Neutral Bucs
March 17th, 2026
Return key to improvement?
Joe doesn’t know how anyone can objectively look at the Bucs roster before legal tampering began and after a week of free agency claim the team improved.
The Bucs lost a Hall of Fame receiver and their best corner. No team gets better doing that short of signing Tom Brady in free agency.
Re-signing Cade Otton is neither a step forward nor a step back. Signing Kenneth Gainwell was a nice addition, but let’s be real: He’s not entering training camp as a starter. Alex Anzalone is certainly an upgrade from SirVocea Dennis, yes.
Edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad could be a home run or could be a strikeout. Even though he had 11 sacks last year, he didn’t start. That is both fantastic and frightening. Why couldn’t he start? His previous season-high for sacks is six, so the jury is still out if Muhammad is a major impact player or a top-end Chris Braswell.
A’shawn Robinson replaces Logan Hall. Maybe the Bucs improved there but that’s a definite maybe.
Does that seem like the Bucs got better to you? Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic thinks, at worst, the Bucs stayed the same and maybe got slightly better.
Tampa Bay has always been good at re-signing its own talent, and did so by extending tight end Cade Otton. It’s an unsexy move, but new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson probably sees a block-and-catch role for Otton similar to Tyler Higbee’s in L.A. Another signing I’m higher on than some is the two-year, $14 million deal for running back Kenny Gainwell, who is fantastic after the catch and should be a nice complement to Bucky Irving as a runner.
The Bucs’ slide through the second half of last season was a bit shocking. But it’s hard to bet on multiple down years for one of the more fundamentally sound front offices in the NFL.
Rodrigue is basing the Bucs’ alleged improvement last week indirectly on Tyler Higbee? No offense to the East Lake High School grad (Bob Hudson’s a cool guy, really) but when was Higbee a game-changer? He’s not Cooper Kupp in his prime and he sure isn’t Puka Nacua and he’s certainly not Davante Adams. Nice player, but one should aspire to greater heights for a tight end than Higbee.
Joe cannot say any Bucs free agent signees were awful. But losing a Hall of Fame receiver and your best corner very much is awful and could torpedo the 2026 season. And no matter how you slice that, it’s not good.
March 17th, 2026 at 4:19 am
Addition through subtraction, both injured ALL the time, guys that care about special teams CARE about football, we are better and the Draft hasn’t even hit yet.
March 17th, 2026 at 4:41 am
There are three types of organizations in the NFL …
Those that go all in every year and are mostly successful. The Rams come to mind.
Those that go all in and make one bad decision after another. The Jets come to mind.
And those who mostly stand still and attempt to build through the draft. The Bucs come to mind.
The first group has very good years, and some bad ones too. But they’re a fun ride because they are willing to take chances.
The next group, usually led by bad ownership, just doesn’t get it. They make moves for moves sake, and never seem to get it right.
The last group seems content to be .500. They’ll sign a free agent here and there, but are always shopping for them at the Dollar Store.The Bucs broke Licht tradition for a couple of years and it won them a Super Bowl.
It may have put them in cap hell, but wasn’t it worth the ride? Being a Bucs fan was fun!
Flash forward to 2026: We now have a Dollar Store coach and many Dollar Store players.
What fun is that?
March 17th, 2026 at 4:57 am
Go back and read the threads as soon as the season was over….
Folks there are only so many draft picks and while they are always enthusiastic and optimistic we need to understand the reality of just what impact a draft class has on a team that was 0-7 going into the last game of the season.
Everyone knows that the team needs defensive HELP… but the offense is not far behind.
The NFL in 2026 is EXPLOSIVE offense, that’s what the league and the rules have designed the games to be.
Until I see differently from Jason and Todd this is a.500 team.
March 17th, 2026 at 5:20 am
Mike wasn’t our best receiver last year Joe, I doubt if he would’ve been this year either.
March 17th, 2026 at 5:22 am
Okay, i just gotta say it. What is the hang up with a pass rush specialist not starting? If you abide with the concept that a player has only so many plays in a season in which they’re effective, then why have a pass rusher in on the first play of a game? All the other questions about Mohammed are valid but starting? Meh.
