Shaq Thompson And The Bucs
January 18th, 2026
The Bucs need inside linebacker help and have for years.
Devin White crumbled in his final Tampa Bay season. K.J. Britt wasn’t it and moved on to be a backup in Miami. SirVocea Dennis was brutal in pass defense this season. That’s three troubling seasons at inside linebacker alongside Lavonte David.
And, sadly, David wasn’t himself this season. He produced but a lot of his elite athleticism disappeared, perhaps all of it. Father Time ran him down. And David’s leadership was not very effective in the poor Bucs defense.
Joe was reminded of all this watching Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson in the playoffs. Thompson, the longtime Panthers defender, joined the Bills last offseason on a one-year, veteran-minimum kind of contract. Last week, he was a beast leading the Bills in tackles and with an interception; yesterday in Denver, Thompson made a couple of standout plays.
Joe’s not saying the Bucs should sign 31-year-old Thompson in free agency, or that he’s a superstar. But the Bucs sure do need veteran inside linebacker help in Thompson’s mold.
Thompson started this season as a backup and became a starter after an injury. He stepped up.
Joe would sleep better if the Bucs landed two free agent inside linebackers in free agency, whether David returns or not.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:36 am
Love me some Shaq-Needed a stud LB at trade deadline-Licht too stupid to pull trigger-Cost Glazers millions in playoff revenue.
January 18th, 2026 at 6:46 am
Hes ok, but getting old. Seems like more bargain basement shopping.
Keep the team young. Nakobi Dean and 2 or 3 for Nick Herbig. Dude can play and pitt doesn’t use him much. He has one year left, less than 2 mil. 24 years old. He immediately fixes the pass rush. And…… it might entice Tomlin next year.
January 18th, 2026 at 8:57 am
Bucs just need to add ballers in FA instead of actingike every draft pick will be a superstar.
January 18th, 2026 at 9:00 am
Fine…but we still need a LB in round 1 or 2…..
January 18th, 2026 at 9:00 am
Definitely need a vet there and one if he gets hurt. It’s getting worse brother we looked like an old Mash episode all season. I have a thought 🤔 Joe, now don’t kill me but what if our next quarterback of the future falls to 15th this year? We’ve got to fix the sinkhole that ate the defense.
January 18th, 2026 at 9:17 am
You have to ask yourself, if you’re a free agent, would you want to play for a DC who doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing? It seems it would be a last resort for most players.
January 18th, 2026 at 9:46 am
What defensive free agent is going to want to play for Todd Bowles?
The Bucs will have to overpay for a broken veteran like they did this past year.
Welcome to another lost decade Bucs fans.
January 18th, 2026 at 10:19 am
The nfl got what it deserved yesterday. Refs wanted 8vertime and called tge game accordingly
Now tge Broncos lost their qb.
Sad fir tgem but couldn’t finish watching another insincere game
Its 2025. You can use sensors, and tennis style beams. The nonsense has to be dealth with.
Tge idiots in charge need to quit pussibg on my leg and telling me its raining.
January 18th, 2026 at 10:43 am
We have a bad habit of gifting starting jobs to guys because they were draft picks.
Remember Benenoch? With the skinny knees? 5th round pick. We gave him a starting role. He sucked.
SVD. We gifted him a starting job. While we had Deion Jones, à former Pro Bowler, who is still FAST on the roaster!
We gifted JTS à job.
We gifted Britt a job.
We need more competition again!
Stop giving starting jobs to guys just bc they were draft picks!
January 18th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Styles or CJ Allen if we go there….but I want that Guard.
January 18th, 2026 at 10:48 am
31 years old? NO!
January 18th, 2026 at 10:57 am
Yes I’m for this and then draft Rodriguez @15 Styles won’t be there 🤣🤣dreamers and grab Dt in the 2nd and another backer @ 3 or 4
Good Night & Good luck 🤙🏾
January 18th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
But can he cover WRs 30 yards downfield?
Asking for a friend.
January 18th, 2026 at 12:37 pm
Fine idea. Just throw multiple darts.
