What makes most football coaches drool uncontrollably?

No, not turnovers, but great guess.

It’s having powerful players in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The old adage says, “the game is won in the trenches.” Often that’s true, but this isn’t 1977. The game has diversified.

Todd Bowles was asked about his excitement level during his recent visit to the The Rondé Barber Show. He said it’s off the charts. Why? The trenches.

“Year 5 as the head coach and I’ve never been more excited,” Bowles said. “I think we got very good up front on both sides of the ball. The competition in camp was unbelievable with [Rueben] Bain and [Luke] Goedeke. Obviously, with YaYa going at it, Tristan [Wirfs] was out with [Ben Chukwuma] going there [to left tackle] and Vita [Vea] coming back late and getting [Graham] Barton better, it was nonstop [competition] up front.”

(Yes, this episode was recorded after the Bucs’ backup offensive line put on a horror show in the last couple of preseason games.)

Joe gets Bowles’ excitement. The Bucs have five — five! — first-round draft picks that will start in the trenches: Rueben Bain, Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, Tristan Wirfs and Graham Barton. Plus, they’ll have at least two second-round picks alongside them. What other team has that?

Bowles added that he also was super excited for the news Vea extended his contract after seven season in Bowles’ defense.

“He does everything for me from an intelligence standpoint up front, so when he got signed back it was a big relief,” Bowles said.