As far as being neutral from a talent perspective, I’ll take it. How do you measure the motor?
Lastly about ME13, has anyone written about the possibility that Mike knows EE is better than he is now at this moment in time?
March 17th, 2026 at 6:25 am
Perhaps Evans got frustrated, seeing all the new talent the Bucs have at wide receiver and realized the ball is being spread around more and more. Combine that with witnessing an inept defense and maybe he wonders why the Bucs spent a first round pick on someone he has to compete with for catches. Sort of like Rodgers getting fed up with Green Bay drafting Jordon Love instead of a top notch receiver that he desperately wanted.
San Fran really has very little in the way of wide receivers now, so Evans believes he has a better chance of ringing up a couple more thousand yard seasons with the 49ers. The QB is a push, at best, so he clearly didn’t go there for a better QB. As he said, he was just looking for another team that also had a good QB.
March 17th, 2026 at 6:34 am
Why do you keep bringing up Dean. No matter how Dean performed he was going to leave, as it was mutual. You have to assume the Bucs are going to add a DB either through draft, or roster causality from another team, or trade (less likely.)
The special teams were horrid. New coach with a successful past should make that unit better.
Hopefully they add a Guard in the draft.
The downward slide of the team last season had more to do with locker room than talent. If that is not fixed than nothing will help.
March 17th, 2026 at 6:38 am
Our schedule looks ridiculous I see 3 games we will be favored in and every division team got better by most accounts and looking at the way the South teams finished last season we probably shouldn’t be favored in most of those games, the best thing for this team might be to crash and burn and clean house, Licht might survive, but a future with a rested 54yo Tomlin, DC Schwartz and a ready made offense with a solid Oline, WRs n RBs looks promising for a top QB prospect next year
March 17th, 2026 at 6:44 am
I don’t believe we got worse either. I think “neutral” is a good word for it. But we still have the draft. Licht needs the draft of his career for us to have a successful season.
March 17th, 2026 at 6:48 am
Joe … ‘Joe cannot say any Bucs free agent signees were awful. But losing a Hall of Fame receiver and your best corner very much is awful and could torpedo the 2026 season. And no matter how you slice that, it’s not good.’
I think your bottom-line paragraph summarized what’s taken place nicely, but misses what the Bucs have been trying to accomplish Joe.
o Bucs lost a 33-year-old future HOF receiver who’s only played 22 games in the past 2 years. In that time he has 104 catches out of 172 targets (60.5%) for 1372 yds, 14 TDs & 83 first downs. Excellent production in limited games … except that injuries are mounting. 2024 was arguably Mike’s best year (67.3% catch percentage with 11 TDs), while 2025 was arguably his worst year (48.4% catch percentage with 3 TDs).
o Bucs lost a 29-year-old starting outside CB who’s only played in 39 games in the last 3 yrs. I wish we’d been able to keep him, but he accepted a huge pay cut for a reason: to be able to become a UFA. Apparently everyone (except us) knew at the start of last season that Jamel was gonna move on. And reading past comments, it seems the majority of JBFers wanted him to.
Will those 2 personnel losses ‘torpedo the 2026 season’ like you postulated Joe? Maybe, but only if we don’t compensate for those losses. Bucs have 4 WRs, 1 TE & 3 RBs who know how to catch the ball very well. With better play from our OLine, we can be a much more potent offense & rise back into the Top-10. And we all know that the Bucs aren’t finished filling out their CB roster yet.
But there-in lies the point: we’ve only just begun (as the song goes). Bucs got bigger & nastier during free agency, improving largely in the front part of our defense & on S/Ts. Our free agency signings look like they were done to set us up better for the draft. I don’t think those signings were ever meant to be THE solution, but rather a key PART of the solution (including providing some quality leadership). How well we do in the draft will be the real key to the 2026 season IMO.
March 17th, 2026 at 6:50 am
@JA, great take. I feel the same way.
To be objective, I thought of the Steelers in the same way as the Bucs. Budget minded in FA, picking in the middle of the draft so less chance of getting a star.
