Todd Bowles: It’s A Long Year For The Rookies
October 28th, 2025
Punts on evaluating rookies.
Reading between the lines, it appears Bucs coach Todd Bowles believes in the Rookie Wall.
What is the rookie wall you ask? Rookies are used to college ball. They may play 12 games in a season, not counting any playoff or bowl games.
The NFL season is 17 games. And rookies tend to hit a wall after about a dozen or so games because that is what their bodies are used to.
Bowles was asked for his thoughts on how his rookie class is performing after eight weeks of play.
Bowles doesn’t seem to think the rookie wall has hit them.
“[We are] still evaluating them,” Bowles said. “It is a long season for those guys coming out of college when you throw in the three preseason games and the 17 regular season games – that is almost two college seasons.
“Those guys are very mature from a mental standpoint. They are executing very well [and] they are playing like they have been in the league for a while.
“It is halfway through the season, so they should be a little bit more seasoned right now, and the production has been great for us.”
The production has been great but when their bodies start screaming at them for playing more than 12 games without a three-week rest, then the wall will slap the rookies sharply.
Joe remembers when Ali Marpet was a rookie. Come November and into December, Joe would ask Marpet if he had hit the rookie wall. He denied it afflicted him each time Joe asked.
Then the next year Joe was talking to Marpet and he told Joe that, yeah, he hit the rookie wall the previous year. He hit it hard. But Marpet didn’t want to admit it.
Joe is sure other players feel the same way.
October 28th, 2025 at 9:06 am
i wonder if Barton is just now hitting the rookie wall…
not sure if he’s injured or just banged up but i dont see any power in his legs….no burst at all…seems like he’s stuck in mud….
hopefully the bye week does wonders for him…
6-2!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 28th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Ohio State played 16 games last year, so maybe Egbuka won’t hit the wall hopefully.
October 28th, 2025 at 9:39 am
I believe the wall is more mental than physical. When a rookie gets to December he is used to no longer having to think about weekly football. They are used to having only 1 game left, maybe 2 for the elite players. And there are clearly a lot of distractions for a young guy with new money and the holidays.
October 28th, 2025 at 9:42 am
Two weeks rest is coming at a really good time. Let’s just hope that is sufficient to get Godwin, Goedeke and/or Irvin back on the field. We need to get the offense clicking again.
October 28th, 2025 at 9:56 am
I don’t think they wanted to put a whole lot on tape last week.
After all beating NO can be accomplished with napkin drawings.
October 28th, 2025 at 10:07 am
PSL Bob … Based on what Todd Bowles said (or more specifically didn’t say) about Godwin, Goedeke & Irving’s availability, I have serious doubts that any of the 3 will be available for Game 9. And IF they are, I hope they’re used sparingly. Rushing them back then giving them a full workload isn’t a smart idea IMO.
October 28th, 2025 at 10:20 am
Barton is not a rookie. Its his second year.
October 28th, 2025 at 10:21 am
I was thinking about this as well – considering a guy like Egbuka- the aspect of the new college playoff format changes the rookie wall argument. I believe Mek played 17 games last season at OSU.
It may still effect players from college teams that don’t participate in the playoffs, but maybe less so for players from colleges that had a run in the college football playoffs?
We’ll see – especially since we’re relying on two rookie WR’s… and as CG and JMac come back from serious injuries, sure they haven’t been bashed around for multiple weeks – but they’re also not back to peak conditioning yet.
The only thing that balances out is that teams that HAVE had their stars for most of the season, start wearing down or getting injured.
October 28th, 2025 at 10:28 am
Need to evaluate offensive coordinator. He’s in a funk last 2 games and if this keeps going Bucs are going to be at home watching playoffs.
October 28th, 2025 at 10:37 am
Baker is getting blitzed nearly every play now, and that won’t change into Goedeke gets back. I’d think endless pony packages would mitigate that. If it DOESN’T look like a blitz, send one of them in motion
October 28th, 2025 at 10:51 am
We also haven’t had much of a run game, primarily because Goedeke has been missing, but also because Bucky has not been in the lineup.
A good run game will mitigate some of the aggressive blitzing.
Balance will return to the force. It’s not like we don’t have the talent in this roster, it just hasn’t been available. That’s about to start changing.
October 28th, 2025 at 11:26 am
@psl bob,,We really need to hope that the time is sufficient enough for Baker because there is something seriously wrong that we’ll probably never here an explanation for.
October 28th, 2025 at 11:43 am
Perish the thought but let’s just say I was Roger G. for a day. How would I devise a method of making huge gambling money on the NFL ? First I would study other corrupt entities and their methods and there is no shortage of those. Relying on some methods currently being used on the U.S. citizens, I would start by flooding the game officials with incompetence much like the FAA is doing with air traffic controllers. Make certain of their incompetence by inadequate training and lack of proper supervision. Keep their morale low by forcing restrictions on them. These situations create a comedy of errors on the field and the replay booth in NYC can pick and choose which calls stand or are overturned. The officials on the field become the villains aka patsies. Roger and the League claim plausible deniability. Everyone gets paid for zipped lips. But of course such a thing would NEVER happen, right ?
October 28th, 2025 at 11:44 am
Kind of good news that we are 6-2 going into the bye ,,, a NFC team should be able to make playoffs w 10 wins ,, the NFC west w three good teams are about to start playing each other and beating each other up,, Same could be said for NFC north,, and the East is down w only Phily playing well so far, And if you look at This week ,, we have a real chance to pick up a half game on our division without playing (fingers crossed),
At this point , with all the injuries , the goal has to be to get into the playoffs and hopefully be healthy,,, obviously to win the division would be great also
October 28th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Roscoe: I agree with your comment. I hope this gets posted. I’ve been moderated like crazy. I don’t know what app the Joes post on. I’ll say it again: Grizzard has got to review those games. He’s got plenty of time. Bucs have always had to be ready for the opposing team, and the refs. Would love to beat NE.
October 28th, 2025 at 2:05 pm
Ohio State played 16 games last season.
So EE will hit the wall right in time for the playoffs.
LOL kidding, he won’t hit the wall.
He’s a different breed of rookie.
October 28th, 2025 at 3:39 pm
All but two of the Bucs 2025 drafted rookies played at least 14 games last year, Morrison and Egbuka more than that. The rookie wall is a molehill.
October 28th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
@DR
I’m pretty sure you’re right. The same people who are blindly making plans for these key players may just be in for a Very Rude Awakening!
Bowls gave NO INDICATION of even a clue as to when even ONE of them maybe back and in fact was pretty GRIM about the REALITY….
So… we’re pushing forward WITHOUT them for the “continued” long term. NOT ONE OF THEM seems likely to show up for game 9 and there is no assistance that anyone of them will even start practicing until game UNKNOWN….
But NONE of the major key players will be practiced and ready to go in 2 weeks!
A WHOLE LOT of wishful thinking and wastes of time on the physically infirm..
The BEST we could do is if Licht pulls off some trades. But… I’M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH ON THAT ONE! ESPECIALLY ANY REAL AND “SUBSTANTIAL” PLAYER…
But who knows. Someone that writes checks COULD encourage a different mindset.
October 28th, 2025 at 8:26 pm
Bowles walking around likes hes got a 12 inch dog right now at 6-2 battling through injuries. Rookies stepping up. If we can get marginally healthy those rooks and backups give us serious depth next year.