Ex-GM Is More Worried About Bucs Offense Than Defense
May 27th, 2026
An unexpected take here from a guy who is friendly with Todd Bowles and has professed his admiration of Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht.
Ran Carthon is a former director of player personnel for the Rams and 49ers, and he was the Titans general manager. He also was a heck of a running back for the Florida Gators once upon a time.
Today, Carthon is a busy analyst for CBS. He was asked recently if the Bucs have enough to make a run in the playoffs. Carthon seems to think Baker Mayfield and the offense are lacking enough horses to get that done.
“I’m still not sold on this wide receiver group, if I’m being honest,” Carthon said. “I mean, I love where Emeka came along, and I just think Chris Godwin is at a phase now in his career where he’s kind of on the down side.”
Carthon likes Godwin’s toughness and versatility and thinks receivers Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson could take strides, and he acknowledges the presence of rookie Ted Hurst, but Carthon is not confident.
“I just don’t know as a whole that this offense has sustatainability to be able to score enough points,” he added.
In all, Carthon said the offense has doesn’t have enough playmakers to score consistently.
What made Joe do a double take is Carthon gushing about the Bucs defense and how their in much better position to succeed than they’ve been in years. He was admant that ‘Shawn Robinson, Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey are good enough to dominate as a trio of defensive tackles. Also, he’s high on Rueben Bain and the what Al-Quadin Muhammad can do in rotational role.
Joe loves hearing confidence in the Bucs defense. That’s a rarity. Still, Joe’s not betting againt the Bucs offense behind a healthy, beastly offensive line.
May 27th, 2026 at 4:37 pm
It’s a different team if we can run the ball
May 27th, 2026 at 4:42 pm
We will run the ball. Right behind Cody Mauch- all season, hopefully…
May 27th, 2026 at 4:43 pm
Exactly. The ‘24 success was predicated on running the ball effectively and letting baker dink and dunk.
If the line stays healthy and we run it well the offense should be good at worst.
Of course Godwin and Jmac have had big issues staying healthy due to style of play. That’s why getting hurst was key.
May 27th, 2026 at 4:45 pm
If the offense fails, it won’t be because of the WR room (barring a crazy amount of injuries, which seems common nowadays)
May 27th, 2026 at 4:45 pm
First Ran was ok at UF. Apparently he know less about football than I thought he did with this take. The reasons are obvious, which do not need to be elaborated.
May 27th, 2026 at 4:46 pm
Ran Carthon? lol. This dude was AWFUL. The Titans went 9-25 under his two year stint as GM, and his draft picks absolutely back up that record.
May 27th, 2026 at 5:06 pm
I bet by the end of this year people ain’t gonna be pointing a Todd as the problem
May 27th, 2026 at 5:14 pm
Does this guy know the defense has looked terrible for the last 2 years, and the same guy is running it? Until Bowles proves he’s not the 2nd coming of Lovie Smith (the defense got figured out, without making adjustments), the defense is and should be the main concern.
May 27th, 2026 at 5:17 pm
Carthon knows football, but let’s be honest. He does not watch, or care about, the Bucs as much as we do. So I don’t really think he knows the team all that well.
May 27th, 2026 at 5:21 pm
The offense under Zac will be really good. I expect the WRs and TEs to ball out. I would still bring Shep back as insurance and get another RB, as I don’t expect Bucky to be fully healed. As far as the defense, I am really worried because our CBs are horrible, edge rush relies on a rookie, and Bowles is the DC. Bowles has proven time after time that he shrinks when the chips are down in the 4th Qtr.
May 27th, 2026 at 5:26 pm
I’d say, like others have said, that if we get that 2024 line back and we can run the ball effectively that offense will be at least better than average.
That front 7 is bound to be better too. The secondary worries me.
May 27th, 2026 at 5:41 pm
I think the Bucs are (somehow) going to be underrated since the guys the national types know (Evans, LVD) have left the squad
May 27th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
@obvious I would have to slightly disagree with your previous take. Godwin got cheap shotted in new Orleans (not his fault) and then hip drop tackled the following year against the ravens ( also not his fault). I dont think that equates to how he plays, just an outcome of sh*ty circumstances. Before roquan Smith illegally tackled him (with no fine from the league which infuriated me) CG was absolutely having his best year by far. He was one pace for a crazy year…
May 27th, 2026 at 6:17 pm
“I just don’t know as a whole that this offense has sustatainability to be able to score enough points”
We went from 29 ppg in ‘24 which ranked 4th all the way to 22.4 ppg which ranked 18th
Being healthy alone is going to make up for that and get us back into the top 5.
Questioning our sustainability is just another way of saying we were last seen being offensively inconsistent as a team.
16-14 in our last game of the season.
May 27th, 2026 at 6:21 pm
The defense will have five new starters; the offense only one. Although not the same exact role, the swap on offense really boils down to McMillan for Evans. I’m pretty sure most folks would say that’s a downgrade.
Still, it all comes down to health. If the Bucs offense has half the injuries they had last year, they should be considerably better.
May 27th, 2026 at 6:26 pm
I also don’t agree with his take on Godwin. He’ll probably be Baker’s #1 option on most passing plays. Nothing I’ve seen points to Godwin slowing down.
May 27th, 2026 at 6:44 pm
Hurst might be as important as anybody in the WR room.