Making the playoffs, but always losing in the first round.
Yea, I love how the Rams play fast and loose. F them picks, lol.
March 17th, 2026 at 7:01 am
Special teams will be better with a new coach and Kilebrew.
Offense will be better just by having a healthy oline. Evans had what 300 yards last year? I think we will manage without his drops and coming off the field after every catch.
Dean got burnt constantly the young guys from last year will improve Bowles coaches corners very well.
We will get more sacks which makes every defense better.
We build through the draft here and find band aid veterans to patch holes it’s the Buc way we navigated a playoff run with 80 million in dead cap space money with the same coach and the same Qb!
We are fine! Don’t let one Joe suck you in to the sky is falling logical fallacy we are a great organization we are very good at drafting.
We are going be fine!
March 17th, 2026 at 7:07 am
Evans did not want to be here. Better that he’s gone. Hall was a disappointment. So was Dean. Can’t blame Dean for leaving after the contract cram down last year. Heck was a cadaver. White was a malcontent.
None of those guys contributed last year. Not even Evans.
Additional by subtraction.
March 17th, 2026 at 7:09 am
losing a Hall of Fame receiver and your best corner very much is awful and could torpedo the 2026 season.
1) Evans has had a Hall of Fame career- he was not a hall of fame worthy player last year
2) the Bucs addressed their cornerback situation in last couple of drafts – they were not going to spend alot on Dean this year-
best of luck to the 2 SB champions.
Bucs have improved LB and DLine depth , assuming David returns and Kancey can stay healthy.
The RB room has been upgraded
Bucs have improved Special Teams roster
The coaching staff could have been worse last year- I don’t see how.
The draft will add some needed pieces on Oline and Defensive front 7
Crosby and Hendrickson? -how many playoff appearances do they have?
March 17th, 2026 at 7:11 am
Joe, you forgot to mention Bowles. He’s still the HC and that’s certainly not an upgrade either.
March 17th, 2026 at 7:12 am
I don’t get you guys sometimes. AQM is a DPR so why would he play 1st downs I.e. why would he start? He’s the guy that’s gonna come in late in the fourth quarter and lay the QB on floor to protect our slim lead and win us the game. Isn’t that what you’ve been calling for all year?
March 17th, 2026 at 7:26 am
I believe the Bucs improved.
I am not worried about the loss of Evans, Dean and Hall.
We upgraded every position of need except CB. Letting Evans walk allowed us to sign the FAs needed to rebuild the defense.
Look for the Bucs to draft both a CB and another WR in April.
March 17th, 2026 at 7:31 am
Organization sucks, Coach really sucks, GM sucks 4-13 if we lucky
March 17th, 2026 at 7:33 am
“Rodrigue is basing the Bucs’ alleged improvement last week indirectly on Tyler Higbee? No offense to the East Lake High School grad (Bob Hudson’s a cool guy, really) but when was Higbee a game-changer?”
We’re not assembling the Avengers, they’re putting together a football team.
You see the Rams offense, does Higbee need to “change games”? No, we want our TEs to block when we want, and catch passes when we need them to.
Part of Higbees'(and Cades’) value is the consistency he plays with, and it’s one less position to worry about while the OC does the sexy stuff using the other skill positions.
Maybe, temper your expectations and stop expecting an all-star outs of every signee. TE at best, even if we did add a talent like Sadiq, would be 3rd in the skill position pecking order because you use more WRs & RBs than we’re committing 2 TEs in a given personnel package.
March 17th, 2026 at 7:34 am
“We upgraded every position of need except CB. Letting Evans walk allowed us to sign the FAs needed to rebuild the defense.”
No, it did not. We’re literally paying $13M towards the cap for Mikes’ absence
March 17th, 2026 at 7:42 am
“capebuc Says:
March 17th, 2026 at 7:12 am
I don’t get you guys sometimes. AQM is a DPR so why would he play 1st downs I.e. why would he start? He’s the guy that’s gonna come in late in the fourth quarter and lay the QB on floor to protect our slim lead and win us the game. Isn’t that what you’ve been calling for all year?”
