The Win-Now Buccaneers
February 22nd, 2026
“Tom, you, Spytek and Davis can keep pretending you know what you’re doing. We’re looking at another playoff run.”
How close was Tampa Bay to being a good team last season?
The answer depends on who you ask.
Joe is confident almost everyone collecting a check at One Buc Palace thinks the Bucs were close — and believes the Bucs are now only several new assistant coaches, healed offensive linemen and a couple of strong offseason finds from being a Super Bowl contender.
Many fans, however, are spooked by what they believe are serious coaching and roster questions, and the inexplicable lack of fire from the Bucs late last season.
So what does pending free agent receiver Mike Evans think? That’s an important question.
Joe suspects Evans believes the Bucs would have been a strong playoff team if he didn’t miss 9 games with various injuries. Evans knows he’s a difference-maker. Over the past two seasons, the Bucs are 14-8 when Evans plays, and 4-8 when he does not.
That’s why former NFL QB and longtime BSPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck said last week that he thinks the Bucs top the list of teams where Evans would fit in 2026.
“Look, they’re a legitimate contending team,” Hasselbeck told the world about the Bucs on ESPN TV. “They can win their division, [re-signing Evans] gives themselves a shot. I think that makes sense.”
Joe is not losing an ounce of sleep thinking Evans will bolt Tampa. Evans loves and respects the Bucs with all his heart, and the Bucs feel the same about him. And name an iconic franchise receiver who left his team when both sides felt fully loved and respected?
Joe hasn’t found one.
From Jerry Rice (49ers) to Davante Adams (Packers) to Randy Moss (Vikings) to Steve Smith (Panthers) and Julio Jones (Falcons) and more — iconic receivers on Evans’ level that left their original teams — all had some sort of beef of major disagreement with their club. Evans doesn’t have that.
So what about the money, Joe? Great question!
It’s hard to believe the stars of Raise The Flags: 50 Years Of Buccaneers Football, aka Bucs co-owners Team Glazer, will not pay to keep Evans. Did Team Glazer retain Todd Bowles against major fan backlash only to tell Bowles he can’t have arguably his most dangerous player, a guy who changes defenses and keeps D-coordinators up at night?
That wouldn’t make a lot of sense.
“This Joe” thinks Team Glazer is a highly competitive entity that wants nothing more than Bowles to have a huge bounceback year to shutup the naysayers, even drawing a shred of extra motivation from the loud ‘Bowles Must Go’ crowd.
Bowles and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht will host news conferences at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday. Joe expects to hear a strong win-now mindset and focus from both of them.
February 22nd, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Haha, we’re in rebuild mode….but we have some pieces, just not the right DC…..um, and yeah that one too….
February 22nd, 2026 at 4:49 pm
Todd you should have been gone, when we had coen, and one of the top offences in the league, straight up from the floor up, think about this joes and Jason Licht, when we have another 8-9 win season, because the D sucks, who gets the blame this time? The GM and head coach, that’s who, then you will see the house cleaning, new GM HC and regime, players bolting, retiring, and traded off for draft capital, then the rebuild, will it be a quick turn around, ala the patriots or will it be another lost decade, where we wear bags on our heads at ray jay, and embrace the suck, only the shadow knows!
February 22nd, 2026 at 5:03 pm
Thats why I’d be really surprised if Evans stays,James
February 22nd, 2026 at 5:07 pm
He had been paid almost $155 Million by the Bucs so far in his career. How much is enough to play his whole career here? Don’t be e Greedy Pig and get ‘er done-both sides.
February 22nd, 2026 at 5:19 pm
Winning over money anytime! With winnings comes the cash
February 22nd, 2026 at 5:34 pm
I’m sorry, the ship has sailed on this team when Bowles stayed. What’s going happen the first time Dumbo blows a game. Fans will start to boo and players will start mumbling “third and 28”. Then the wheels come off no matter Sonny Stiles or whomever we draft.
Replace TB or TB/JL and fans that have turned into trolls like me can have hope again.
