Winning With Defensive “Misfits”
February 21st, 2026
Yes, the Bucs need a talent upgrade on defense, but how much of an upgrade?
Bucs officials will keep that answer secret until after March free agency and April’s NFL Draft. Understandably so.
When the Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka last year in Round 1, it sort of fulfilled a Todd Bowles prophecy a few weeks before that draft at the NFL Owners meetings.
There, Bowles said he would be just fine drafting a receiver because he’s learned scoring is a winning priority.
“Being a defensive coach, I learned that you win by scoring points,” Bowles said. “I don’t ever want to bypass a very good offensive player. I can figure things out enough on defense to keep us competitive.
“I would like to have some defensive players if that presented itself, but by no means will I bypass a very good offensive player just to satisfy my needs on defense.
“We can figure out how to keep the score down, but you can’t figure out a way to keep scoring points, especially if your horses go down. You can never have enough horses on offense. “
Joe applauded every element of that six-sentence Bowles rant. Bravo! However, the Bucs last year didn’t “figure out how to keep the score down.”
With Vita Vea, Lavonte David, Antoine Winfield, Calijah Kancey and Haason Reddick on the 2025 roster, the Bucs hardly were counting on “misfits” to win on defense. But frankly, a band of misfit-type players across the board might have produced better results.
Joe is using the word “misfit” because former Chargers and wrongfully-booted Raiders general manager Tom Telesco talked about when he was a member of the Colts’ front office, Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian had a philosophy of paying big for offensive players and hoping to fill out the defense successfully with “misfit” type players.
Telesco, speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, talked about how Polian and then-Colts head coach sought misfit types that either fit Tony Dungy’s defense or were guys Dungy could adjust to. That almost echoed Bowles’ line about figuring things out on defense while loading up talent on offense.
Will the Bucs have a similar offseason mindset this year? Or will fixing the Tampa Bay defense with blue chip talent be a priority?
Teams like the Cowboys and Bengals have overloaded on offense in recent years and that blew up in their faces.
Ira Kaufman Talks Mike Evans Reality & Nonsense, Key Questions Next Week For Jason Licht And Todd Bowles, Draft Dreams, And Much More
February 21st, 2026 at 12:56 pm
This is TB & JL’s prove it year. Win or be gone. Get all the talent you can afford. The Bucs will need it.
Oh, BTW, this was supposed to a year with a lot more cap money and now we hear it’s the ‘27 season. Hmm….
February 21st, 2026 at 1:07 pm
2026 season is already over…..anyone think bowles actually rights the ship?
February 21st, 2026 at 1:11 pm
THIS is the plan…!!!!Draft and FA all offense. Our Guru will have a defense same no matter who the players are. Bring on the MISFITS!
February 21st, 2026 at 1:19 pm
“I can figure things out enough on defense to keep us competitive.”
And this is the genius of Bowles, and why any player drafted on defense is a waste. Bowles could have posted the same record after the bye with anyone on defense. They all play to the same result.
3rd and 28 could be allowed by anyone.
February 21st, 2026 at 1:33 pm
But let’s keep him around only because of the ridiculous extension he had no business receiving. Only still there because of money. So why bring Evans back to this dumpster fire at this stage of his career? Let him go enjoy the end of his career
February 21st, 2026 at 1:36 pm
Some are becoming aware of the Bowzo Endless Loop Plug and Play Defense. The players do not matter. It take the best Offense money can buy to be viable. We need OFFENSE! The Offense can outlast Bowzo and Licht blunders.
February 21st, 2026 at 1:54 pm
Far too many people think the problem was Bowles when we were missing way too many **crucial** players last year. 2-3 offensive line starters were out almost every single game. Our first or second best pass rusher was out almost the whole season. David Walker was lost for the season and he might have been a huge difference maker. We were missing our best receivers for huge chunks of the season. It was a lost season because massive amounts of talent was in the training room. Similar to the year before, but then it was the entire secondary was out. We can’t have entire position groups injured. Simple as that.
February 21st, 2026 at 1:59 pm
Hopefully Robinson can help the genius figure out how the defense can be even more confusing and versatile in practice. They should replay the 3rd and 28, 4th and 14 scenarios over and over to determine how many different successful play call combinations will generate 1st down conversions for the offense.