He’s a guy who came in situationally to clean up Aiden Hutchison’s sloppy seconds. He was never “the guy”. Last I checked, the Bucs don’t have anyone resembling Hutch to get the offenses attention.
Maybe he can be that guy. But his overall body of work doesn’t say so. I highly doubt he gets more than 5-6 sacks, which is ok. But it still doesn’t solve the edge rush problem by itself. Until he proves otherwise, he’s nothing more than a depth/rotational guy.
March 17th, 2026 at 7:42 am
When was the last time we brought anyone from outside on DEFENSE and spent over 5 million. We made the playoffs every year up to this year. Not many edge rushers out there over 10 sacks been picked up low end of the pile. We have a decent offense need help on defense, Dean was loafing until they woke his ass up. Mike knows he wont get the ball and we needed help in the middle of he defense, they are upgrade. We dont have a high end coach will make decisions on both sides, but we do have a system lets offensive coaches do their own things and failed at that last year.
March 17th, 2026 at 8:02 am
At least the Bucs still have Bowles.
March 17th, 2026 at 8:03 am
Neutral indeed sadly
GO BUCS!!!
March 17th, 2026 at 8:16 am
Dean has been given the title of the Bucs best corner. OK that, for our defense is not saying much. Nine passes defensed last year? 14 games. Somehow held on to three INTs. Not saying he was bad but he did not play up to his contracts and it is not a mystery to me that they let him walk. Mike is not the dude he was and we had to bid for him against the Niners? Nah Money was an issue here. Problem to me is we have Godwin as the only true proven commodity at WR. Nothing against the others. CB is something I think they will address but they better find someone who can outperform all the CBs we have. When is the last time we had a coverage sack?
Go Bucs!
March 17th, 2026 at 8:32 am
Wrong. They got slightly worse. 7 wins if they are lucky.
March 17th, 2026 at 8:32 am
Robinson is an upgrade over Hall, if only in attitude. But I’d also suggest in size, production, and position fit.
March 17th, 2026 at 8:45 am
Giving Dean or Evans large multi year contracts wasn’t the right move, regardless of all the sentiment amongst fans.
At some point you have to cut bait with aging vets that have injury concerns and move on.
The yearly bandaid approach had gotten stale and picking in the middle of the draft after missing the playoffs sucks worse than being a 5 win team with a top 5 pick.
The Bucs won a superbowl a short time ago, and went all in with a lot of bug contracts for vets to make that happen. Since then, they’ve managed to be a competitive team, but at some point you need to reload.
Let’s see how the draft plays out and where they stand after that. A
Are the Bucs a better team today than a few weeks ago? Maybe not, but I think they are in a better spot for contending in the next couple years than had they signed Dean, Evans and somrone like Hendrickson.
March 17th, 2026 at 8:57 am
It’s worst, we still have #6, no improvement!!!
March 17th, 2026 at 9:38 am
This team won’t get better until they ditch the Albatross around their neck named Todd Bowles.
March 17th, 2026 at 9:53 am
Muhammad is indeed a boom or bust story in the making. Would be curious to know who stared ahead of him and how good were they?
March 17th, 2026 at 9:56 am
Neutral’s A$$. Our Joe doesn’t know how to drive a stick.
March 17th, 2026 at 9:58 am
We’ll be popping the clutch come draft time and shifting this rig into overdrive come December. I ain’t whistling Dixie.
March 17th, 2026 at 10:10 am
what did AQM do to the JoeBucs writers for 4 straight articles of HE’S SO MID!
March 17th, 2026 at 10:13 am
@ warren
So paying a 33 year old washed and oft injured WR would have helped the Bucs rebuild their defense?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Whatever dude…
March 17th, 2026 at 10:23 am
It seems like Jamal was hurt more than he was healthy last year. When he was supposedly healthy he was getting burnt like toast in coverage. The Bucs needed to open the purse strings and sign some linebackers and corner backs. They mostly failed.
