“I Really Like This Team”
September 1st, 2026
“You feel the vibes Todd?”
The last time Joe heard a football big shot say very early in the season how he liked a team he assembled, it was Jimbo Fisher telling an ABC audience after a win, “I like this team!”
So what happened? Florida State only ran the table, later beating Auburn for the national title.
Joe heard those same words today from Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
Asked about which areas of the team were the hardest to cut as he and KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles whittled the roster Sunday to the league-mandated 53 player, Licht wouldn’t say. But his answer was an obvious clue.
“The first thing that comes to mind is, we have really good depth,” Licht said of his outside linebackers. “As good as I can remember or have had here at in my tenure, at outside linebacker.
“[I] feel very good about that. … That [position] was tough. But that’s a good position to be in, though.”
Licht then was asked about adding players with an attitude, one of his goals this offseason. He said the Bucs had a core group with a winning attitude but he believed the team needed more.
Licht suggested the Bucs hit a home run with the addition of more tough guys intent on winning, who play with passion and desire. As a result, Licht said he can feel the vibes in the building and in the meeting rooms that the personality of the 2026 Bucs is morphing into what he sought this offseason.
“I really like this team,” Licht said. “I have been in this business long enough to know that I can’t come up here and give you predictions.
“I just know I really like the way Todd is leading this team and what we have added.”
Joe can only hope Licht can read the tea leaves as well as Fisher did some 13 years prior.
September 1st, 2026 at 3:41 pm
Really feel like with an expanded season and the increase injuries that come with that it is really dumb not to also expand the roster for teams should not stay at 53.
September 1st, 2026 at 3:41 pm
On to Cincy !!
September 1st, 2026 at 3:44 pm
11-12wins….NFC Championship Game!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 1st, 2026 at 3:54 pm
I expect our defense to hit the ground running.
My biggest worry is the offense to start. We really have ZERO idea what we’ll look like on O (especially the pass game) other than wild guesses. Cinci will be the “big reveal” for Z-Rob.
September 1st, 2026 at 3:57 pm
i do think this team is very talented and is improved. I just don’t trust Bowles being the head coach. I hope he proves me wrong.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:04 pm
Lots of younger players that seem like they could be good, starting in the secondary: smith, Scott, parish.
Winfield is still good
LB: trotter could be a major player
Edge – Bain obviously,
Diaby and walker are sound to maybe better than solid
DT: can Kancey stay healthy? Probably not
Vea still a force
Oline: Barton could still grow, can mauch and Luke stay on the field and grow?
Wirfs is all world
RB: Irving still young
Gainwell solid vet
WR: hurst and EE look like they could become blue chippers
QB: mayfield is a good b plus qb
So yeah I like the roster too. There’s just not enough blue chippers and there’s no depth at CB or oline.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:05 pm
5-12 here we come….go Todd.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:07 pm
So barring no big injuries, Bowles has no excuses. Lack of talent and injuries for 2025 are in the rear view mirror.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:15 pm
I see 8-9 or 9-8. I sure hope I am wrong. I only have a few years left. This OC scares me. Hopefully it’s not morre of the same like he had in Atlanta.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:16 pm
We’ll know….4 games in.
Im predicting 3-1, and that would be a great start.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Great. Super bowl her they come….BWAHHHAHA
September 1st, 2026 at 4:29 pm
This coming from the guy who last year said Braswell was going to shock the world! Licht is right about one thing. Don’t make any more predictions.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:37 pm
6-11
3-3 within the division
1-3 vs the NFC North
2-2 vs the AFC North
0-3 vs Rams, Chargers and Dallas
Talent can’t overcome this sad Defensive Scheme and inept Head Coach/DC
September 1st, 2026 at 4:38 pm
MadMax Says:
September 1st, 2026 at 4:16 pm
We’ll know….4 games in.
Im predicting 3-1, and that would be a great start.
———
I got to go do my final picks before the season – just for fun since I do it every year. But my first take when the schedule came out, I’m pretty sure I also have them starting hot at 3-1.
The games in Tampa should be hot weather games, and they’re against teams and/or QBs the Bucs tend to have success against.
On the downside, after a hot start, I have them falling off a cliff as the schedule took some bad turns. But I still have to revisit it, so maybe they can start hot and stay hot.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:43 pm
Offense will be fine. I have no faith in Todd Bowles, pass rush, cornerback play, special teams. I at least expect a MASSIVE improvement with ST. This is a 7,8 (maybe 9) win team if we can stay relatively healthy.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:45 pm
On paper, the Bucs are 11-6 team but with our coaching, the Bucs are a 8-9 team. Hopefully they surprise me and live to their potential.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:50 pm
jason lite is full of it. what the h e ll else is he going to say?