January 18th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
Jason LIcht is trash. It’s no surprise Licht sucked before Brady got here and sucks post Brady. Weird. It’s almost as if Brady was the only reason we won a SB. Once he left we’ve been getting progressively worse each year. Weird.
January 18th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
Todd Bowles is a dead-man walking…….Bucs will have problems attracting free agents…..they are a team on decline in the NFC South, Carolina, NO and Atlanta are on the rise.
January 18th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
Think how different it would have been if White hadn’t gone loco. Had he been there with LVD these last few seasons and playing at a high level, who knows what might have been.
January 18th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
Go get Sonny Styles in the draft and another LB stud. Simple if LVD retires. Please retire Dennis he’s a backup maybe, I think there are better backups out there
January 18th, 2026 at 2:36 pm
My Bucs LB room fix would be:
1) Make GB UFA ILB Quay Walker the #1 LB target in FA…4yrs/$40-44M – $10M signing bonus – escalators for All-Pro / Snap Count / Playoff Wins & SB Appearance that bump that to 4yrs/$50 if all clauses were hit.
2) Look for 1 of the cheaper UFA ILB2 types: Colts Germaine Pratt, LV Devin White, CAR Christian Rozeboom or BUF Shaq Thompson to pair as Walker’s short term running mate…Shorter deal lengths & shorter dollars – depending on who bites 1st in FA.. 2-3yrs max / No more than $2-4.5M per, money varies depending on individual market values – but not top dollar has to be spent here….( I would not close the door on bringing Devin White back, not after he’s been humbled in PHI & matured/rejuvenated his career in LV. )
3) Draft for the near-term future – But look to trade down in the 1st from #15 into the low-mid20’s – (IF TT OLB Bailey or AUB DE Faulk aren’t there)…IMO, OSU’s Sonny Styles is not worth the #15 pick…I’d much rather see the FO trade down & then look for Styles if still on the board or for UGA ILB CJ Allen there in the late 1st range or wait for Day2 for TEXAS ILB Anthony Hill Jr or ALA ILB Deontae Lawson in the 2nd – with the #46 pick.
* With the above – Both immediate starter roles would be filled with dependable experienced production, Draft Backer gets time to adjust to the NFL as a BU early on & grow into the guy they were in college down the line….Dennis becomes ILB4 & sticks on gameday roster for ST/rotational play.
* I do not see a true top-15 1st Rd grade ILB or Edge/3-4 DE-OLB option falling into Tampa’s lap… If they do, great…But if not, there will be value to be had at late Day 1 thru Early Day3.
* Trade Down scenario gives Licht & scouting department more picks available to find & fix swath of other roster issues… OLB/Edge, LG, DT, RB2, Developmental QB & ST (CB/S).
January 18th, 2026 at 3:12 pm
sadly, we need almost anything we can get at ILB at this point…
debatably, almost a whole new front 7 might be needed
January 18th, 2026 at 4:18 pm
I’d take any LB right now as long as he’s capable of helping. Especially if Lavonte does decide to retire.
January 18th, 2026 at 4:39 pm
We still have baker @ QB…….
January 18th, 2026 at 10:19 pm
I watched the accurate throws of these young qbs in the playoffs n they make Baker look like garbage. We need a back up qb who can compete with Baker n im not talking Trask, my bad Trash. Based on my observation of the team’s defense in the playoff, again, they make our defense look like trash. We didn’t deserve being in the playoffs even if we qualified. Lastly, contrary to the 49ers, the coaches prepared their team for playoff ready type ball. Bowles is living in the past n is not a match for modern offenses/defenses. Com on Glazers, make an Executive Decision.
January 19th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Licht and The Glazers will go cheap to tank with Bowles. If they really want to compete, Quay Walker is the man. Licht should also pick up one: edge, DT3, or another ILB in FA.
In the draft, no ILB’s with a first round grade, but some edges and DT are likely available at 15.
At pick 46, there’s a slight chance Miami’s Akeem Mesidor would be available, unless he blows up Indiana tonight.