March 17th, 2026 at 10:27 am
I honestly think the Bucs did get better with there additions an there not done they got bigger Stronger Nastier on the Dline an the Development of Parrish an BMo and I also think Zyon has a Bounce back year an I also think Chris returns to Form an Egbuka an Jmac with Tez Johnson will be plenty good enough at the WR position an with an OC who can actually game plan an knows how to call plays an stick to his game plan I see the Bucs offense using Bucky KG an Tucker right an also Zac knows how to get his Playmakers the ball an I also thibk the Bucs WR room An Baker will be determined to show the NFL THEY CAN BALL WITHOUT mike
March 17th, 2026 at 10:29 am
It’s the coaching that really differentiates the Bucs from the competition. Hey, they won two of their last nine. It’s hard to win a game in the NFL, and two is two more than zero. What fans get is the “plug and play” where regardless of who plays, whether a hall of famer or a journeyman scrub, the result will be no different. Pure genius.
March 17th, 2026 at 10:31 am
“So paying a 33 year old washed and oft injured WR would have helped the Bucs rebuild their defense?”
Apparently you don’t know how dead money works.
Mike had a dead cap hit whether or not he re-signed with us.
Mike signing elsewhere, doesn’t make that dead cap just vanish into thin air.
It’s on our books still, so there’s nothing to spend elsewhere on anybody else because we eating ate the loss.
JFC, good job trying to make it sound like I said we should’ve signed Mike, when I was really pointing out what I explained to you, because math is hard.
March 17th, 2026 at 10:47 am
A reminder that Hall of Famer is within a year or two of hanging up his cleats. He missed significant playing time due to injuries. His salary is high for his age and reduces the Bucs ability to bring in younger talent.
If Evans stayed with the Bucs, fans would be questioning the wisdom of keeping Evans so that he could retire as a Buccaneer.
March 17th, 2026 at 10:59 am
@ warren
LOL!
I know all about the dead cap space…
Who cares?
ME13 is toast.
Grow up and accept reality bud.
Paying ME13 another $25M to play in Tampa was NOT going to help our salary cap situation going forward.
Get real dude.
March 17th, 2026 at 11:18 am
“Grow up and accept reality bud.”
I’ve indeed come to grips that numeracy and literacy rates really are plummeting amongst adults in this country.
Because this:
“Letting Evans walk allowed us to sign the FAs needed to rebuild the defense.”
contradicts:
“The Bucs will have to eat $13 million of dead money on the salary cap for Evans. (Dead money represents money previously paid, like a signing bonus or guarantee, that had not yet been accounted for. If a player leaves, that money immediately counts against the current cap.)”
-TB Times
Reality…..🤣
Yes, lets save and spend more of that -$13 Millions dollars
March 17th, 2026 at 11:20 am
@ warren
You just don’t get it bud.
I give up.
Have a nice day.
“In the land of the blind – the one eyed man is king”
March 17th, 2026 at 11:24 am
ME13 too old and no longer separates from defensive backs. Bucs have plenty of talented receivers. Dean neither covers or tackles well. He looked lost frequently in Bowles zone defenses. Time to get past these two. Life and football is all about change. Hoping the Bucs come up with 7 new defensive starters this year. If not, then the offseason was unproductive. With a revamped cast of characters, this should be Todd Bowles last chance to prove what kind of a DC he is? Most of us know the answer to that question and it is not flattering.
March 17th, 2026 at 11:24 am
@Marine
“Your wisdom is consumed in confidence”
March 17th, 2026 at 11:57 am
You guys remember what happened to Philly in 2023? Lost something like 7 of their last 8 games. Backed into the playoffs and our Bucs whitewashed them in the first round? Didn’t they win the Super Bowl the next year? Oh yeah. That’s what they did. Does that remind anyone of anything? It does me.
March 17th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
This point I’m losing hope that this team will even compete. It’s a hopeless Bucs Life!
March 17th, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Marine. Calling mike washed up shows you’re not very intelligent. He breaks his collarbone a misses 8 weeks. It’s the most time he’s missed all of his 12 year career with us. Go back n check for yourself. He usually misses a game here or there with a hammy. This past offseason he’s looked the best he ever has. If you really think he’s washed up then you have no clue what your talking about.