It’s not Bowles fault.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:08 pm
I don’t know why my comment was erased but this is what it said:
Far too many people think the problem was Bowles when we were missing way too many **crucial** players last year. 2-3 offensive line starters were out almost every single game. Our first or second best pass rusher was out almost the whole season. David Walker was lost for the season and he might have been a huge difference maker. We were missing our best receivers for huge chunks of the season. It was a lost season because massive amounts of talent was in the training room. Similar to the year before, but then it was the entire secondary was out. We can’t have entire position groups injured.
Simple as that.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Unfortunately Reddick turned out to be a misfit…despite having the 3rd larger cap number in 2025.
The warning signs were there. Philly moving on from him via trade following back to back double digit sack seasons. He held out once traded to the Jets…showed up for the season to “count”…adding all of one sack. He looked small in a Buc uniform…like a big receiver at best. Mostly he got shoved around like a shopping cart in the Walmart parking lot.
I’d settle for a good fit on defense.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:31 pm
Bowles showed why he is a lousy coach. You fill the holes in the hull before you get an extra nice sail.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:31 pm
Nice article, Joe. Who are some free agents or potential draft picks who you think might be good “misfit” candidates for the Bucs defense?
February 21st, 2026 at 2:43 pm
Bowles has had losing seasons in 5 of the 8 full seasons he’s been a HC. That’s 62.5% losing seasons, yet here we are.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:52 pm
@ Bowles wasn’t held Accountable,
Correction, 6 of his 8 years as a head coach, he has a losing record in the regular season. He has 1, I repeat 1 playoff win.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:53 pm
But it’s hard to win in the NFL. On a positive note, Bowles has had 3 winning seasons out of 8 and even won a playoff game while losing three. He even got to 10 wins in the regular season once. The fact that he never forced Washington to punt in the playoffs was not his fault.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:54 pm
And his two winning seasons, he was 10-7, and 9-8 respectively.
February 21st, 2026 at 3:58 pm
Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for Todd bowles everything would be just fine
Gloom, despair and agony on me. 😭
February 21st, 2026 at 3:59 pm
David Walker will surprise people at OLB.
Elijah Roberts could theoretically start at DE. Let Hall go.
Elijah Simmons looks huge and has potential at DT/NT.
But we still need
An elite EDGE. David Walker will rotate. Making Watts expendable.
An elite 3rd DT to spell Vea and Kancey.
An elite DE who can penetrate and disrupt the backfield.
And 2 fast middle linebackers.
Our needs are crystal clear.
February 21st, 2026 at 4:39 pm
Injuries were the source of your depression and misery, Petty.
February 21st, 2026 at 4:47 pm
The ILB’s are the most crucial of all. If they are fast and they can cover and play zone correctly they will make a huge difference to the middle of this defense. That and of course more pass rush is always helpful and keeping players fresh in the early season heat is hugely important. Rotations are great everywhere. Stock up on great pass rushers at every position you can.
February 21st, 2026 at 5:04 pm
Stpetematt: Devin White had speed, but never learned how to play the game. Bowles never held White accountable, so he just ran around out there (or barely jogged on some plays).
Remember the days of the Smith Brothers, Lovie & Mike, and it was evident their systems didn’t work? That’s where I’m at with Bowles.
February 21st, 2026 at 5:09 pm
Devin White helped us win a Super Bowl. Bowles system works great when you have talented personnel that know the system everywhere. We are short on talent on defense. A few more players will make a huge difference.
February 21st, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Todd Bowles … ‘I can figure things out enough on defense to keep us competitive.’
In the immortal words of Dr Phil … ‘And how’s that working out for ya Todd?’ Did your defense keep us COMPETITIVE during that season-ending 2-7 avalanche?
Sorry, but it’s just as important to have the horses on defense as it is to have them on offense. Sometimes more-so.
The Bucs have major issues in virtually every position group on defense (in every position group on offense too, but we won’t go there). The defensive issues involve STARTERS plus key rotational players (the offensive issues seem to be more DEPTH related).