February 22nd, 2026 at 5:46 pm
BucsfaninOregon
If you think replacing Todd Bowles automatically fixes everything, explain this:
• Top 10 scoring defense in 2023
• Division title in 2024
• NFC Divisional Round appearance with a $35M+ dead cap hit
• Developing young defensive core that improved late in the season
You don’t burn down a competitive roster because of one infamous snap.
As for fans booing? If this team wins, nobody’s chanting “Third and 28.” Winning cures everything. Always has.
You want change for emotional satisfaction. The front office wants sustained contention. Those are not the same thing.
Hope doesn’t come from firing people.
Hope comes from drafting well, staying healthy, and finishing games.
And this roster is still good enough to do that.
February 22nd, 2026 at 5:48 pm
The defense will have to have veteran players who are physical and smart enough to overcome not only the opposing offenses but some of Bowles bad decisions. I don’t think Evans staying or leaving is going to make much of a difference at this point. It’s all about getting top tier Defensive Free Agents signed.
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:06 pm
Superbowl or bust!
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:17 pm
buc4evr … ‘It’s all about getting top tier Defensive Free Agents signed.’
Exactly!
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:17 pm
As long as Bowles is coach, about .500 is all you can expect. Proven track record, that’s his ceiling.
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:17 pm
#99 the big fella Says:
February 22nd, 2026 at 5:46 pm
BucsfaninOregon
If you think replacing Todd Bowles automatically fixes everything, explain this:
• Top 10 scoring defense in 2023
———————————————————————-
Added to what you wrote about the Top 10 scoring defense in 2023. That is the year the Bucs had 75 million in dead cap money; they were firmly in salary cap hell. Bowles had the #7-ranked scoring defense in the league. He had a Top-Ten scoring defense for four consecutive years, beginning in 2020. He gave up a lot of passing yards during the 2023 season, but his red zone defense was elite, and he was able to prevent teams from scoring TD’s.
The 2025 defense was ugly, but given Bowles track record, he’s not as bad as most commenters seem to believe he is. He clearly needs to adjust his scheme to fit the personnel on the field better, but the talent needs to be upgraded on defense. People here KNOW the talent needs to be upgraded, but still want to blame everything (including climate change) on Bowles.
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:17 pm
Bowzo defense does not work,,,,Simple stuff. Get him OUT!
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:18 pm
Bowles Must Go
Licht and Bowles have a strong lose-now mindset
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:22 pm
Selective memories here. Let’s look at the “great Kirk Cousins” in his last three performances against the Bucs:
Dec 2025 (ATL): 373 passing yards, 3 TD, 0 INT (117.0 rating).
Oct 2025 (ATL): 276 passing yards, 4 TD.
Oct 2024 (ATL): 509 passing yards, 4 TD, 1 INT (Overtime win)
And this from a guy who was benched due to lack of productivity.
Yeah, the Bucs are close.
Oh wait, I know. Stats are for losers.
Is not a 7-9 record after a 5-2 start also a stat?
On second thought, stats are for losers. See above.
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:27 pm
JA ,
How many people have you kicked off your lawn today?
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Bowels is a 7-9 win coach with no killer instinct and a defense so Complex many players seem to have difficulty learning it. I’d like nothing better than to see us win 12-14 games but facts and reason say it will be around 8 to 9 max. Hopefully the offense will stay healthy and pull the team to more wins. This year the draft is really crucial for the Defense. They better get it right and get a few upgrades in the FA market.
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:32 pm
BPBucsfan Says:
As long as Bowles is coach, about .500 is all you can expect. Proven track record, that’s his ceiling.
————————————————————————–
Before posting “facts” like that, you may want to first actually look at his track record.
As I mentioned in my last post, Bowles’ track record shows he was top ten in the NFL four consecutive years in the points-per-game allowed opponents. And that includes the 2023 season, when he was 9 – 8, won the division, when the team was in salary cap hell with over 75 million in dead cap money. From a GM’s perspective, that is an excellent season, and not commonly done in the salary cap era.
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:35 pm
BucsFanSince1996
I’m definitely convinced that this site is actually filled with more trolls than actual fans.
February 22nd, 2026 at 6:38 pm
@99 the big fella,
It’s definitely got more than its share of trolls, plus their sock puppets as well.