March 17th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
“The Bucs broke Licht tradition for a couple of years and it won them a Super Bowl.”
That was ALL Tom Brady telling them wtf to do. The Bucs are far removed from the Brady days. Just seeing Lickt & Bowles inside that draft war-room during the last NFL draft, gave me a horrible feeling deep inside. It was very hard to describe, other than recognizing that neither one of these two know what the hell they’re doing. That team last season was just WHO they were. And, those first 8-games were nothing but a FLUKE. They got lucky. Everyone knew that they very easily could’ve been 2-6 instead of 6-2. I mean, it was a STRUGGLE for them to even SCORE in those first two games.
Houston’s Offense was TRASH. Couldn’t score or move the ball, EVEN at HOME against THIS Bucs Defense. And, just barely squeaked by a BAD ATL team that tried in every which way they possibly could in order to keep us in the game before GIVING IT TO US. Baker struggled to get 150-yards, like he normally does until picking up a BUNCH of stats in the end. THEN, we miraculously beat the JETS AT HOME and they were AWFUL, with a rookie HC. Got real lucky to hold them off and win that game.
We were lucky to catch Seattle EARLY, with a brand new starting-QB, and with them missing their TOP-4 DB’s in that game. Our best game we played all year, and most entertaining. Then, we take advantage of a “Purdy-Less” 49ers team traveling from the West Coast, decimated by injuries, a back-up QB, and losing Fred Warner. The Warner injury just took everything out of them. You could see-it even on Shanahan’s face. It cooked them. They were DONE after that, and you could see-it. It was ALL “Smoke & Mirrors.” Garbage.
March 17th, 2026 at 12:58 pm
This is a real bad football team. Every which way you wanna look at em.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:04 pm
Gipper
Almost have your hopes fulfilled already. Anzalone, Robinson and Muhammad fill 3 spots. SVD and Dean will be replaced for 2 more. Kancey didn’t play all year so if he can slot in and be healthy that makes 6. Surely they will bring in some new secondary and linebacker help through the draft. But, like you implied, the elephant is still in the room.
We rearranged some deck chairs and should get back a number of guys from injury so there is that. Whether it is enough to reverse the direction to a winning formula remains to be seen. There is still the aroma of unrest in the locker room. Airing that out may take more drastic measures from the owners.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:15 pm
@ Marine Buc – I wanted the 2027-Picks in THE “all-time” most LOADED Draft-Class. After we launched Mike at the trade-deadline. The Bucs are DESPERATE for YOUNG TALENT, and sometimes you just have to look at it as paying for PICKS. But, it CANNOT BE the regime of Lickt & Bowles being in-charge of making those picks. They have to be as far away from this upcoming ‘rebuild’ as humanly POSSIBLE. Both of them. This roster is TRASH and needs a complete overhaul. The franchise needs brand new leadership, a new set of eyes, a fresh start, and an entirely new direction. PERIOD. End of Story.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
@ #1 bucflan
Mike Evans is WASHED UP.
DONE.
OVER.
Julio Jones Jr.
Father time has won once again.
Big surprise!!!!
Is this your first NFL football season Jr.?
March 17th, 2026 at 1:22 pm
“@ #1 bucflan
Mike Evans is WASHED UP.”
For all that can read and can keep up with a thread
This was Marines’ response to being told we didn’t save a dime not re-signing Mike Evans.
Instead of acknowledging the fact, he went into this diatribe about Mike being washed up as if someone was arguing that Mikes’ ability lol
Funny thing is, if we actually re-signed Mike, we could’ve saved up to $8.8M THIS YEAR, instead of ponying up the $13M in dead cap like we are doing.
