Bucs Fans Aren’t Alone In Trade Deadline Angst
November 5th, 2025
Collectively, Bucs fans were unhappy about the power brokers at One Buc Palace not making a trade before yesterday’s season deadline.
Joe’s polling data is below. And Joe understands the sentiment. The Bucs have an excellent team with a lot of injury issues. Logic seemed to to point toward taking a significant shot at improving a potential Super Bowl team.
What happened behind the scenes is unknown. It reminds Joe of how every year team officials say they got the guy they wanted with the first pick in the NFL Draft. That can’t be the whole truth.
Joe found it fun that the Patriots, Sunday’s opponent, also have a bunch of fans pulling their hair out because New England (7-2) didn’t deal at the deadline. They wanted upgrades to help unseat the Bills in the AFC East.
New England even has a fan/ex-player, linebacker Rob Ninkovich, feeling like he did more than the team did to swing a trade.
Per his chatter on The Greg Hill Show out of Boston, Ninkovich said he reached out to multiple pass rushers to lure them to New England. He referenced direct messaging Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett and Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Ninkovich, who had 46 sacks in eight seasons for the Patriots, ranted about how he can’t understand why a strong team wouldn’t look to upgrade with proven veterans if the price is only late-round draft picks.
Joe wonders if the Bucs have an ex-player or two (Kyle Trask?) that tried to spark a trade last week?
Yesterday’s JoeBucsFan.com flash poll posted at 4:34 p.m. Poll closed at 7:18 p.m.
November 5th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
I’m kind of split. I don’t want to give up draft cap when Licht has been Lichts Out in the rounds in which we’d deal picks. Multiple starters for multiple years. It’s hard to say a veteran (different if we’re talking about the Garrett calibre) this year makes a bigger impact than those picks if Licht continues rolling on draft night.
On the flip side, how electric would it have been to go all in on the DLine. Hendrickson/Garrett (unrealistic tbh) next to a healthy Vea and Kancey, with whoever on the other side.
Other than those 2, I’m interested to hear other potential trade targets. It’s hard to judge because of how bad the injuries have been but I don’t see many positions where we could get a deal done for late round picks that make a big enough impact to justify the picks that we give up or the new contracts we might have to give out.
November 5th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
I’m in the minority, I guess, because I was hoping to stand pat and not throw away future pics on middling guys that come from teams that aren’t very good. Is Jaelan Phillips going to make the Eagles that much better? Maybe/Maybe not. Is Dallas any better now? Nope. Miles Garrett, etc were never going anywhere or the asking price was likely ridiculous. We’re getting healthier. Don’t waste tomorrow. Licht drafts pretty good, why lose good picks?
November 5th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
Linebacker actually would’ve been huge now that I think about it. I like SVD, he’s coming into his own slowly. He’s been on the team too long to just be coming into his own now though.
Who would’ve been available to slot in next to #54?
November 5th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
JOE,
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE NFL SEASON ONCE THE FLIGHTS ARE GROUNDED NEXT WEEK? WILL IT BE SUSPENDED?
November 5th, 2025 at 12:43 pm
“Joe wonders if the Bucs have an ex-player or two (Kyle Trask?)”
LOl……joe sure does know what stirs the pot round these parts
November 5th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
This franchise is on it’s longest run of success in 50 years. Crybabies need to zip it up and be thankful. Looks like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to be a top organization for years to come. Thank you Glazers,Bruce Arians,Jason Licht Tom Brady,Todd Bowels and all our hard working players and coaches!!!! GO BUCS, whoop the Patsies!!
November 5th, 2025 at 12:49 pm
Bucs couldn’t trade for a tackle as good as Goedeke or a Guard as good as Mauch or a Receiver as good as Evans but they may draft a player as good in the future
as any of those 3.
NFL players have relatively short careers – draft picks are premium ( excluding kickers picks)
November 5th, 2025 at 12:56 pm
4x NFCS TITLES AND SUPER BOWL
You still don’t trust Licht, JBF? Wow! The beauty of being a Bucs Fan is you have the best GM in the business. Trust Licht. He knows what he’s doing better than you guys.
