Chris Braswell Assessment
August 18th, 2026
Bucs OLB Chris Braswell.
A guy who may be on Bubble Watch more than some believe was perhaps given a backhanded compliment yesterday.
You and Joe both know that 2024 second-round pick Chris Braswell was not selected because he can defend the run. He was drafted by the Bucs because the team thought he could rush the passer; let’s be real here.
So Joe isn’t fully sure if Bucs coach Todd Bowles was giving Braswell a compliment for his play in New Jersey last weekend, or if this was a shot.
“He didn’t get much action,” Bowles said of Braswell. “He did his job. I mean, he played the run well.
“Obviously, he took proper pass drops, but not much action came his way.”
And people wonder why Joe is fearful Rueben Bain may not be the savior so many believe him to be, though very early eyeballing suggests Bain might be able to overcome Bowles’ disdain for edge rushers so long as he is not pulled off the field on passing downs.
Yup. Braswell can stop the run and drop back into coverage. But how about doing the things he was drafted for in the first place? smh
Joe needs to eat a handful of Pepcid AC. Maximum Strength.
August 18th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Same story, different day. Dead meat!!!
August 18th, 2026 at 11:41 am
Bowles doesn’t have any disdain for edge rushers. If he did, the Bucs wouldn’t have been picking them so high in drafts so often. Todd underplayed the value of edge rushers when he didn’t have any good ones on the roster. That wasn’t his choice that draft picks weren’t working out. He made a point of saying he could still generate pressure from other positions.
When Bowles had Shaq Barrett he had career years here.
I don’t know how many more times I need to say it, but Barrett only dropped in coverage 13% of the time. I’d expect about the same from Bain. That’s not going to hold him back in any way from collecting tons of sacks. Im sure Bain will be rushing in all the high leverage (third and long and late in games) situations, too.
Occasionally dropping didn’t affect Barrett either.
August 18th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Pyburn might be showing more promise than Braswell at this point.
August 18th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Getting to the point that I dread reading the latest inane words were from Todd. I think I would rather hear Belichick at the mic Mocking the media as he tells them nothing. Most of it is absolute BS either way. At least Bill was somewhat entertaining in his own awkward way.
Go Bucs!
August 18th, 2026 at 11:51 am
Just for fun I dropped this into Google AI….
“of all the defensive coordinators in the nfl using a 3-4 defense, who drops edge rushers into coverage the most”
Their answer was Vic Fangio. Yeah, that guy sucks
August 18th, 2026 at 11:55 am
Wasn’t Braswell a 2nd stringer at Alabama??? Why would he be picked in 2nd round? That is water under the bridge now, can he play or not?
August 18th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
How do you know what he was drafted for? Maybe they wanted him for run/drop reps.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
I do not think of Braswell as on the bubble at all. He is a long shot. I am surprised they have not tried him inside.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Kinda feel bad for some of these guys whose careers never had a chance after being drafted Jason Licht and coached by Todd Bowles
Pathetic on all levels of the Bucs org
August 18th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
If I remember right, didn’t Brasswell hold out for a fully guaranteed contract?
August 18th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
He is a linebacker. Linebackers cover the pass some of the time. Jose, do you want five guys rushing the QB on every pass play? Reading here I’m just not sure how you would configure a defense.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:12 pm
Agree with stpetematt and jack mercer. I think some people actually want us to be running a 5-2-4 or something. One of the edge guys will always drop back for the most part on passing downs. We’re not asking them to cover the seam or anything, but to occupy some space in the flat to prevent run after catch stuff with safeties and corners rallying to the ball. It would less glaring if you had smart players that knew assignments and can be in the right spot. Bain and walker will be a huge upgrade if they remain healthy
August 18th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
He will play the whole of the last preseason game
and then hit the wire after the 53 cut down
August 18th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
I am Fully Tired of Bozo the Clown!
There is NO DOUBT that Bain Yanked that hat off the podium because HE KNEW his talent was going to be WASTED inside the clown show that IS Bozo’s BUFFOONERY! And the “waste of talent” has started RIGHT AWAY!
