Anthony Nelson Makes An Impact
August 22nd, 2026
Still has it.
OK, OK, OK. Joe knows the guys on the field for the Chiefs playing against the Bucs in Saturday’s second worthless preseason game of the season will be coaching high school ball in two weeks or doing your taxes next spring. But still, results are results.
And Joe was glad to see Bucs outside linebacker Anthony Nelson show up tonight, get results and make an impact.
Nelson, a Bucs backup since 2019, has had a fairly quiet training camp. Joe can only think of once or twice Nelson has been noticed.
With fellow outside linebackers Rueben Bain in the house and David Walker being the flavor of the month, is Nelson at risk of The Turk showing up next weekend? (Cutdown Day to get to 53 is Aug. 30.) Nelson will earn a $4 million salary if he makes the roster.
Well, Nelson showed up tonight. Yeah, he was going up against two stiffs. But at least he was making an impact. Nelson had a strip and a sack on two separate plays, both against Justin Fields.
On the strip, Nelson completely blew past Chiefs undrafted rookie right tackle Kahlil Benson and punched the ball away from Fields.
On his sack, Nelson bullrushed left tackle Esa Pole to push Pole back into Fields, who was flushed as a result.
Nelson was able to chase down Fields after preventing him from getting outside the pocket. Mohamed Kamara boxed in Fields from the left side and Fields had nowhere to go as Nelson slammed him to the ground.
Nelson is streaky. He’s not a physical guy; physical teams too easily take him out. But when he’s on, like in the win over the slimy Saints on the road last year, Nelson can be destructive.
Do the Bucs go cheap and stick with younger, less-talented, less-proven talent, or do they keep a reliable backup like Nelson?
Joe guesses Nelson showed the Bucs tonight he’s still got gas in the tank.
August 23rd, 2026 at 12:22 am
But like ya said Joe he disappears against physical teams which doesn’t help us in any way. We need dogs. Not someone who will show up against weaker competition.
August 23rd, 2026 at 12:26 am
Nelson last year made that great play(int) versus the Saints–it was one of the best plays of the season. The year before that versus the Panthers, he punched the ball out of stinkin Panther running back which won us that game. he has proven him self over and over.
August 23rd, 2026 at 12:34 am
“Nelson is streaky. He’s not a physical guy; physical teams too easily take him out. But when he’s on, like in the win over the slimy Saints on the road last year, Nelson can be destructive.”
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I remember people in the comments after that game saying we needed to lock him up to a new deal right away – and the majority of people agreeing that he had leveled up and would be an every week starter going forward.
I reminded them that the Saints normally make one Buccaneer each year look like a future HOFer, and the fans fall for it every single time. In 2025 it was Nelson, in 2024 it was Tucker, heck go back to 2018 and people were panicking saying we needed to give Fitz a new longterm deal as the starter after he chopped up the Saints D.
Learn your lesson people.