“It’s Trickled Down To A Lot Of Players”
April 3rd, 2026
Called out.
So a year ago the Bucs were crowing about how the culture of the Tampa Bay locker room is the best its been in well over a decade.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht and Lavonte David didn’t hesitate to say it was the best group they’d been around: team-first dudes that love the grind and don’t freak out under adversity.
Newcomers to the Bucs roster also remarked about a professional and focused group.
But now three Super Bowl pieces are gone, legends and team captains Mike Evans and Lavonte David, along with cornerback Jamel Dean. Veterans Rachaad White and Logan Hall also left the building. So Joe asked Licht this week if it’s now “a wait-and-see” situation when it comes to evaluting the locker room.
Licht was very swift in shooting that down.
“No. I still feel very good about it,” Licht said. “The legacy [Evans and David] left behind, I think it’s trickled down to a lot of players. And now it’s time for some younger guys to step up that we think have the ability step up and be leaders. I still feel very strongly about the locker room.”
Joe then asked Licht to name one young guy he thinks is the next firm leader on the team. Licht replied that Joe was putting him on the spot. Joe replied that was why Joe was in Phoenix at the NFL owners meetings.
I would say Tykee is one of the toughest young players I’ve been around and I’m looking forward to him taking another step,” Licht said.
Interesting about Smith, Joe has been told (not by Licht), that Smith is not a tactful locker room guy like David was. He’s got a mean-streets-of-Philly approach, as in he’ll bark at teammates and demand they get in line with colorful language.
Joe suspects the Bucs could use more of that.
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:24 am
Tykee needs to cross-train at MLB.
So he can play MLB for our Dime package
Our MLB’s have gotten scorched for 3 years straight.
Perhaps we need to replace linebackers with moneybackers on 3rs down.
I am tired so seeing slow linebackers on 3rd down.
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:27 am
Well, Zyon is bored.
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:27 am
shocked he didnt name another SB champion: Vita
Vita and Wirfs should be the “new” leaders in the locker room with them actually winning the SB…
kinda an indictment on winfield too imo
GO BUCS!!!!
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:27 am
This is why all this crap about culture and locker room is all a crock!
We all watched this defense tank and give up. If that’s a good locker room, imagine what a bad locker room is? Just friggin’ bust your a@@ and play good ball!
If dudes have to hug someone, go find a girlfriend.
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:37 am
I know Joel Glazer came out this week and talked about why Bowles was not canned, but it was all fluff and nonsense!!!
Nothing was solved and nothing was gained either SMH
The Glazers Fear the Beard aka Rooney Rule and they will never admit to it, much less do anything about it
Keep Bowles as HC, but hire a new Defensive Coordinator!!!!
Otherwise 2026 will be a repeat of 2025!!! Double SMH
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:45 am
Maybe I’m crazy but it seems pretty obvious that the culture sucked last year because everything fell apart half way through the season.
The question for Licht should be “How did you misread team culture so badly last year and what have you changed to make sure the team doesn’t turn basket case at the bye week again this year?”
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:46 am
Yeah, watching that defense play and then watching how other teams defense play was disturbing! I’m not even talking about results. No energy or hustle, no passion, no physicality. It looked guys were playing to not get hurt. It was such a stark contrast and so plain to see. It makes it hard to root for your team.
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:46 am
How come Winfield is never mentioned? You would think he would be the leader of the secondary, demanding accountability, but I have never once heard his name mentioned as a leader.
On offense it clearly should be Baker, Godwin, and Wirfs
April 3rd, 2026 at 9:54 am
Lefty R is exactly right: Jim Schwartz is still unemployed. Bring him in, change to a 4-3, and draft all defense. Tell Todd he’s getting a promotion to Real Head Coach. Maybe Bowles and Schwartz would even develop some sort of synergy.
813bucboi is right, as well. Vita should be seen as a leader, as well as Wirfs.
Vita is underrated among the fandom, imo. He’s played at a Pro Bowl level since he was drafted. The best run-stuffing nose tackle in the league, arguably, plus he gets 5 sacks a year, which is pretty good for a tackle. I would say he’s played at a similar level as LVD and Evans. All three have been pretty much the best in the league at what they are, but they are all underrated due to obvious reasons. LVD and Vea don’t get double-digit sacks and Evans isn’t as high volume as some other receivers.