10-7 or 7-10 either way bowles doesnt get the hook.
keep your expectations in check.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:51 pm
i don’t see them beating cincinnati but they should grow as the season goes on and as we learned last year it’s not how you start but how you finish
September 1st, 2026 at 4:52 pm
Licht has the talking part done.
September 1st, 2026 at 4:57 pm
They will beat Cleveland at home in the first 4 games but that’s it.
Starting the season 1-3.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:03 pm
Of course, Licht likes the team. He built the roster. Now will he take responsibility if it falls apart?
September 1st, 2026 at 5:04 pm
Cincinnati has a great QB and I’d say the best WR’s in the NFL, but their OLine stinks and their defense does too even with the addition of Dexter Lawrence.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:06 pm
I bet he likes his oline depth too
September 1st, 2026 at 5:09 pm
“You feel the vibes?” Brother, I’ve been feeling the vibes since April. Evidence was never part of the arrangement.
Every September I tell myself not to fall for preseason optimism. Anyway, I’m currently pricing Super Bowl hotel rooms.
If these “vibes” produce a pass rush, I’m prepared to become absolutely insufferable by Week 3.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:15 pm
When thinking about Zac don’t fret. Same McVay slot awareness..
You will see Godwin thrive again in the slot. EE too.
Robinson lost Rondale as his slot so RayRay McLoud had his best season ever.
He knows how to scheme receivers open.
I expect to see Hurst and McMillan out wide.
Can’t wait personally.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:16 pm
This team is a Practice Squad.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:16 pm
Bud Licht’s seat is as hot as Kit Kat’s. Of course he likes this team.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:17 pm
Most worried about the offense and the WRs becoming consistent and not dropping passes. Can this team get TDs in the red zone instead of FGs.
I just didn’t feel like JMac and EE were consistent and on the same page as Baker last season.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:20 pm
The floor is the limit with Todd Bowles in charge. He’s the Sultan of suck.
2-15
No more hype and propaganda. Reality is coming like a freight train.
Those KitKat wrappers on the sidelines will be pilled high.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:22 pm
No expectations at all from me.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:35 pm
I hear these same things every year like clockwork. Then the inevitably disappointing season follows (except for a couple of the Tom Brady years).
I’ve seen more than enough to know this: as long as Todd Bowles is the head coach and his guys are the position coaches, this team will be mediocre at best.
How many seasons do we need as evidence to stop the sheep from continuing to follow each other over the cliff of false hope year after year?
If Licht and the Glazers had the courage to toss Bowles back when Coen was here and made him the head coach we’d be in the Super Bowl by now. They let their best position coach ever just walk out the door.
Back in the day they kept Raheem Morris in the same situation, but they let the best OC they’ve ever had just leave for nothing? I said at the time this organization would regret that move for years to come, and Coen is proving that true.
Eight or nine wins is the ceiling for this team this year with Bowles as head coach.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:39 pm
2-2 (at best) to start the season.
3-3 in the NFC South.
7-10 overall.
Believe it or not – I still give the Bucs a 50/50 chance to win the NFC South dumpster fire…
It’s that bad folks.
September 1st, 2026 at 5:41 pm
Bucs waive caden fordham lb and add kevin knowles cb
September 1st, 2026 at 5:45 pm
This is the same guy that liked what he saw in Chris Braswell?
September 1st, 2026 at 5:49 pm
I’m glad we picked up CB Kevin Knowles
I liked him when he was at Florida State
Too bad for Cade Fordham, he wasn’t going to see the field anyways
If he clear waivers, we’ll make room for him on the PS
Knowles is a really good special teams player
And he was a solid nickel at FSU
September 1st, 2026 at 6:02 pm
Well, Lakeland, “from your mouth to God’s ears”, as our grandparents used to say!
My money is down: Either our Bucs win the division or they do not make the playoffs. Last NFC South team to be a wild card was the ’20 Bucs.
Don’t get your hopes up, Bowles haters: He is signed through ’28, and coaches who get fired get paid.
September 1st, 2026 at 6:09 pm
These people are soooo freaking delusional. It’s LaLa-Land. They’re in a completely different UNIVERSE, than reality. It’s definitely going to be an interesting season to have going on in the background, while this ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ College Season is POPPIN.
September 1st, 2026 at 6:11 pm
Sounds like everyone will be healthy next Sunday. Go Bucs.
September 1st, 2026 at 6:15 pm
He’d better like it!!!
It’s his team, with the possible exception of Sancho Bowles’s input from his donkey (don’t expect the analogy understood by most here, but it fits).
What’s he gonna say, “I really am super ok with this team!”???
