t Work Out”
May 2nd, 2025
Gets love from an up-and-coming analyst.
Joe didn’t come across this guy until maybe a few weeks before the draft. That would be NFL analyst and football content creator Theo Ash.
He’s got thoughtful insight into football and Joe enjoys his TikTok videos discussing schemes, fits and all sorts of football breakdowns.
After last weekend’s draft, Ash took to TikTok and explained the four draft moves he liked best. His No. 4 selection was the Bucs grabbing Egbuka.
Ash is a big Egbuka fan.
“I like Emeka Egbuka going to the Bucs to keep that wide receiver room sharp for Baker [Mayfield], in case Mike Evans takes a step back because he’s so old, or Chris Godwin coming off the injury.
“It wasn’t a crying need as much as linebacker was and as much as corner maybe was. But Ebuka is just the epitome of solid — he’s more than solid — he’s great at essentially everything.
“So, I can’t see how this doesn’t work out.”
Oh, Joe is very, very, very confident barring injuries Egbuka will work out. No doubt.
Joe recently read advanced wide receiver stats for the Bucs when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were both out last year and those numbers were downright pathetic.
It’s no surprise the Bucs went 0-4 in that stretch.
What Joe sure hopes for is that Egbuka and the Bucs offense works out enough to overcome the still-soft middle of the Bucs defense on the second and third levels.
That’s why folks were — and to a lesser extent, still are — bellyaching about the Bucs defense. It wasn’t the offense that let the Bucs down. It was the rotten play in the middle of the defense.
May 2nd, 2025 at 7:39 am
Rewatched some Egbuka plays from the playoffs last season. Solid!
May 2nd, 2025 at 7:51 am
Watched alot of the bucs highlights from last year and the main culprit KJ Britt is gone and with Tykee moving to SS and a better pass rush I think the bucs defense will vastly improve.
May 2nd, 2025 at 8:12 am
The “so old” Mike Evans will get another 1k.
May 2nd, 2025 at 8:17 am
I think EE2 floor is Chris Godwin and his ceiling is someone like Justin Jefferson who also plays in the slot a lot. Imagine adding Justin Jefferson last year to our offense.
May 2nd, 2025 at 8:21 am
Couple more reasons for the 0-4 run last season: walking wounded Defense and unimaginative OC Coen. Coen would not adapt his game planning to ME13 and CG14 being out with injuries. He had receivers in both the RBs and TEs, plus the OLine was slowly getting used to playing as a unit. He didn’t compensate worth a d###. Drove me nuts. I don’t miss him!
May 2nd, 2025 at 8:33 am
Love the honesty of this article reminding us all that it is that wretched Pass Defense that has to improve to take us where we want to go. Go Bucs!!
May 2nd, 2025 at 8:35 am
The more time passes, the more I love the pick. Going to switch up this year and back Bowles, I like the vibes of the team after the draft/offseason. Thinking/hoping 11-12 wins and another South title
May 2nd, 2025 at 8:48 am
🙂
May 2nd, 2025 at 8:51 am
Thanks but Joe traffic in Cowherd-like “takes.” If Joe is whining or hollering about something, he believes it. Have taken a lot of hell from readers over the years with unpopular opinions because Joe honestly believed that opinion (Joe got absolutely skinned for years whenever he typed Rachaad White was not a good running back and couldn’t read holes or blockers, for example).
It’s hard to look at the Bucs and the middle of the defense on the second and third levels and honestly think everything’s good.
It’s May and no one knows who the safety is next to Antoine Winfield. Inside linebacker next to Lavonte David is either a nobody or a guy who can’t stay on the field.
That’s not very comforting.
May 2nd, 2025 at 9:14 am
Joe,
Thanks for an honest assessment of the defense situation. Every GM and fan base believes after the annual draft that their team is greatly improved. I have seen enough of the poor tackling, poor coverage and confusion in the secondary to doubt that the Bucs defense will be significantly improved in 2025. Also, not sold on Hassan Reddick as the answer on the EDGE.
May 2nd, 2025 at 9:33 am
Personnel wise the only areas that concern me are middle LB and corner due to Dennis & dean injury history and youth of the corners. if the younger corners get up to speed quickly it should be just fine.
The edge rush should be rectified by Foote and Reddick.
May 2nd, 2025 at 9:41 am
Watched a show yesterday and they were talking about Kirk Cousins, all the highlights were Kirk throwing against the Bucs. How embarrassing it was and to see those lowlights for the Bucs defense was sickening.
May 2nd, 2025 at 9:52 am
I like Double E or 2E.
I hell of top 4 WRs-ME13, CG14, EE2, JM15
May 2nd, 2025 at 9:54 am
[Joe has no earthly idea what any of this has to do with Emeka Egbuka but it is sure to trigger people and result in the comments being shut off eventually. There are plenty of places on the interwebs to vent about the subject in question. Please not here because the results are never good. Sorry. — Joe]
May 2nd, 2025 at 9:59 am
How many good years left for Evans?
