Rondé Barber Says Edge Rusher Usage Doesn’t Make Sense
November 20th, 2025
You know how Joe likes to bark and moan about how Todd Bowles drops his edge rushers into pass coverage?
Buckle up and listen to Bucs legend Rondé Barber go deep on the subject, one that seems to have him searching for hair on his head to pull out.
Speaking on The Rondé Barber Show this week, Barber said a key fix to the Bucs’ struggling defense involves letting the edge guys, you know, attack the quarterback consistently because they don’t have the physical tools to cover.
“You have to simplify these pressure looks,” Barber said. “We have really good players on defense. So selectively blitzing is more effective than always trying to confuse offenses and blitz, especially on critical downs. Like, how many times do I gotta see an edge player — an edge player, guys wearing number zero — Yaya — or No. 98, Anthony Nelson — running in the flat with a running back or wide receiver because that’s the responsibility? … They’re rushers.
“That makes sense to me for this defense when Hassan Reddick is on the field. Now Hassan Reddick hasn’t been on the field in four weeks, I think. He’s got this ankle injury that I just can’t get an answer on — don’t know why he’s not playing. But he’s the guy that can handle those situations; these other guys cannot. They’re just not that type of athlete.
“And I know it’s one of the biggest tenets of Todd Bowles’ defense is to be variable and that everybody have pressures and whatnot, whatever. But you have to be more, I don’t know, normal? Simple? Don’t call the plays that are gonna put players in positions-to-get-beat-type defenses.
“Simulated looks, right? We always can find a way to rush four players. But at some point you gotta let your edge players be edge players. You gotta let your linebackers cover. Your safeties cover. Your corners cover. I know we use a lot of man pressures in times, but I’d like to see more of that. Play man; then pressure. Right? So my advice, my big remedy, is to keep it simple. Kiss ’em.”
Joe will leave it there.
.@Buccaneers @BuffaloBills @JoshAllenQB This QB is going to find the open receiver; regardless of the name on the back of the jersey. Sunday was Tyrell Shavers Day! 4-90-1!!! #BillsMafia #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/PpQMk3eEgc
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 20, 2025
November 20th, 2025 at 4:18 pm
Joe and many fans have made this same point several times and keep saying it because of what we see week in and week out exotic maybe that means outdated or simply just a bad scheme.
November 20th, 2025 at 4:22 pm
Bowles in just incapable of making these changes to his scheme.
That’s just what we are stuck with for the foreseeable future.
Might as well embrace the insanity. Sunday is going to send a lot of us over the top.
Unless Baker is set free to go downfield to run up the score, we have zero chance of winning this game.
And trust me, the so called weaker teams on the schedule will be licking their chops to take a bite of Swiss cheese.
November 20th, 2025 at 4:29 pm
Ther is something going on behind the scenes. If the Bucs lose to the Rams expect more leaks and fractures. This organization is starting to come apart.
9-8 and missing the playoffs seem ever more likely by the day
November 20th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
Thank you, Ronde Barber! It’s nice to have him say this. If Bowles doesn’t simplify his scheme for this next Rams game, we don’t have a chance. Odds are already stacked against us. We don’t need Bowles to make it worse with his “exotic” looks that well-coached teams (like McVey’s) and vet QBs (like Stafford or Kirk Cousins) can shred upon! Let these young edge rushers have a chance! THEN, ON TOP OF THAT, can Bowles develop a “killer mentality” in time for this Sunday??!!
November 20th, 2025 at 4:41 pm
The fact that ownership and the front office are not mandating defensive changes is astounding. Maybe it’s time for a fresh look both at head coach and GM. Both seem really satisfied with themselves right now. Let’s be real, the only reason both are still here is because the sh@t division they play in. Put them in the AFC West and both would be run last year.
November 20th, 2025 at 4:42 pm
Licht and bowles both suffer from this. Trying to be too cute by half. Trying to swim upstream and do things differently from everyone else in the league. KISS it. Keep it simple. If we need a C, draft the best C on the board with our pick. If we need a pass rush, rush with our edge rushers.
