Conor Orr Has Dream Signings For Bucs This Week
March 9th, 2026
Playing Jason Licht.
If Conor Orr was Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht, Orr already knows which two NFL veterans would become new Bucs in the coming hours.
While maybe all of Bucs fandom is locked in to what Mike Evans may or may not do today as the starting gun sounds for free agency at noon, the major holes for the Bucs remain on the defensive side of the ball.
And Orr believes if Licht is serious about repairing the defense for another playoff run, it will be the linebackers that ought to be addressed right away.
LB Kaden Elliss and DE Trey Hendrickson to the Buccaneers
Watching Kaden Elliss blitz in the Falcons’ Jeff Ulbrich system last year was a joy. It reminded me, incidentally, of how creative Todd Bowles has been in pressuring interior gaps with his linebackers over the years. This two-pronged plan brings some heft to the edge for the Buccaneers and another player who can generate rush looks. Tampa Bay’s defense was one of the best in the NFL last year in generating quarterback pressure, but yielded a positive EPA per pass play (13th in the NFL). The Buccaneers are looking to maintain relevance in a division that has two players we might consider second-year starters in Michael Penix Jr. and Tyler Shough, and Bryce Young, who was pressured at roughly the same rate as J.J. McCarthy last year (meaning, even though Young has developed, he still puts himself in position to succumb to a rush or be impacted by a pass rush). Loading up on the pass rush may be the great equalizer for Tampa.
An edge rush is always the great equalizer.
Joe will once again point out that the Bucs enjoyed tremedous success the only three times this franchise ever had an edge rush that frightened quarterbacks.
* In 1979 with Lee Roy Selmon, the Bucs advanced to the NFC title game.
* In 2002 with Simeon Rice, the Bucs won the Super Bowl.
* In 2020 with the combo of Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, the Bucs won the Super Bowl.
That’s not a coincidence, boys and girls.
(This is what frustrates Joe about Bucs coach Todd Bowles. He generally dismisses the importance of an edge rush yet his greatest success as a coach was a direct result of an edge rush.)
If the Bucs land a guy who wants to be here, Trey Hendrickson, and if he piles up the sacks he normally does, this Bucs team is back in the playoffs.
March 9th, 2026 at 4:41 am
The Seahawks D tackles won the superbowl Joe. Rice had Sapp, and JPP, and Shaq had Suh, and Vea. One could argue D tackles are what really makes the pass rush work. Our D tackles are just as bad as our edge rush. Coincidence?
March 9th, 2026 at 5:05 am
Right there with you Hodad.
March 9th, 2026 at 5:19 am
AMEN Hodad. Been begging for some.
March 9th, 2026 at 6:32 am
Have low expectations Buc fans. Whos cheap and old?
Thats who will sign.
No splash FAs.
March 9th, 2026 at 6:39 am
In a 3-4 defense we need guys in the middle of the field that can cover sideline to sideline and twitchy enough to rush a gap.
Free agent:
Linebacker
Linebacker
Linebacker
Dline.
draft Dline guys.
March 9th, 2026 at 7:05 am
If we address edge rush in FA with someone decent opposite Yaya, and a serviceable ILB, we should go this route in the draft:
1st round -> DT (Caleb Banks) – May can move down a few pics for this and pick up another 3rd/4th rounder.. put him next to Vita then they’ll eat!
2nd round -> ILB (Anthony Hill Jr)
3rd round -> TE
March 9th, 2026 at 7:18 am
Perfect scenario Bucfan1988 – could also be Rodriguez in the 2nd round. An Edge in FA and draft and also a ILB via FA. And we’re competitive again.
March 9th, 2026 at 7:31 am
@Bucfan1988
That’s what I’ve been saying. They’re probably gonna have to trade down because unless they go out in FA & do something (I really doubt) they’ll probably have to trade down because they’d still have other needs to address.
March 9th, 2026 at 7:50 am
Was reading scenario that Bucs have $23MM in cap space.
They can rework contracts for Wirfs, Goedeke, and Winfield to create as much as another $47MM to give them total of $70MM to work with here!!
If they do this, they could really make a splash in FA this week…
Just pick the right guys Licht!!
March 9th, 2026 at 7:52 am
“(This is what frustrates Joe about Bucs coach Todd Bowles. He generally dismisses the importance of an edge rush yet his greatest success as a coach was a direct result of an edge rush.)”
And yet – Bowles still gets referred to as a genius and some kind of defensive guru. We live in a Seinfeld-ian bizzarro world me thinks.
March 9th, 2026 at 8:37 am
I have no faith in Licht. He’s not a big splash guy. We’ll sit here this week and watch all the good players go to other teams. Then become in and we get the bottom of the barrel player. That’s what he does.
March 9th, 2026 at 9:41 am
” In 1979 with Lee Roy Selmon, the Bucs advanced to the NFC title game.”- and it was glorius
March 9th, 2026 at 9:43 am
Hodad for the win!
March 9th, 2026 at 11:24 am
Bud Licht will disappoint, as usual.
Be prepared for him to sign a third string CB eith a history of injuries. Then Bowles will come out and say our roster is golden.
March 9th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
True, but they also had:
* Dave Pear, David Logan and Dewey Selmon in 1979, all All-Pro DTs
* Warran Sapp in 2002
* Suh and Vea in 2020
Seattle’s interior accounted for half their sacks in the Superbowl. We need an EDGE for sure, but I’d argue our interior was as much of a problem last year and we need to address both without selling the farm for either.
March 9th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
Hodad. Agreed to some extent. Vea is terrible but he is getting older and needs help. I’ve bin beating this drum a lot but the Bucs should move kancey outside and bring in another vea/suh type of DT. I beleive this would help keep kancey a little healthier and we might get better penetration the middle and allows the ends to crash down
March 9th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
Isn’t
March 9th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
Has this question ever been brought up during press conferences? :
* In 1979 with Lee Roy Selmon, the Bucs advanced to the NFC title game.
* In 2002 with Simeon Rice, the Bucs won the Super Bowl.
* In 2020 with the combo of Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, the Bucs won the Super Bowl.
March 9th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
Hodad Says:
March 9th, 2026 at 4:41 am
The Seahawks D tackles won the superbowl Joe. Rice had Sapp
———-
Don’t mention Sapp around Jerry Rice.
What a monster game, I was there, probably the hottest game I’ve ever been at – felt like someone was blasting a blow dryer at full speed directly in your face.
Sapp took out not just Rice that game, but also Steve Young.
What a game!
March 10th, 2026 at 4:41 pm
People need to pay attention to the going rate for rush LB’s and DE’s. There’s not nearly enough cap space to sign players like this unless we want to add fake years to the contract and kick the can down the road. We’ll be buying off the scrap heap just like we did last year.