Still loud, still wrong “bud” lol
March 17th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
Was just looking at last season’s schedule… We scored all of 9-POINTS up in Detroit. THAT was the real Bucs team, and WHO we truly were. It was SO BAD that we were ALL very nervous, hoping to just get through that NOLA game and get to the Bye! The reason for feeling that way, was because it was OUR ‘EYES’ telling us WHO this Bucs Team really was. I don’t believe anyone would’ve been too surprised to have seen them lay an egg and drop that game. That’s who this team WAS. And, that was NOT good.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:39 pm
You are 💯 CORRECT, WB Lynch. And, then we could’ve moved (a healthy) Mike to a contender at the ‘deadline’ for 2027-PICKS, in an “all-time” LOADED Draft. NOW, we get absolutely nothing in return. Other than maybe, a 5th Comp pick at best. THIS is the type of move(s) that BAD franchises make. It’s just a KILLER. You have to take advantage of YOUR ASSETS of value. Especially, when you are a BAD TEAM and on the decline. You can’t afford not to.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:40 pm
Bucs need better injury management. They push players back in too soon not allowing recovery.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:41 pm
Even accounting for Mike Evans and Jamal Deans likely annual absences due to injuries, so far it looks like the overall talent has declined pending the draft and the remainder of free agency.
Perhaps the one area the Bucs improved on was Offensive Coordinator and position coaches.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:48 pm
Better hope to God that Chris Godwin can stay healthy for once, AND ball-out. So, that we can get at least SOMETHING for him at the ‘deadline’ (for that contract number). And, Vea. And, Winfield Junior. And, potentially Kancey. And, whomever TF else that has any value. It could be HUGE (at attracting a ‘top-tier’ young HC). It’d be A LOT of desperately needed 2027 (and potentially some 2028) Draft Capital.
March 17th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
I can accept Joe’s comments suggesting we haven’t gotten better, but the tiresome comments from those who are already predicting a disastrous season are goofy and unhinged. Even after Evans signed with the 49ers the betting odds favor the Bucs for the division. Focusing on the late season losses when the Bucs were decimated by injuries ignores the fact that if they had one good edge rusher they would have probably won four of those games that were decided by field goals. And the special teams killed them throughout the year. That will be better in 2026. All is not lost.
March 17th, 2026 at 2:09 pm
I agree with pretty much this entire article, except I’d say I’m higher on Robinson — I think he’s a pretty clear upgrade over Hall, who I didn’t think was bad, but Robinson is much more accomplished. I like reading Panthers blogs / beat reporters worried about losing him since it sounds like he was considered the 2nd best run stuffer on the team.
March 17th, 2026 at 2:09 pm
“NOW, we get absolutely nothing in return. Other than maybe, a 5th Comp pick at best.”
Heavy on the “maybe” because we didn’t suffer a net loss with the guys we signed compared to the players we lost, it disqualified us from getting that 5th rounder as a comp pick.
So, opinion on Evans’ ability to play aside, we would’ve had more money to work with keeping Mike than we did with him signing elsewhere. Which, is partly why Godwin was re-signed las year. Not only did he take less, but it allowed us to chop the $19M we would’ve paid in dead money in ’25 into 3 smaller increments over the duration of his new deal which freed up 2025 cap for us. If I’m not mistaken, the smaller portion of Godwins’ dead cap hit is up in ’27
Which, wasn’t even my initial point, but JBFers be JBeffin around. There’s a link attached to this that gives a pretty organized run down of how the comp pick formula works.
March 17th, 2026 at 2:14 pm
Bowles is on the case!
Nothing to worry about at all.
Just sit back and enjoy the .500 football.
The rest of the NFL is jealous.
Superbowl bound!!!!
March 17th, 2026 at 2:38 pm
MelvinJunior Says:
March 17th, 2026 at 1:48 pm
Better hope to God that Chris Godwin can stay healthy for once, AND ball-out.
————-
Godwin looked good at the end of the year, should be himself next year. Never know about new injuries, but he should return to be his dominating self.
e2 is another stud, who was really let down by Bum Baker tanking his chances at winning rookie of the year.
But I mentioned this before, but I was shocked at how good McMillan looked at the end of the year – he looked like the best receiver on the field. Mike was the best WR on the field of course, but McMillan was given a different role and shined. I’m really excited to see if he builds on that – if he does, he could very well end next year as the Bucs best WR, and one of the best in the NFL. Still has to actually prove it, of course, but man did he look outstanding to end the season.