On a side note, I LOVE Lee’s passion for the Bucs. He is the voice, the id of the fans. Respect and love Steve & Ira as well, but Lee is the heart of JBF imo.
November 20th, 2025 at 4:46 pm
Finally! Someone else other than a handful of us commenters and Joe of course speaking up! I swear this shenanigans got worse once JPP and Shaq left/got old/hurt. I will be willing to blame Licht if and only if Bowles actually adjusts his scheme where we don’t have Vea drop into coverage, where the pass rushers rush the passer, then some of the blame can go to him. The talent is there, but it’s not consistent when guys aren’t doing what they were drafted to do
November 20th, 2025 at 4:49 pm
Bowles is a dinosaur…extinct. Proof? His record says LOSER.
Jason Licht’s record? Even with Brady he is a loser.
CLEAN THE HOUSE!
November 20th, 2025 at 4:58 pm
More passing yards for a practice squad player in those 3 plays than he had all season. Give it up for our DC! Go Bowles? Does Lovie still have a job?
November 20th, 2025 at 5:11 pm
Bowles put a lot of responsibility on his edge rushers, maybe that’s why they don’t develop.
November 20th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
Ronde interested in coaching?
November 20th, 2025 at 5:35 pm
Agreed both Jason and Todd need to take a train outa town. Even the best ever Bucs HOF DB is saying Todd is nuts. lol. Nothing like seeing old man LVD trying to cover a WR that just blows past him into the end zone. On that play LVD was beat by at least 5 yards. Luckily Allen over threw his WR. Would rather see a plain set of blitz packages withDBs playing man coverage. If they give up the big play so be it. It can’t be worse what Bowles is doing now.
November 20th, 2025 at 5:43 pm
Terrible HC!!!!
Dam even barber sees it.
So stupid this team will not win Shhhhh with bum bowels in charge
November 20th, 2025 at 5:49 pm
It feels like the Bucs org has either given up or is broke??
Bucky, Evans, Godwin, McMillan should all be on injury reserve and bring in defensive help. We can’t play worse… take some swings at the 4 best players in USFL… doing nothing is unacceptable..
November 20th, 2025 at 5:53 pm
The Bucs Secondary is the key and Bucs will win Sunday Nite.
November 20th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
Hope you’re taking Notes @Jaaon R Licht when you’re shopping new HC candidates. Any new Bucs HC MUST ADHERE to this simple defensive #Truth: Edge Rushers are for collapsing the pocket and rushing/sacking the QB; NOT dropping into coverage and subsequently failing to cover RB’s, TE’s, and WR’s. Todd Bowles will never be able to blitz his way to a Super Bowl win, EVER. The franchise you run Jason Licht has two Super Bowl titles under its belt and as you should know first hand from that 2nd win, BOTH were won off the backs of a relentless pass rush by EDGE RUSHERS. WTF is so hard for you and Bowles to understand about this very simple #TRUTH??!!
November 20th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
Ronde Barber for next Bucs Head Coach!!!!!
November 20th, 2025 at 6:04 pm
What edge rushers? Those guys would be backups on any other team just like JTS. Jim Schwartz shipped him off to Chicago quick after he realized that Tampa maxed out his abilities.
November 20th, 2025 at 6:09 pm
Jason is a mediocre GM. He wins some in the draft and loses some in the draft. Actually like all GMs. Compound that with terrible head coach and you get what’s currently happening with the Bucs. No more no less. Can’t beat equal or better constructed teams.
November 20th, 2025 at 6:26 pm
What does Ronde knows. Let’s keep trying it. Eventually that game plan will take us to the Super Bowl Baby!
November 20th, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Jason saw that there was a huge problem with the edge rush and chose not to do anything about it. The trade deadline is closed, Todd won’t change his ridiculous defensive scheme and the Bucs will have to rely on last second wins by Baker. Sad really because the Bucs will have no chance against playoff caliber teams. I never liked Bowles and always thought he was hard headed and living in the past. Jason is just as hard headed. Poor Baker, poor offense. no matter what they do they will be undermined by horrible coaching and a GM that hoards draft picks to the detriment of the team. What a waste of an another season.