REALITY CHECK …
Defense is coming on. Offensive guys are coming back. The Bucs are a 6-2 teams that’s getting better. We’ll win the division.
THE LONG GAME …
This team will be so deep next year with a lot of young talent. Our cap opens up next year. I’d rather keep winning division titles and playing in the post-season.
November 5th, 2025 at 1:07 pm
Licht doesn’t make trades this isn’t a super bowl roster anyway #!!
November 5th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
Slightly over HALF our starters are on rookie contracts, REALLY makes it easier to afford stuff
November 5th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
The trading deadline used to be good for bargains maybe but the price was to high on the players that would make a significant difference, imo. Two firsts plus a good wide receiver prospect for Sauce Gardner? Maybe a first for Q. Williams but not a first and a second, imo.
November 5th, 2025 at 1:37 pm
Years ago in the Lovie/Schiano era fans got very excited over how the Bucs would have first pickings off the waiver wire at the end of the preseason. It was a gimmick to keep fans interested in the team over the first three or four games of a new season.
Same thing here: All the merchandise are castoffs from unsuccessful teams. Most are either overpriced or undertalented. It gives sports talk shows a couple weeks to hyperventilate.
But for what? Yes, the Colts have upgraded their secondary. The Cowboys put Jerry Jones in the headlines. Philly looks to have pulled off some smart moves for backup pieces from a dismal organization. Maybe Seattle is better at wideout. Can believe that the Eagles came out best when there was no Antonio Brown in sight. But most of the bellowing and bellyaching was over players that the Bucs didn’t need or didn’t get a good priced offer on.
The Bucs have many holes from injuries, too many to plug at the deadline. Any success this season will come from guys returning from injury and from the current roster stepping up. It won’t come from hyped media events.
November 5th, 2025 at 1:42 pm
I get it. They want their draft picks, they draft extremely well. They have a Super Bowl team… When healthy.
3 problems,
They don’t draft edge rushers very well, although YaYa is becoming very very good.
They aren’t healthy
And ILB is one injury away from preventing a deep playoff run
November 5th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
Sly Pirate, that all sounds good and I am with you for the most part.
Where I struggle, and I have said it many times, is the Bucs are very close to losing corner stone pieces in David, Evans and possibly Vea. Our “best” CB is gone next year as well.
I certainly don’t want to be giving up a couple 1sts… but lower picks for depth if guys don’t recover or new injuries occur would have been some insurance for the playoffs. I really want those HoF vets to win some games in January.
If I could give David and Evans incredible postseason performances culminating in another Bucs SB this year in exchange for missing the playoffs the next 5 years… I would do it.
Maybe that’s dumb, build up respect for the Bucs then wipe it all away for 5 years but Lavonte and Mike would have it forever and be 1st ballot guys.
November 5th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
SVD is coming into his own NOW because he’s playing and not hurt, there is ZERO substitute for snaps, none. Even the best of rookies needs snaps to get acclimated to the speed of the NFL, just the precision is so much more than anything they’ve ever seen. That’s why when they talk about the game slowing down for them it’s mental. If JL could have swung a deal for help at the right price he would have done it.
November 5th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Hmmm, what “offensive guys are coming back”? Big #67 may be back soon, but Bucky and Godwin won’t. So hold your horses. Don’t swallow the ‘hope’ koolaid.
November 5th, 2025 at 3:22 pm
“Kyle Trask?”… LOL
Good stuff!
November 5th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
Do I think a trade get’s us a superbowl, no. But would I give up a pick to get a good player in return, yes! Its not like JL hasnt built this entire team through the draft minus Mayfield. Once in a while I think a move is warrated. Not all picks work out, a 4th rounder going the other way would have been reasonable, esp since they are getting their 4th rounder back next year in Walker. Jordyn Brooks would have been a solid add. Need to replace potentially 2 lbs next year.