Instead, we get the Jimbo Fisher analogy before FSU ran the table. If the Bucs went 12-5 I’d consider this akin to a college undefeated season.
I can live with Baker due to the lack of options. I suppose I’m in good company with fans of many teams.
But Bowles? I keep searching for an upside, but all I get is a one-way ticket into football abyss.
September 1st, 2026 at 6:18 pm
They resigned Chris Braswell to the practice squad.
Who has never accomplished one thing in a Buc uniform.
Yeah. I’ve been a proponent for Licht and Bowles
But it’s time to make changes.
September 1st, 2026 at 6:25 pm
Newbie Says:
September 1st, 2026 at 4:43 pm
Offense will be fine. I have no faith in Todd Bowles, pass rush, cornerback play, special teams. I at least expect a MASSIVE improvement with ST. This is a 7,8 (maybe 9) win team if we can stay relatively healthy
————————–
I seem to recall a lot of people saying I’m not worried about the offense, it will be fine before last season begin…. including @ least 1 Joe.
That was foolish then and it is foolish now.
Reminder >
2025
Total offense 21st
Total defense 19th
I’m definitely more worried about the offense to start the season. Its easy to imagine an efficient and explosive offense based on talent but we haven’t really seen anything of our starting offense with Zac controlling it 🤞🏼
September 1st, 2026 at 6:26 pm
Direct quote from Jason Licht prior to the 2025 season, Google it if you doubt me:
“I like our team. I like it a lot. We’ve got a lot of talent but more importantly I think we’ve have the right kind of people and this team has a lot of chemistry right now” said Licht.
He says it every year – it’s a cut and paste comment he doesn’t need to think hard about. It means nothing unless he doesn’t say it at all.
September 1st, 2026 at 6:40 pm
The Houston Texans signed Chris Braswell to their PS
September 1st, 2026 at 6:46 pm
Winning the crappy NFC South isn’t enough for this team
I think our ceiling is playing in the NFC Championship game
12-5
Reaching the NFC Championship game is my prediction
September 1st, 2026 at 6:48 pm
I like that Licht likes this roster. Say that three times fast. I like this roster too. I like it so much I’ll call it a championship roster.
In the face of unprecedented levels of humiliation and every kind of pressure while being chained to the Glazers Licht has performed a feat of roster alchemy.
I believe in the fickle tides of NFL football and this roster redeeming Todd Bowles even if he doesn’t find it in himself to do so. Mayfield and the others remaining from last year’s group are primed to redeem themselves. Bowles can’t say he doesn’t have the horses he needs. No disrespect to a greatest Buc Mike Evans but Ted Hurst is a real GM’s response to a heart breaking, impossible situation. LVD was replaced by a cadre of new blood with the zip and pop he had lost. The decent but inadequate depth of last year is seasoned by all those 2025 snaps and mistakes and reinforced well.
On top of all this- The Bucs’ back-up QB is the truth and Licht hands all the credit for to his scouting department and Daniels. That’s class. I’m going to go ahead and look forward to Daniel’s starting a couple games and kicking up some rookie QB dust. Not because Mayfield gets hurt but because the Bucs have their playoff spot and the division locked-up by Xmas.
As long as Bowles doesn’t go full Captain Ahab and Baker doesn’t spontaneously combust and/or suffer total scrotal implosion from getting himself too worked-up leading up to his face-offs with Deshaun Watson and Kevin Stefanski we are going to watch the win total and number of Bane masks in the stands at Bucs’ games keep increasing right through the Super Bowl into next season.
I want to retreat to my customary 10 games polite expectation for the Bucs that dates unbroken back to the drafting of Vinny Testaverde. Note that most years that 10 win mark was “10 games before the players completely quit on the coach” not “10 games in which the Bucs had more points than their opponent when time expired.” This year though I’m going to expect another Super Bowl for the Bucs until those hopes are harpooned to the depths.
How could I be so foolish? I like this roster. I really do.
September 1st, 2026 at 6:51 pm
We sent most of the dead weight from 2025 packing
This team is physical, energetic and ready to ball
The Loafers are gone
September 1st, 2026 at 6:59 pm
I am upping my prediction. 6-11 and the bucs clean house
September 1st, 2026 at 7:00 pm
We have the best QB in the NFC South.
And the worst HC, DC, and possibly OC.
Woof
September 1st, 2026 at 7:20 pm
Correction.
First report was wrong.
Chris Braswell was signed to Texans practice squad.
September 1st, 2026 at 7:23 pm
We also have the worst crybaby unhappy fans as well.
September 1st, 2026 at 7:27 pm
I am more confident now than before that this is a 7 win team…
Bucs lose the 1st game t the Bengals and the pressure gets intense and builds throughout the rest of the season….