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:02 am
“Joe replied that was why Joe was in Phoenix at the NFLs owners meetings”. Asking the tough questions to feed the true fans thirst for meaning after a topsy turbulent season. Also, Joe. I couldn’t help but notice who else is in that fine desert city asking tough questions. Another of my favorite reporters, Kay Adams. Dadgummit Joe. Get that silly grin off your face. Anyone knows there are multiple reasons why you’re in Phoenix. And there’s not a one of us who would blame you for it. Please tell her hi from the rest of us. Thanks Joe. Dang, I can’t get this stupid grin off my face.
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:04 am
That’s what CJ Allen was at Georgia
A leader in the locker room
A 3 year starter at MIKE, calling the defense
A leader of the defense, a team captain
And Georgia had high quality players on their defense
Several of them were 1st round draft picks
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:16 am
Even if Bud Licht were to pull off the greatest draft ever (he won’t). Pillsbury Bowles Boy will ruin them.
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:16 am
does anyone believe a word the Glazers say ?
does anyone believe a word Licht says ?
does anyone believe a word Bowles says ?
the Glazers Licht and Bowles are holding this team back –
Kool-Aid drinkers will disagree
team roster is pretty much set especially the starters –
it will be up to the players and the players alone to determine how this season plays out – maybe some of them will step up – maybe not
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:16 am
“”The question for Licht should be “How did you misread team culture so badly last year and what have you changed to make sure the team doesn’t turn basket case at the bye week again this year?””
Excellent question! The real answer to that is the only thing I want to hear out of the professional gaslighter’s mouth at this point. Licht has morphed into a small lot used car salesman. The list of preposterous statements he’s made the last couple years is many but my favorite is his rationale on why Evans left the Buccaneers. Between he and Bowles it’s no wonder we’re in the mess that were in.
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:27 am
“”How come Winfield is never mentioned? You would think he would be the leader of the secondary, demanding accountability, but I have never once heard his name mentioned as a leader.””
Good question David. Maybe it’s from the fact that after he got paid an unGodly amount of money he then proceeded to have the 2 worst seasons of his career.
Interesting that you rarely see players on Bowles led defenses that improve from year to year. If anything it seems you see regression from players. On a good note at least we have our Ring of Honor GM assuring us we’re still that 6-2 team from last year. Just forget everything after the bye. That was a fluke hardly worth mentioning.
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:36 am
Joe’s question wasn’t even that tough. You can see how thin skinned Licht is by how he snapped back. Joe probably can’t even ask a provocative question without getting shut out completely. JL only pretends to be a nice guy. Good work Joe.
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:46 am
“He’s got a mean-streets-of-Philly approach, as in he’ll bark at teammates and demand they get in line with colorful language.”
Bro plays safety, it’s literally his job and if guys aren’t doing theirs they need to hear about it. No coincidence Lavonte David invited Tykee to his presser and said the same exact thing Licht said about being next up.
I like Tykee, I like the way he plays and fwiw we don’t win week 1 @ATL when he made that PBU late in that game with Atlanta trying to score.
April 3rd, 2026 at 11:34 am
Based upon the Loser Lament that this Defense rolled out week after week I only thought Smith, Parrish, and Vea should be safe. All the rest made themselves expendable based on their lack of effort and poor tackling. I disagree with Licht, there were some that absolutely gave up. YaYa could be included, but the dude probably missed 10 sacks at least.
April 3rd, 2026 at 11:35 am
This defense needs a strong MIKE as the leader of the defense
Also as a team captain, and a locker room leader
April 3rd, 2026 at 11:37 am
bakerfan
That’s exactly what I saw from Yaya
He missed more sacks than he did tackles
April 3rd, 2026 at 11:49 am
100% agree with Lakeland Comment
April 3rd, 2026 at 12:09 pm
When the TV cameras show the sidelines, I rarely see communication. When the TV shows huddles, I just see a play call and no other communication. The Buccaneers need leaders to communicate effectively during games. I see Baker doing it on the sidelines but nobody else.
It starts at the top, I rarely see Bowles talking to anybody in person or on his headset. That’s not communication or leadership.
April 3rd, 2026 at 12:10 pm
Yep. Sure.
April 3rd, 2026 at 12:24 pm
The only culture at One Delusional Place is bad culture. More propaganda. We have players who are “bored”. We have players that loaf. We have guys that tuned out leaders and coaches. Is that the makings of a good culture? More of the same BS coming out of that place.
April 3rd, 2026 at 1:01 pm
It wasn’t Lynch, Brooks, Sapp, Rice, Barber who changed the culture in Tampa
It was Hardy Nickerson who transformed the Yucs into respectability
Before he arrived, we were the laughingstock of the NFL
We were a bunch of weak, soft loafers, before Nickerson
Nickerson attitude, toughness, leadership was what we were lacking
He led by example, he was a dominant MIKE, and fierce leader
McKay started drafting defensive players that fit the profile of Nickerson
He mentor Sapp, Lynch, Brooks
April 3rd, 2026 at 1:06 pm
Put on the Spot?? Not exactly a ringing endorsement now is that…
Licht, unfortunately, is dancing. I’ll spell it out. He Doesn’t have a Clue.
