“I Thought I Was Going To New York”
July 23rd, 2026
Bucs rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter.
Smokescreen or reality?
The NFL Draft is always a wild ride. Players (and their agents) think they will be selected by team X, Y or Z, and then they go elsewhere. Sometimes intel is good. Sometimes it’s garbage or intended to lead a gossip-hound agent to leak information that distracts another club.
Joe loves hearing about the drama.
Bucs rookie second-round pick Josiah Trotter told the Mr. Bucs Nation YouTube channel that he thought he was headed for the Big Apple to play for John Harbaugh.
“I [felt] like if I had made it to the Bucs there was a high chance they would take me, but I know there were some teams, from some grades like that, I could have went earlier than [Tampa Bay],” Trotter said. “I didn’t know if I was going to land in Seattle; that was one. And then the Giants, I thought I was probably going to be in New York.
“Yeah, I thought I was going to be in New York. Dallas was another one. Denver, if I had made it all the way to Denver. There was definitely some teams. … From the grades and stuff I had, I didn’t know if I was going to make it to the Bucs or not.”
Trotter added there were a couple of teams that gave him a scenario, saying if X happens, we’ll draft you. He did not name those teams.
Note how Trotter twice mentioned “grades” he had entering the draft. That’s not him listening to Mel Kiper or Sean Sullivan. That’s certainly “grade” intel via Trotter’s agent.
Joe’s just glad Trotter is in Tampa. There were other inside linebackers Joe preferred in the draft, but 21-year-old Trotter should represent a significant upgrade and a high ceiling.
July 23rd, 2026 at 2:14 pm
hmm that seems like talking about other hot chicks on a first date
July 23rd, 2026 at 2:27 pm
Denver was the team that I had heard loved him. But that was at the end of round 2 instead of the middle.
July 23rd, 2026 at 2:49 pm
glad he’s a BUC!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 4:49 pm
It’ll be epic ! Anzalone for a mentor perfect!
July 23rd, 2026 at 5:06 pm
Looking forward to his maturation as a player. He’s so young… Not even legally old enough to drink. Let that sink in. But yes, high ceiling. High energy, hard hitter, there’s a lot to like with this kid.
July 23rd, 2026 at 5:22 pm
Seems like a great kid. Let’s see what he can do. I’m confident he’ll be an upgrade from 36 year old lb, and some other guy named SVD who better come out balling or he’s destined for special teams. Maybe that will motivate him.
Anzalone, Trotter and Roseboom are significantly than what we had at LB last year. Let’s go JT!!!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 5:29 pm
I swear. And, I’ve noticed this for many years now… But, that Rick Stroud dude really SUCKS BAD. He’s HORRIBLE. I have never been impressed with him, at all. Just very ‘unimpressive’ every time I’ve ever heard him. Seriously. It has always amazed me for how long he has kept his job. I rarely, ever agree with him on anything. Never have.
HE really thinks that HE is “Mr. Cool.” LoL. Literally, on EVERY interview I’ve ever heard him do… Which is never a good thing, when it is THIS obvious. He tries to come across as being soooo laid back. When, I believe he’s just INCOMPETENT. Basically, he’s just been a “grifter” at his job. I mean, his analysis is always, soooo lazy and full of errors. There’s nothing really “THERE” (it’s awfully light). Honestly, pretty empty. He’s just constantly, OFF.
Yesterday on WDAE, he said that both, Trotter & Bain were “23-YEARS OLD.” Now, that might sound-like a “small” thing… But, IT’S NOT. I mean, “HE” can’t get that WRONG. Period. And, he definitely CAN’T BE that far off either. It is HIS JOB to know. He’s obviously NOT taking it seriously, and is only going through the motions. But, that is the point… HE has been for a long time, now. Hell, Trotter JUST TURNED 21. I’m assuming that he had to at least be “good” at one time, or another… Right!? I would hope so. Though, I don’t remember it.
July 23rd, 2026 at 5:52 pm
An exit from David aka I AM THAT GUY that was loafing helped recreate faith in the new acquisitions. We definitely patched up a weak spot on our defense.
Like every off season Bowles will tweak the scheme. Hopefully the new guys will master the scheme by week 10.
