Expect No Starters Friday Night Against The Jaguars
August 26th, 2026
It seems Todd Bowles has waved the caution flag. Bucs starters won’t face players in a non-Bucs jersey for the rest of the summer.
It’s on to Cincinnati!
This morning, the Bucs wrapped up a 90-minute underwear football session against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. That meant players were not in full pads and no real hitting was allowed — or else the NFL would toss out fines.
Yesterday was full pads against the Jags but today the teams went soft. Jacksonville even kept practicing after the Bucs called it a day.
WFLA-TV sideline reporter Jeff Dubrof was on scene and shared the following from Bucs head coach Todd Bowles:
If you can’t see the screenshot above, Dubrof reports Bowles says the starters will sit out Friday’s preseason finale in Jacksonville.
Now the agonizing wait begins.
The Bucs start the season Sunday, Sept. 13, a 1 o’clock kickoff against the Bengals. Before that, there’s the Mike Evans debut for the 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10, if he’s healthy.
August 26th, 2026 at 11:53 am
Reports of getting smacked around yesterday and we go soft today? Not sure I’m on board with that mindset…but will see in a few weeks
August 26th, 2026 at 11:55 am
No starters? Except for Jalon daniels right munch.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
That’s a great mindset, no sense in taking a chance.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:02 pm
Definitely was hoping to see the Bucs rebound today. Guess not. Ok so do the Bucs get a real CB or get smoked in Cinn.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Better be a couple tough, physical practices next week for these guys.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Good idea. Save our Prime Beef an evaluate the choice cuts.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
GO BUCS
August 26th, 2026 at 12:13 pm
No starters?
Breaking News: if a single NFL team played starters, that would be a story, especially if a starter was injured.
But lo and behold, some teams do play starters in the last preseason game. I think it’s insane with nothing to gain and everything to lose.
But what do I know?
I cannot think of a single benefit of playing a starter, especially for the few plays they’d be in there.
I’m not as smart as some of you professed coaches or GM’s, but as owner or GM I’d forbid it. It’s in-damn-sane!
August 26th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
So the Jags stayed late after practice ended…while the Bucs headed to the showers!! Huh, I wonder which team is committed to there craft!?
August 26th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
He has had fast starts and slow endings. Going for the opposite this year.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
The benefit of playing starters is to avoid developing a pansy mindset. It is also to build camaraderie, showing the second and third teamers that everybody is all in it together. It is also to practice and perfect timing and communication, etc., hopefully avoiding the early season rough edges that often lead to losses.
I do not like the mindset or decision at all.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
Well….
Ain’t nobody going into the season overconfident… glass half full thinking
August 26th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
Awesome. So…the starters, together, have played how many snaps? With a brand new offense….again. Boy, I bet we look super sharp against CIN.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:47 pm
larrd
I am %100 with you!
August 26th, 2026 at 12:47 pm
“Jacksonville kept practicing after the Bucs called it a day.”
Coen … the Bucs head coach who got away.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:01 pm
Glazers should send a message to everyone on the payroll Friday night.
If the team is sloppy and our #2&3’s get shown up by the Jaguars 2&3’s
They should tell the bus driver to drive past the airport in Jacksonville and drive them all back to Tampa.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
I think this goes to show everyone what Joe’s been saying for at least 10 years.
Preseason games are worthless. Teams get the necessary work they need through controlled scrimmages and game situations in practice. There were no preseason games during the COOF scare either.
In the words of Bill Belichick, “We’re on to Cincinnati.”
August 26th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
morrison should play the entire 1st half
GO BUCS!!!!
August 26th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
Fans would demand the Bucs fire Bowles if he actually put a starter on the field. And they’d be right to.
The Bucs know what they need to about everyone on the roster. The only lingering question is how fast they’ll release their roster cutdown list on Saturday followed by who makes the practice squad afterward.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:34 pm
El Serpiente sticking it to Bowles, Licht, and Glazers one more time. Comical in a sense, reminiscent of how United Airlines’ CEO routinely goes out of his way to stick it to American Airlines after getting glossed over for that CEO role.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
We know coen is a better HC than radio
August 26th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
Good. Potential negatives FAR outweigh any positives.