Out of curiosity awhile ago, looked at our 2025 roster & saw that Bucs had 68 different players who dressed for 1 or more games last season. NFL rules say that teams can dress 48 players for a game from their 53-man roster IF they have 8 or more OLinemen active; if they have 7 or less, they can only dress 47 players.
Bucs dressed an average of 46 players for each game last season according to Pro-Football-Reference data (no idea why Bucs kept it short of 47 or 48). Of those, 19.88 were offense, 23.12 were defense, and 3 were S/Ts (yes, easier just to use 20-23-3). Obviously we had LOTS of guys hurt during the year, so players were constantly moving a bunch between the active roster, Practice Squad & IR.
Of the 68 players who dressed for 1 or more games, 30 total were offense, 35 total were defense, and 3 total were S/Ts. Looking at just the defense (and games folks dressed for) …
o 8 DLinemen: Vea (17), Gaines (17), E Roberts (17), L Hall (17), Simmons (9), Brewer (5), Kancey (3), Gotsis (2). Based on those numbers, Bucs dressed an average of 5.12 DLinemen each game.
o 6 ILBs: LVD (17), D Jones (17), SVD (16), Bullock (15), Jackson (3), A Walker (2). Based on those numbers, Bucs dressed an average of 4.12 ILBs each game.
o 7 OLBs: Diaby (17), Braswell (17), Nelson (15), Watts (15), Reddick (13), JPP (3), Kamara (3). Based on those numbers, Bucs dressed an average of 4.88 OLBs each game.
o 6 CBs: Parrish (17), Hayes (17), Dean (14), McCollum (13), Vildor (12), Morrison (10). Based on those numbers, Bucs dressed an average of 4.88 CBs each game.
o 8 Safeties: Winfield (17), T Smith (16), Izien (14), Merriweather (12), Gray (4), Banks (3), Wisdom (3), Castro (1). Based on those numbers, Bucs dressed an average of 4.12 Safeties each game.
So our defense, on average, dressed 5 DLinemen, 5 OLBs, 4 ILBs, 5 CBs & 4 Safeties for each game (totaling 23 players on defense). The 2 position groups that look to need the most ‘fixin’ appear to be the DLinemen group & the ILB group. Based on the number of DLinemen we dressed for each game (5), I’d say we need to add at least 2 (and preferably 3) beastly DLinemen via free agency & the draft (keep Vea, Kancey, and E Roberts).
And based on the number of ILBs we dressed for each game (4), I’d say we need to add 3 quality ILBs via free agency & the draft (keep SVD, but as DEPTH).
February 21st, 2026 at 5:40 pm
The people wanting Crosby remind mw of years ago when we spent a bunch of money and signed Darrel Reavis, one GREAT player inserted into a secondary that had 3 OTHER people who should have been in Canada
February 21st, 2026 at 6:08 pm
Precisely right as usual, DR. And yeah, SVD should never start again. Neither should Jones. Okay as depth only.
February 21st, 2026 at 6:10 pm
He cant figure out how to defend against a tiny tot todddlers offensive game plan. He is trash. Once you think you’ve got it all figured out is when you stop listening and learning. He sure xan defend his plates of food , ain’t nobody taking away his cheeseburgers and butter biscuits.
February 21st, 2026 at 7:59 pm
I’ll be sitting in RJS watching the 2026 season thinking this is Deja Vu.
February 22nd, 2026 at 1:14 am
Off topic-
Why was Brooks considered a sure thing first ballot HOFer in the greatest Buccaneers of all time… Which I think he is, but LVD is not in the conversation and considered borderline HOF?
Is it simply because he was snubbed year after year after year after year after year for the pro bowls and didn’t get the individual awards?
Because when you stack up the stats side-by-side, he’s every bit as good if not better.
Brooks v LVD
Games
224 215
Tackles Solo
1300 1172
Tackles Assist
413 544
Tackles Total
1713 1716
Tackles for Loss
68 177
Sacks
13.5 42.5
QB Hits
01 79
INT
25 14
FF
25 33
FR
01 21
Pass Deflection
84 73
Safety
00 01
Defensive TDs
07 03
February 22nd, 2026 at 10:07 am
Another delusional quote by our so called defensive head coach. Dude would screw up the 85 Bears.