We need to score on every quarter. 🤞
July 23rd, 2026 at 6:09 pm
On paper, this was a great draft. They drafted in places of need. They got top guys with reputations for being hard chargers.
Each of these guys seems like they could contribute significantly this season.
The changes to the roster are dramatic. The guys they’ve replaced were not productive: Evans. Reddick. SirVocea. David.
July 23rd, 2026 at 6:16 pm
Yo Joe,
What’s up with all the Baker Mayfield hype ?
Do you remember last year @ Panthers
This dude had an opportunity for a game winning drive and threw an interception
@ Lions in the playoffs … game ending INTERCEPTION
Vs Commanders in the playoffs … soul Crushing FUMBLE
SEEM LIKE EVERYTIME WE NEED BAKER TO STEP UP AND BE ELITE THERES A TURNOVER
DONT over pay this guy. He’s unproven when it matters the most
July 23rd, 2026 at 6:44 pm
Jarrett! Go look at the mile high miracle…Sh!+ happens..It happens to the best of them!
July 23rd, 2026 at 7:43 pm
There were 2 ILB taken before Trotter. So the Bucs liked him more than the rest. I wonder if Rodrigues was on the board if the Bucs still take Trotter?
July 23rd, 2026 at 8:28 pm
Anthony Hill, Jr. is slightly younger than Trotter, is slightly bigger, was a bit faster, and had much better production than Trotter. So, I continue to question the decision the Bucs made to take Trotter with Hill on the board.
If NFL pedigree counts for so much, shouldn’t Shiloh Sanders still be a Buc?
But, Trotter is a Buc now, so I hope that he sparkles and shines for the Bucs like the Millennium Star for at least the next 15 years.
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:29 pm
For all you Kenyon Sadiq fans…. Who I highly rejected the Bucs drafting… he just had hernia surgery, may miss some camp time.? Glad we got Bain and not Sadiq
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:51 pm
Agree with the first post from Hopes. Thought the exact same thing.
Melvin – take a chill pill. Stroud, the Joe’s, Schefter, Rapaoport, they’re all here in service to us knuckle heads looking for interesting information that we’d have NO way of getting ourselves. They all work hard trying to out scoop the other while giving compelling takes on happenings we may not have noticed. Again, all in service of the fans. A little vanity sometimes creeps in. So what. I’m appreciative of them all. And in fairness to the Joe’s, this is the one place we can trust to keep it real (ahem, team website). But I’m glad the others are there too. Ego and all.
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:41 pm
Agree Dungy, : Melvin, get the blood pressure under control dude. It’s NOT that serious. It’s just football man. Life is too short, take a breath, go outside and enjoy it. Rick Stroud is same as Shady… no one cares dude
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:04 pm
It would be surprising for these players to wind up in a place they never thought they would be at. For example Kancey was never interviewed by the Bucs and they drafted him. He was shocked. Bain never thought he’d get to the Bucs at slot 15. He was overlooked. And so on and so on.
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:17 pm
Melvin….mellow….mellow….mellow….
July 24th, 2026 at 8:49 am
Just read Melvin. Maybe it’s time to get laid buddy.
July 24th, 2026 at 9:02 am
Jarrett…
One of the things I’ve learned is that if you’re going to complain about a problem, have a solution ready.
You’ve identified Baker as the problem, in your eyes. What’s the solution? Who are you going to replace him with?
For clear context: it looks like he’s going to land in the $50-55 million range, per year. Salary-wise, he’ll be somewhere in the 10-12 the best paid range and he consistently plays in the top 10-12 quarterbacks.
July 25th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
I like Baker, but I am like some of the others. If he consistently fails in the most important situations, then he has not earned that big raise. We every day Joe’s, we get paid for what we did last year and the year before that. Baker was played with heart and passion. But he failed us when we needed him the most. Let him be like the rest of us every day Joes. Produce, then request a raise. Not the other way around. We love you Baker, but you need to produce when we need you. Crunch time is money time. You produce in money time, you can’t be denied at raise time. I will give a new name “CRUNCH TIME”. Wear that name this season, and next season you can ask to be a top 10 paid QB. Let Go Mr. “CRUNCH TIME”, Let go Bucs. It is now show and tell time.