March 17th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
Marine Buc Says:
March 17th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
@ #1 bucflan
Mike Evans is WASHED UP.
DONE.
————
From the same guy that told us last season that Mike would never return from injury, was going to retire. (Also said Godwin also wouldn’t return, so 0-for-2)
No idea what the hate for Evans is all about since you’re not a clueless moron on other topics, but give it a rest.
March 17th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
Not enough firepower on this team with a sub-500 career coach. I don’t think he prepares well and mixes things up based on opponents and match ups. Same stuff every week. Team lacks energy and enthusiasm. They rely on injured player when good organizations prepare for injuries and can recover.
Rams and Lions and 49ers all had devastating injuries just like the Bucs but still fielded competitive teams and certainly didn’t make all the mental errors the u s did.
I don’t see any momentum on this team without more preparation and energetic play on the field. They just looked so unprepared the second half of the season.
Also the Licht factor. Can’t draft enough defensive players that can get into this Bowles finesse mentally confused defense. Then you have a bad running game and a passer who can’t throw it downfield with touch or accuracy.
Buc fans will have to put up with h mediocrity until owners get serious with building a good organization.
March 17th, 2026 at 4:00 pm
First, Munch, Egbuka does not seem like a stud receiver. After watching him for a season, it appears he does not have the ability to create space consistently and his drops increased as the season went along. Top receivers make a lot of difficult catches and don’t require perfect passes. He doesn’t have the size or explosiveness as the top receivers, really more of a slot receiver than a wideout. To blame Mayfield for his not getting rookie of the year is a cheap shot and an indication that whatever analytical ability you may have about football is clouded by obessive animus toward an individual. I am surprised you were “shocked” with McMillan’s performance at the end of 2025. He demonstrated in 2024 that he has some of the abilities that Egbuka lacks. Depending on Godwin’s recovery, McMillan is probably their best receiver at the moment.
March 17th, 2026 at 4:20 pm
PLawson Says:
March 17th, 2026 at 4:00 pm
First, Munch, Egbuka does not seem like a stud receiver. After watching him for a season, it appears he does not have the ability to create space consistently and his drops increased as the season went along. Top receivers make a lot of difficult catches and don’t require perfect passes. He doesn’t have the size or explosiveness as the top receivers, really more of a slot receiver than a wideout. To blame Mayfield for his not getting rookie of the year
———-
You do know what year it is, right? It’s 2026, and slot WR’s are like 90% of NFL teams top WR. This isn’t new.
Also go watch Baker overthrow a wide open e2 for a TD vs the Rams, where Baker misses him by 20 yards.
Go watch Baker miss a wide open e2 vs the Falcons, a pass easy enough that I could made it – a pass that puts the game away, and with that win, the Bucs make the playoffs.
Go watch Baker week in, week out, miss e2 when he had guys beat.
Why was e2 so effective early in the year when Baker was ‘healthy’ if he’s such a talentless bum?
You Baker Boi(s), who always blame everyone else for Baker’s failures are just the most dull people on earth.
March 17th, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Neutered Bucs?
March 17th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
This team is just keeping its head above water so far. Cant win in this league by staying neutral.
Free agency for the Bucs this year is just trying to stop the bleeding with players being signed to offset losses.
March 17th, 2026 at 6:11 pm
Munch, okay I misused the word “slot” but you understand the point, that he more of a possession type receiver for shorter routes, not the classic wide receiver who has size and explosiveness like many of the wide receivers in the league. As for your comments about supposedly bad passes by Mayfield, it is an absurd argument because every QB in the NFL makes bad passes. You see it from all of them and in key situations. If you want to isolate individual passes you could easily produce literally hundreds of perfect passes by Mayfield. The season stats do not back you up. Even when he has not had much to work with Mayfield, like last year, he was able to put together similar or better stats than a bunch of QBs such as Mahomes, Darnold, and others. Yeah, he didn’t have Stafford stats but he also didn’t have Nacua, Adams, and a great offensive line like the Rams. I would guess you were complaining about Mayfield even when he was having a great season in 2024 and the first half of last year.