The locker room was LOST last year/season. There Is No leader. Not yet. And if we’re looking for leadership in newbies and barely’s…. Then what it means is that the “actual” state of the “team” is in Far Worse shape than we even understand.
The GM COULDN’T GIVE A NAME WITHOUT SCRAMBLING AND GRABBING FOR SOME / ANY NAME he could think of. A sad state of affairs Indeed…
Apparently we ARE in Reality a “rebuild” and NOT a reload. We have NO established leaders ANYWHERE and a GM whom hasn’t got a clue as to who “might” be a true possibility. Or… that’s All he’s got..
What did these people think was going to happen? They “ACTUALLY took themselves seriously when the ENTIRE TEAM made it CLEAR that they didn’t take them seriously” They took the goobers for granted but Obviously NOT seriously.
None of them deserve the job they’ve ALL taken for granted and RAN STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND! I say, Fire them All… We don’t have much to lose at this point because they have already rented the shuttle bus to the den of depression and Expect the short busers to jump right on! THAT’S no longer happening in droves like before…
April 3rd, 2026 at 1:07 pm
David … ‘On offense it clearly should be Baker, Godwin, and Wirfs’.
Baker and Godwin … yes. But not Wirfs … Bredeson. Everything I’ve read points to Ben as being the true leader of the OLine.
April 3rd, 2026 at 1:30 pm
I remember a player once saying if they missed a tackle or assignment, when Hardy Nickerson was playing, they were afraid to go back to the huddle. Could use a guy like that now.
April 3rd, 2026 at 1:37 pm
Lakeland … ‘This defense needs a strong MIKE as the leader of the defense. Also as a team captain, and a locker room leader’.
Yea verily Lakeland. Bucs have needed that ever since Hardy left. He gave us 7 very good years at MLB, but after he left in 1999 we went through 9 other MLBs in those 27 yrs: Jamie Duncan (2 yrs), Shelton Quarles (5 yrs), Barrett Ruud (4 yrs), Mason Foster (4 yrs), Kwon Alexander (3), Adarius Taylor (1), Devin White (5 yrs), KJ Britt (1 yr), SirVocea Dennis (1 yr). The only one who ever got a 2nd contract was Shelton Quarles (10 yrs as a Buc, and only a Buc).
Yes Bucs desperately need to find that MLB who can be a Team Leader for years to come. I’m expecting that Alex Anzalone will fill that need for about 2 years, but that’s just more of what we’ve had in the past (average Bucs’ MLB lasts 3 yrs). We NEED to draft a quality ILB to serve as not just our MLB but also as a true Team Leader.
April 3rd, 2026 at 1:53 pm
Defense Rules
Brianna Dix has a 7 RD mock draft exclusively for us
Her mock makes more sense than any other mock I’ve seen
And she’s probably one of the best Bucs reporters
April 3rd, 2026 at 2:34 pm
Legacy and leadership seemed to be missing last year. I’m not hopeful for this year
April 3rd, 2026 at 2:38 pm
Lakeland: She has the 7th or 8th rated Edge going to the Bucs at 15. My math skills aren’t great, but should you be getting the 7th rated player at his position with the 15th pick? 🤔
April 3rd, 2026 at 2:47 pm
Smith and Winfield will rule the middle.
April 3rd, 2026 at 2:52 pm
Before each game a step van pulls into RayJay or an opposing team’s stadium. A crew awaits to offload the statue of Todd Bowles.
Before game-time the effigy is placed along the Bucs sideline, where it remains motionless until the game clock reads 0:00.
As postgame events ensue, the object is taken back to the awaiting step van where it is tied down for shipment to next week’s game.
For those of you who complain about Bowles’s lack of speech, motivation or movement, please realize, by nature, statues cannot do any of these things.
So cut the poor thing some slack! Ok?
April 3rd, 2026 at 3:17 pm
Smoke Porterhouse
He may be the BPA at 15, l don’t know
Scott Smith has Mesidor at 15 also
April 3rd, 2026 at 3:29 pm
Lost locker room, ineffective HC/DC and no one on defense to hold the players accountable. It’s certainly not Tykee. Just more hype and gaslighting by Licht. Evans, Dean, LVD have left the building.