Why has the TEAM turned their collective backs on BOZO THE CLOWN? Well maybe if he would stop jerking his rubber chicken so much, he might have noticed that the Entire Team KNOWS he’s an idiot and CAN NOT take him seriously! ALL THE LEADERS HAVE ABANDONED SHIP, “THAT COULD” FOR D@@@MN GOOD REASON!
And I Certainly Believe the Vea hold out has more to do with it than money! He just doesn’t want to waist what’s left of his VALUABLE TIME with such a slack jaw GOOBER and his CHILDISH SCHEMES ON HOW TO “NOT” USE PASS RUSHERS AND FRONT D LINEMEN FOR MORE THAN STOPPING THE RUN AND PRETENDING THAT THEY CAN COVER RECEIVERS!!!!!! THAT IS RIDICULOUS!
Bowles HAS TO GO! NOBODY WANTS TO PLAY FOR HIM AND QUALITY IS GONE FROM TAMPA BAY! WE DO NOT HAVE AN IDENTITY ANYMORE! IT’S GONE!
Well, wait. That’s not true. We have the SAME identity that we had for years now. THE EASIEST DEFENSE TO DEFEAT IN ALL OF FOOTBALL! Why has this defensive scheming has made the MOST AVERAGE QB look like Tom Brady or Joe Montana?
WIDE OPEN FIELDS OF PLAY FOR OPPOSING RECEIVERS TO RUN FREE AND WIDE OPEN IN!?
THIS! This IS TAMPA’S IDENTITY! And who should EVERY TEAM IN THE LEAGE THANK FOR THAT???? Surprise! “The glazers”!
THEY ARE FORCING the Clown Show apon Player and Fan A LIKE!
AT LEAST we have our Heroes. Oh wait…. THEY ALL GOT OUT the front, side, and back door to get away from the evil clown and the back stabbing organization! Darnit!
Well, there’s Still our Big Man Vita Vea. Oh wait…..
He’s Not getting any help from all this new found talent. BECAUSE THE MAIN FUNCTION ISN’T TO BRING DOWN A QUARTERBACK FOR THE D LINE! NOPE! THEIR MAIN FUNCTION IS TO STOP RUNNERS AND COVER RECEIVERS! IT’S THE SECONDARIES JOB TO BRING DOWN AND PRESSURE THE QB IN THE “BOZO SHOW”!……. TRUTH!
August 18th, 2026 at 2:19 pm
Obvious one IS VERY GOOD WITH CAPS LOCK!!
August 18th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
Bowles stinks
August 18th, 2026 at 2:26 pm
Obvious One Says:
August 18th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
I am Fully Tired of Bozo the Clown!
———————–
And we’re fully tired of your screaming tirades…. So what ?
August 18th, 2026 at 2:31 pm
bras-not-so-swell
August 18th, 2026 at 2:49 pm
@ Jack Burton Mercer,
Not sure if you are new here, but trust me it’s not worth the effort. According to the defensive gurus on this here blog, the proper thing for a LB in a 3-4 defense to do is the same thing every play.
And in case you didn’t catch it, there was hidden sarcasm font when I said Vic Fangio sucks.
August 18th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
He looks disinterested because you never hear his name.
I saw him running in the Winfield Mic’d up video and he looked slow to me.
I will call it a 2nd round flyer for now, because it was a miss for sure.
Next year? Morrison??????
Why can’t this guy make good 2nd round picks?
He has 3rds on Lock!!!!!
August 18th, 2026 at 3:14 pm
The Jets had their 31 yard TD run on Braswell’s side where he was last seen watching the run like a spectator
August 18th, 2026 at 4:08 pm
Nothing has changed with the ridiculous Bowles scheme. Dropping edge players into coverage smdh
August 18th, 2026 at 6:35 pm
Hey Obvious One: Lay off the cheap whiskey. Try not to beat your dog.