I’m hoping 2. That puts him at 33. It maybe wishful thinking but I’d love to see 13x1K seasons for #13.
May 2nd, 2025 at 10:09 am
Dennis is the key. If that guy can get healthy and stay on the field and produce at even just a decent level, the Bucs defense will be very good.
May 2nd, 2025 at 10:11 am
in case Mike Evans takes a step back because he’s so old”
hysterical. i can’t believe the quotes Joe’s finding lately.
May 2nd, 2025 at 10:12 am
Mike’s 31 wtf. It’s not unusual for a healthy athlete to peak at 31.
May 2nd, 2025 at 10:32 am
Careful with those honest takes about the lousy state of the defense, Joe.
There are minions of the power brokers at One Buc Place on these boards.
Any dissenting opinion is shouted down as negativity and ignorance.
You must agree with every move made and only spout the company line that everything is perfect.
Never mind the soft as butter Swiss cheese wide open pass defense that Bowles continues to fail at correcting.
28-27
May 2nd, 2025 at 10:43 am
anyone else wonder how Tez Johnson can be a great punt returner and rank 18th nationally in 2024? i mean, he had an 85-yard TD and still ranked 18th at 12 YPR. nothing wrong with that average it’s just odd so many guys ahead of him.
May 2nd, 2025 at 11:00 am
“in case Mike Evans takes a step back because he’s so old”
What the hell? Evans played better last year than ever. Coming back from the injury and getting 1,000 yards?
Old my ass.
May 2nd, 2025 at 11:01 am
Joe … ‘It wasn’t the offense that let the Bucs down. It was the rotten play in the middle of the defense.’
Hard to argue with that Joe, but … have we done enough to date to fix that problem for this year? I think that ‘Conversions’ (3rd down, 4th down & Red Zone TDs) are great indicators for how well your defense does in rather critical situations. The 2024 Bucs defense was middle-of-the-pack in all 3 …
o #14-ranked def in 3rd-Down Conversions Allowed (38.1%)
o #23-ranked def in 4th-Down Conversions Allowed (63.3%)
o #14-ranked def in Red Zone TDs Allowed (54.4%).
Of those 3, it’s the 4th Down Conversions Allowed (63%) that most concern me. That cost us a lot of points … and several games. Those points came almost equally from runs & short passes. Not convinced yet that the improvements we’ve made to our defense adequately address those situations.
May 2nd, 2025 at 11:31 am
I don’t care many DBs we have, if the one that is in there plays 10 yards or more off the line it is NOT going to work. WE NEED MORE PRESS COVERAGE! Else, more of the same highlight clips of opposing QBs.n That is on the coaching period.
May 2nd, 2025 at 11:44 am
Joe, your assessment was right in line with questions about rushing the passer without blitzing and the linebacker next to David.
However, the Gipper steal of that comment to somehow imply that we are a worse tackling team than other NFL teams or are confused more often are 180 degrees off.
I will be happy to see more press coverage. But those expecting press coverage on 50% of the plays are just kidding themselves. That does not happen anywhere in the NFL.
May 2nd, 2025 at 11:48 am
I’m not sure I can ever remember so much confidence around the first round pick. And I love it. Let’s goooo Bucs!
May 2nd, 2025 at 11:50 am
BojIm
I noticed that too. Definitively did not need to say “so old” LOL Don’t think ME13 would appreciate that. I want a healthy Mike all season with no hammy issues. That equals 1200+ & 10+ TDs.
Someone is bound to disappoint simply because they are loaded and there is only 1 ball to go around.
I also see ALOT of motivation for McMillan because so many places are talking about Mike, Chris, and Emeka, as if Jalen didn’t flourish down the stretch
May 2nd, 2025 at 12:29 pm
The Bucs probably have not done enough at ILB and Safety to get away from playing way too much soft zone. So, they have to hope that Egbuka can help them win high scoring shoot outs.
May 2nd, 2025 at 12:43 pm
“Ryan Smith” – Well, Man… You can just keep on “imagining” then LoL. Justin. Jefferson. Lmao. Now, what makes YOU think that… Just how many Ohio State games have you really watched over the past three years!?
May 2nd, 2025 at 1:21 pm
@Melvin Junior
Justin Jefferson looks like one of the best Wrs to play in the league, yes. Egbuka hasn’t played a snap in the NFL, yes. I don’t think the comparison is too farfetched though.