November 20th, 2025 at 6:31 pm
Ronde Barber … ‘But you have to be more, I don’t know, normal? Simple? Don’t call the plays that are gonna put players in positions-to-get-beat-type defenses.’
Ronde nailed it. Especially loved what he said about Reddick (‘he’s the guy that can handle those situations; these other guys cannot. They’re just not that type of athlete.’).
Shaq was another OLB who seemingly could handle those situations, and so was JPP. Neither was great in those situations, but they could deal with them.
As I look at the Advanced Passing stats for those players, something jumps out about their Pass Defense effectiveness in Todd Bowles’ defense:
o Shaq: 6 yrs – 69 targets – 57 completions – 82.6%
o JPP: 4 yrs – 30 targets – 26 completions – 86.7%
o JTS: 4 yrs – 48 targets – 33 completions – 68.8%
o D White: 5 yrs – 321 targets – 251 completions – 78.2%
o Nelson: 7 yrs – 46 targets – 36 completions – 78.3%
o Diaby: 3 yrs – 20 targets – 17 completions – 85.0%
o LVD: 7 yrs – 526 targets – 400 completions – 76.0%
o SVD: 3 yrs – 57 targets – 49 completions – 86.0%
Ironically the best OLB Todd Bowles has had in terms of coverage seems to have been JTS. He got a lot of snaps in his 2nd year, but once it became obvious that he wasn’t real good at rushing the passer, his snaps started to dwindle.
Fact is though, LBs for the most part just aren’t that fantastic at pass defense. Too many other things going on in their ‘world’ (like run defense, blitzing, pass rush, etc?).
November 20th, 2025 at 6:31 pm
Stop stop 20 yard game stop 10 yard game stop minimal gain 40 yard touchdown the epitome of TB defense
November 20th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
It’s unbelievable that this team is currently 6-4, hasn’t had a losing season in years, rebuilding after the Brady fiasco…. And people are calling for Jason and Todd to be ran outta town.
Are you guys secretly eagle fans???… cause they doing the same thing rn
Chilllllll
I’m not here saying Bowles shouldn’t change. I’m saying let’s judge him on then body of work when the seasons over. Let’s not be one of those teams firing coaches mid season. If he sucked, then he deserves what he gets.
November 20th, 2025 at 6:38 pm
I’m calling B.S!! How quickly Barber forgets the stick em like Glue Coverage down field of Rice, and Sapp, and Culpepper that free up our safeties like Lynch to rush the passer the way all great coaches and schemes employ! IF I’m not mistaken Booger had like 4 picks one year, in man to man coverage of teams #1 receivers. So its just our lineman’s forty times that our holding us back
November 20th, 2025 at 6:44 pm
I have been a Todd Bowles defender but-
During the off-season, they mentioned how they “figured something out and things were going to change.”
It hasn’t.
They still sit back in a soft zone 40% of the time. Have no idea how to cover running backs out of the backfield. And cannot figure out how to get a four man pass rush.
Nothing has changed.
I firmly believe this defense got them into the playoffs the last couple of years with all the injuries they had. Bowles HAD to bed complicated to make up for some of the talent
But this year, with very few injuries on defense, it’s been detrimental. Everything Barber said is 100% correct. This defense has a ton of talent on it, but it is not showing up in games consistently.
The big place they give up is unacceptable and so is receivers & RBs wide open within 10 yards.
With a little health on the offense and a strong run towards and into the playoffs, nothing is going to change, but LICHT and ownership need to start thinking about a DC and or Bowles replacement
November 20th, 2025 at 6:45 pm
Lmao What “EDGE-Rusher!?” LoL I didn’t know we had one!?
November 20th, 2025 at 6:50 pm
It is a good thing that the rest of the NFCS teams will lose at least 10 games.
November 20th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
We’ve drafted a few, I guess. Honestly, I don’t know HOW you could ever develop any “EDGE-Rusher” with Todd Bowles Defense. It would be impossible. Just WASTED. And, this has proven true. There has been more than enough of a ‘sample-size’ by now, to see. Can’t do it.