April 3rd, 2026 at 4:12 pm
i call bs- you don’t lose the way did
April 3rd, 2026 at 4:22 pm
Smoke Porterhouse
Problem with where Bucs pick is there is a wide range of what drafting services like.
Checking a few:
The Athletic has Akheem Mesidor at 19th BPA.
Draft Buzz has him at 37th.
PFF in their latest mock had him going at 15 to Bucs as their 3rd best edge rusher and 20th overall.
PFN has him at 26th.
ESPN concensus at 24th.
You pick a player who you think will be there and then lets look him up.
April 3rd, 2026 at 4:29 pm
After reading seemingly forever about draft options, including Joe’s inquiries into some kind of obscure ones, it seems like it shakes out as having 13-14 true game changers. Several are OT which I hope we don;t need. Once past that group the distinctions between those others named as 1st rounders and many pushed back to 2d or even 3rd tend to blend more in quality.
So I’d like to see the Bucs make a list of top guys who they will work a deal to get by trading up if possible/necessary maybe to include
Reese
Bailey
Styles
Downs
Love
Delane
Bain
McCoy
Sadiq seems like he should be there if available without giving much.
Mesidor also seems like he’d be a great starting asset. Age is not so critical based on Bucs needs.
If they can’t/won’t move to get one of these, cash in for more 2d rnd picks.
April 3rd, 2026 at 4:40 pm
Lakeland … ‘Brianna Dix has a 7 RD mock draft exclusively for us’.
She hit all the right notes Lakeland, but the song just isn’t doing much for me.
o Rnd 1: Edge Akheem Mesidor: I still don’t think we need another Edge that high up.
o Rnd 2: ILB Jacob Rodriquez: I think long-term he’d make a good MLB for us. Personal preference would’ve been Anthony Hill Jr, but they both have excellent talent & skillsets.
o Rnd 3: DT Gracen Halton: Good height (6’3″) but too light (293 lbs) for a NT/DT which is what I was looking for early-on to augment Vea. Attributes remind me of Kancey (who Bucs might not re-sign if he gets injured again this season).
o Rnd 4: C/G Matt Gulbin: Decent size (6’4″ & 305 lbs) and has played LG, RG & Ctr almost equally in college. Good versatility?
o Rnd 5: CB Devon Marshall: Wish JL had prioritized a CB higher. Marshall wasn’t even listed in Walter Football’s Top-27 CBs. But he ran a 4.45 sec 40 on his Pro day so maybe that’s a good thing. And of course, McCollum was also a 5th Rnd pick so we now know how well this staff can develop 5th Rounders.
o Rnd 6: WR De’Zhaun Stribling: Why not? Not holding my breath though.
o Rnd 7: TE Dan Villari: Again, why not? You never know if a late rounder is gonna hit.
April 3rd, 2026 at 4:47 pm
Defense Rules
Alright, you might like Scott Smith mock better
April 3rd, 2026 at 5:45 pm
Mesidor ?????
🤮🤮🤮🤮
If he was a special high 1st round player
He wouldn’t have waited until he was 25 freaking years old!
Product of his roster and the age and experience over other college players.
Absolutely NO WAY!
And I am a UM fan since 1965 as a teenager in the OB !
April 3rd, 2026 at 6:14 pm
Lakeland … Definitely like Scott Smith’s mock draft better. Still not a fan of drafting Mesidor in Rnd 1, but CB Colton Hood in Rnd 2 is fantastic, LB Anthony Hill in the other Rnd 2 is even better, G Keylan Rutledge in Rnd 3 is not that shabby, and for a Rnd 4 pick I really like DT Chris McClellan. WR Josh Cameron at Rnd 5 is a strange size for a receiver (6’1″ & 244 lbs) but who knows, he might work out great in the slot. DB Devan Boykin in Rnd 6 and EDGE Ethan Burke in Rnd 7 are both interesting. Especially Burke who goes 6’6″ & 270 lbs, but made his rep as a Special Teamers.
I could get behind that draft.
April 3rd, 2026 at 6:56 pm
Defense Rules
Alright
April 3rd, 2026 at 8:45 pm
Nacho is once again a
Buccaneer
April 3rd, 2026 at 8:49 pm
Obvious One WTF is wrong with you. ARe you dysLEctIc&
April 3rd, 2026 at 10:01 pm
I wonder why are qb, wasn’t mentioned???
April 4th, 2026 at 11:13 am
I don’t expect Licht to say anything different than he did really, but the last line of your post says way more Joe. The locker room may have started strong but some I suspect jumped off someplace along the line. We need some more like Smith me thinks. Anzalone? Muhammad? Nacho? All the above!
Go Bucs!