Now I’m not saying he’s going to be the best in the league at any point in his career, also not saying he won’t, BUT:
He had very comparable production to Justin Jefferson, as a clear WR2, with generally worse QB play and playing in the Big 10 (known for tougher defenses and less favorable weather)
Egbuka:
In 2022, with CJ Stroud and playing behind Marv Jr: 74 catches-1151 yds-10TDs
JJef:
In 2019, with Joe Burrow and playing with J Chase: 111 catches-1540 yds-18TDs
That’s 15.5 YPC for EE, 13.9 for JJ
0.14 TD/C for EE, 0.16 TD/C for JJ
Now, I don’t want to ruffle any feathers and I have no horse in this race (I probably lean more towards his ceiling being Amon-Ra ish) but as someone that watched a lot of OSU/B10 ball, he was an unbelievable receiver that was NEVER in the spotlight, and never had a Joe Burrow throwing to him.
EE is going to be productive in the NFL in my opinion (high, high-end WR2 behind Godwin, Evans and McMillan)
(I know I’m comparing college stats in 2 different eras of college football, but that’s the only level that they have comparable situations)
May 2nd, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Also, Egbuka’s intangibles are off the charts: dude loves to block, will run his dummy routes, and is a great teammate .
Easily could have transferred anywhere in the country, but stayed and won a national championship playing behind an 18 year old. You can’t coach that team first mentality.
His routes are fast and intentional, and he creates separation very well.
Again, unfair comparison under the context of today, but saying it as a potential ‘ceiling’, you just can’t discredit that.
May 2nd, 2025 at 3:18 pm
On behalf of Fox Sports Bucs beat reporter Greg Auman, team general manager Jason Licht had this to say on Godwin’s status:
“We’re expecting him Week 1.”
May 2nd, 2025 at 3:19 pm
dunno if i believe it, is awfully close to another quote that left situation murky. nothing wrong with Greg usually though
May 2nd, 2025 at 4:35 pm
“Joe recently read advanced wide receiver stats for the Bucs when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were both out last year and those numbers were downright pathetic. It’s no surprise the Bucs went 0-4 in that stretch.”
———
This is what I was pointing out before the draft and after we made the pick when people were complaining. A first round WR might save your season – while a 1st round corner standing around in Todd’s super soft passive zone defense isn’t going to make a bit of an impact (unless Bowles goes back to playing some aggressive man defense).
Now e2 I think might have been picked a bit high, but consider a vastly inferior player like Golden went a few picks later, it turns out the Bucs took him in the right spot.
May 2nd, 2025 at 4:59 pm
“That puts him at 33.”
I echo Jeff Becker…”Mike’s 31 wtf. It’s not unusual for a healthy athlete to peak at 31.” Amen it’s 2025 not 1975!
ME13 has placed himself in position to become the GOAT. Not saying he’ll make it or even that he wants it badly enough to sacrifice another half dozen years.
Just sayin’ Jerry Rice the current GOAT played his final season at FORTY TWO.
Maybe because I’m the old dude here and am sensitive to writing guys off prematurely due to age. IF ME’s hammie hold up he can go more than even a few more years IF he even wants to.
May 2nd, 2025 at 5:30 pm
I agree with the soft zone in the middle of the defense last year, how could anyone NOT see it, that’s why I have 3 remotes, 2 for throwing and the one that actually works.
But there are reasons for that which TB & JL have addressed. On D their drafting 2 CB’s in 2 & 3 say’s to me there was injury, the main culprit? and second lack of good depth, I mean, is there any other kind than “good” depth? 4 & 5 DL/Edge, again depth and maybe these guys push for starting? Wouldn’t be surprising.
I don’t know what TL saw in his reassessment of the defense last year but he said something definitely caught his eye, maybe the draft show’s some of that? Who knows. Injuries just KILL a team and then lack of good backups, both of which got exposed last year but with the cap issues since Brady’s last year let’s face it, we’ve gotten kind of spoiled,{sounds funny coming from a Tampa Bay fan, right}. It will get fixed, we spent a lot on offense because it was our stronger side of the ball, now time to bring the pride back to the D, which is what we’re known for and as I can see a lot of folks here have pride in it too.
May 2nd, 2025 at 5:35 pm
If ME has the desire to continue playing with his catch radius & body type he would be a difference maker in the red zone as long as he is healthy.
You never know but I could see Mike catching 8-10 TDs a year until he’s 40.
May 2nd, 2025 at 5:44 pm
You know that 0-4 stretch was against the Chiefs, Niners, and Ravens (and falcons) which may have played to it beyond missing ME and CG. Certainly didn’t help but let’s be real. Tough stretch.
May 2nd, 2025 at 6:40 pm
Man I’ve seen so many people writing about Evan’s age lately… I hope that lights a fire under his arse and he comes out and has one of his best seasons ever this year!
May 2nd, 2025 at 6:56 pm
Lots of hope in the defense this year hoping players stay on the field and players bounce back from injury. Most hope from this team is placed on SVD. We know how you feel about that four letter word, Joe.
Gotta think they were targeting Bassa in the 5th before a team traded up and snagged him right before our pick. Concerning we didn’t get more depth at ILB but we should have an improved pass rush. Time will tell.