August 26th, 2026 at 2:16 pm
Turtle true to form. Playing not to lose as always. Tortorella quote – “Safe is death”
August 26th, 2026 at 2:18 pm
Rock throwing Joe calls the preseason games worthless. He will chuck lots of rocks at Todd for not watching the offense in a ” worthless practice” These valuable playoff games and practices are not to evaluate the known starters nor to get them injured. They are here to evaluate back up and depth talent as well as coaching preparedness. “Hey Joe” , the Cat with the kit is doing exactly what a good ‘Head coach” should do in valuable preseason games and practices. Todd is evaluating every player and coach on the team and will select the ones who will win games. Joe the question is how will Bruce’s coaches and backup offensive guys do in the last ” meaningless pre season game’? My question is will the owners block Todd from removing Bruce’s hand picked offensive coaches this year? Who won the Superbowl, Bruce, Todd, or Tom?
August 26th, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Glad the starters will sit the last preseason game. Hopefully we get everyone healthy for the Bengals.
August 26th, 2026 at 2:26 pm
So Baker finishes the preseason with a 60-min pace of 84 yards, 50% completion rate, 2.5 yards per attempt – and not a single pass attempt past the line of scrimmage. Baker’s numbers stretched over 60 mins would mean putting up 0 points.
Seems pretty obvious that Bowles has had it with Baker and doesn’t want to see more of him.
Meanwhile, Daniels 60-min pace has him putting up 32 points a game.
August 26th, 2026 at 2:27 pm
Gene replacement is over the top. Kinda fake commentation. . He will be Missed. He was the real thing.
August 26th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
We have 40 players to cut. This is the backups and bubble guys last chance to make an impression on us or other teams.
Not playing the starters is the only smart move. Trying to get to Cincinnati as healthy as possible and solidify our depth chart.
Hoping Garnes and Pepe can continue their strong camps.
August 26th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
@Rod
STFU with trying to make everything about trolling Baker.
August 26th, 2026 at 3:11 pm
We can’t play Baker in normal offense with a 4th string left tackle against another team’s starters. It’s just **asking** to get him creamed. Move him to drills and play Daniels. That’s fine. When we have our offensive linemen again, play Baker again. Very concerning we have injured linemen again already but hopefully Wirfs is 100% again for week 1. Hamstrings can linger if you don’t give them enough time. Please get everyone healthy so we don’t have a replay of last year. It was an utter catastrophe!
August 26th, 2026 at 3:31 pm
My 60 minute pace for drinking beers is passing out.
August 26th, 2026 at 3:46 pm
Munchkin is an instigator. He’s only here to trigger people and start arguments. Just learn to ignore him. He’s been doing this same routine for years
August 26th, 2026 at 7:51 pm
Wow! So baker only had 2 drives and 2 passes this preseason? Man gonna be rusty as hell!
August 26th, 2026 at 8:32 pm
Oldbucsfan Says:
August 26th, 2026 at 7:51 pm
Wow! So baker only had 2 drives and 2 passes this preseason? Man gonna be rusty as hell!
———–
Well he had 4 passes, literally all 4 were behind the line of scrimmage – he only completed 2 of them however.
But the rust issue is legit. Last year vs the Falcons, Baker was pretty awful to start that game – right until the last drive before half-time if I remember right. The Bucs got away with it since they were facing the Falcons – but this time we’re playing the Bengals who obviously have a much better offense, and the Bucs can’t simply afford to throw away half the game as Baker gets into playing shape. BTW, none of this is on Baker or his fault, it’s 100% on Bowles, who is always more worried about what could go wrong, than trying to figure out how to win.
When healthy, Andy Reid will play Mahomes in the preseason for an entire half – and Baker gets 2 drives, where the offense looked terrible, and that’s supposed to have him ready to go to start the year.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:56 pm
ZZZZZZZZ! Football has gone soft, even at the youth level. My son says they’ve only tackled once in several weeks leading up to their first game. You practice like you play, in my opinion. This season is already giving me a bad feeling after we got wrecked the way we did in our joint practice. Zac “I love screen passes” Robinson already giving us a preview of what’s to come. I hope I’m wrong though. GO BUCS!!!
August 27th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Joe is still pining for that ex-girlfriend that left him, obviously.
She’s gone, Joe. She found a new guy on the other side of the country. Time to let her go.