September 1st, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Lots of Bowles glazing this offseason.
Ira with plenty of excuses.
Vea going out of his way to prop up Todd.
Licht prolly says it every year but “I just know I really like the way Todd is leading this team and what we have added.” jumps out at me.
A lot of talk about poor leadership last year but Todd has it covered on his end this year guys.
Another season of wasted potential awaits. Ugh… once again I hope I am wrong.
September 1st, 2026 at 7:40 pm
7 and 10
September 1st, 2026 at 7:45 pm
The defensive front seven and the offensive line should be much improved, if injuries aren’t a huge factor. That’s where it all starts, so I am excited.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:06 pm
Why is voss still here
He barely practiced Trotter Fordham etc are doing so great. He doednt have high cap. Something doesn’t fit with fans media and organization. I tell you he had over 100 tackles 10 tfl and 6 but one of 5 lb in league to do so. I hope he is released to get another shot
September 1st, 2026 at 8:21 pm
99 The Big Fella Says:
September 1st, 2026 at 7:23 pm
We also have the worst crybaby unhappy fans as well.
———————
Ain’t that the truth – in over 60 years of living I’ve never seen such a miserable group of whiners anywhere (and I’ve been in some very shi$$y places). They may not know much about football but they know they don’t like the coach (or the QB) and like mindless sheeple they gather here daily to repeat the same old negative commentary day after day, and flood the JBF comments section.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:33 pm
Can’t take licht serious
September 1st, 2026 at 8:42 pm
I just looked at the BSPN depth chart for the Bucs, and it says Kenny Gainwell is going to be the kickoff return guy – ahead of Kameron Johnson?
I was looking and Gainwell was the Steelers main return man last year, but Kam had a better average. Would be surprised if the Bucs used Kenny in that role.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:43 pm
Simple T Says:
Ain’t that the truth – in over 60 years of living I’ve never seen such a miserable group of whiners anywhere (and I’ve been in some very shi$$y places). They may not know much about football but they know they don’t like the coach (or the QB) and like mindless sheeple they gather here daily to repeat the same old negative commentary day after day, and flood the JBF comments section.
———-
Cheer up Low T, you sounds down in the dumps.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:45 pm
Hey Marine!?? Tick tock MFer.
You’ve been predicting 7-10. I got 1 k they won more than 7.
You gonna keep babbling on or pony up??
Empty words you type without backing it up.
And this just in dummy…no team has ever won a division being 3 games under .500.
I’ll add another 1k that the NFCS winner is 8-9 or better
Welllllll… we’re waiting??
September 1st, 2026 at 8:48 pm
They kept Dennis, who didn’t play in the preseason, no buzz from camp, injured again, and has the worst tape of any ILB from last season. We’re talking about a 5th rounder making the club from the tub, again! This how you lose a locker room. Keeping the coaches pet over production. Who said hard work pays off? Not Todd.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:49 pm
Hey guys, enought of all the joshing around.
We’re all Bucs fans, we’re all on the same team, fellas – and we ALL WANT THE BUCCANEERS TO WIN IT ALL!
YES!
Who is with me!
September 1st, 2026 at 9:01 pm
……crickets…….
September 1st, 2026 at 9:05 pm
I love Todd Bowles am rooting for him
September 1st, 2026 at 9:07 pm
Cosmo, show a bet slip with under 3 wins or stfu
September 1st, 2026 at 9:09 pm
Rod
What we want is a competent GM and HC. Get that, and the rest will take care of itself.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:52 pm
I really like this team enough to see them going 7-10.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:56 pm
Who are you kidding? He said the same thing last year!
September 1st, 2026 at 10:06 pm
It’s a soap opera
September 1st, 2026 at 10:15 pm
Todd is the man!!!!
We are going to the Super Bowl !
September 1st, 2026 at 10:52 pm
Last year we had “culture,” and this year we are “liked.”
6-11.
September 1st, 2026 at 11:14 pm
I like the team overall. I think there are some moves that might have been nice to make but maybe we will see Licht make a move before the trade deadline at ILB, CB, or S to add some depth.
September 1st, 2026 at 11:23 pm
It’s funny to see the trolls come out. That’s how sorry your lives are. Come on this site and post your 💩🤡 comments cause you ain’t got nothing better to do. 😂😂 your comments tell exactly who you are.
September 2nd, 2026 at 12:37 am
Hey Fanofdabucs. Whats your number? He was being generous. So whats your big prediction – lets here it?
September 2nd, 2026 at 12:37 am
With all the pessimism in here, i hope you guys don’t live near the Skyway
September 2nd, 2026 at 1:16 am
Rod, looks like you’re single-handedly holding down the fort with happy thoughts.