First-Round Winner Josh Grizzard
April 24th, 2025
A Tampa Bay Buccaneers photo.
Whoa!
Imagine being first-year Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard inheriting an electric offense returning all starters and the team drafts you a stud receiver in Round 1. What a move!
That’s what just happened, with Tampa Bay landing Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka moments ago. Egbuka can do it all and, as Joe has written, is very much like Chris Godwin.
Joe has seen many ex-quarterbacks’ evaluations of Egbuka and they all say he shows up as a receiver super easy to throw to, and looks the part of a polished target.
Can we get a Baker Mayfield Instagram video, Bucs? Please. Please!
What a night for Mayfield. Not a great night for second-year Bucs receiver Jalen McMillan, but if he’s the team-first guy the Bucs say he is, then he should be just fine.
The Bucs scored 29 1/2 points last year. Who’s ready for 32?
April 24th, 2025 at 10:18 pm
Good pick by the Bucs. Our two best receivers are, in this order
1. Old
2. Broken
Bucs need a new #1.
April 24th, 2025 at 10:18 pm
I don’t think anyone can ever call Todd Bowles a “defensive coach” moving forward.
April 24th, 2025 at 10:19 pm
McMillan will be fine. Plenty of targets to go around. This Bucs offense will be fun to watch. Now, let’s focus on defense.
April 24th, 2025 at 10:20 pm
So when Mike comes out after a huge catch, we have very little drop off on the next play. LOL
April 24th, 2025 at 10:21 pm
EgBUCa! LFG! Go Bucs!
April 24th, 2025 at 10:22 pm
I wanted defense but this is a smart pick for the future.
April 24th, 2025 at 10:22 pm
Average player. 2nd round pick. I would rather have taken a corner
April 24th, 2025 at 10:25 pm
This is the definition of win now! Abuja will contribute big time this year. Not in his second season but right now without a doubt. We will outscore our opponents!
April 24th, 2025 at 10:25 pm
Got a bad feeling about the true nature of Godwin’s status now. This pick smacks of an immediate need.
April 24th, 2025 at 10:27 pm
Cannot believe we passed over EZ and Barron but I do believe this kid will be a stud for us. Reliable is always a word I want associated with my WRs.
I just am very surprised. Is there any chance this is Evans last year with us!? I just can’t believe that.
Here’s to hoping EZ or Starks or Emmanwori or Amos or Hairston fall into our round 2 range to get them!
April 24th, 2025 at 10:29 pm
Oh… wanted to say… Bowles better have flipped a switch! The offense needs to be on the field all the time! Top OL, great RB, mobile QB, nasty WR core… we go on 4th, we play keep away like Wash did. We dare you to stop us and score more.
Cannot be soft and rely on the D.
April 24th, 2025 at 10:32 pm
I don’t think I was to see Grizzards offense with an injured Evans or Godwin on the bench so yea he’s gotta be happy
April 24th, 2025 at 10:33 pm
Good night!!
April 24th, 2025 at 10:33 pm
I can see four wide coming to TB!!
April 24th, 2025 at 10:34 pm
Wr 2/3
April 24th, 2025 at 10:38 pm
No doubt plenty of defense to go if both of these guys live up to their college reps we have our one and two for years to come after Evans ann Godwin
April 24th, 2025 at 10:56 pm
BBF, you’re right! Licht is building for the future while strengthening the team during the Super Bowl window. Solid strategy!
April 24th, 2025 at 10:57 pm
I called this pick some time ago. Should be defense the rest of the way.
April 24th, 2025 at 11:04 pm
This is a smart move! The Bucs make sure their WR group stays more than relevant if Godwin, or Evans, or McMillan is out with an injury, or if Godwin takes a bit to get back. Those worried about defensive positions like EDGE, and to a much lesser extent CB, should keep I mind that this is a deep defensive draft. I could see them going CB Rd 2 if any starting caliber guy falls to us at 53, then best available EDGE in Rd 3 and a ILB with potential on day 3. We just got a guy who is a solid, solid starting level guy at WR which is a notoriously difficult position to draft in Rd 1. Oh, and he returns punts and kicks! LOL I was surprised by this pick, but pleasantly so.
April 25th, 2025 at 5:36 am
I am extremely disappointed with the pick. In what way does this pick address what caused last years losses? I don’t give a damn about the future. I want to win games now. We did not lose games last year because of our receiving corp, we lost games because nobody could get a hand on an opposing quarterback or make tackles.
April 25th, 2025 at 6:03 am
Becky
Be calm. This is a deep defensive draft class. We will still find quality players later on. But we can’t deny the facts. As great as Evans and Godwin are, age catches up to everyone sooner or later. Licht is building a great team; not just for now, but for the future. Go Bucs!
April 25th, 2025 at 6:30 am
This is a top notch WR. Gets to Learn from Godwin and Evans. Does not have to start this year. Top program, returns punts and kicks, No red flags and won’t loaf. Jason Licht kinda guy.
I think Baker is already pretty danged happy but now he has no worries at all! Running game? check. O line? check. Receiving corps? check. OC? We shall see.
The added bonus is that Joe is happy! 🙂
Go Bucs!
April 25th, 2025 at 7:45 am
Purplebeard, if receiver had been the second pick I would be calm. And yes there will be good defensive players coming up. But the best are in the first round and last years defense proved we needed the best defensive players available this year. Settling for average when you could have better is not the kind of coaching I want for this team. I want to win and I want to win now. Baker has a few good years left so planning for the future is s waste of time if we want to win with Baker and not start from scratch again which is just a vicious neverending cycle. We should have made a better choice.
April 25th, 2025 at 8:58 am
We need to go corner next .
April 25th, 2025 at 9:16 am
Kinda disappointed their loaded with talent on offensive. Had a shot at Campbell. He ll be a pro bowler with the eagles. They need pass rushers and defense backfield desperately.
April 25th, 2025 at 9:32 am
Becky
I think they are expecting the lights to go on for our younger defensive players. We’ll see what today brings. I’m not worried… yet
April 25th, 2025 at 9:40 am
No more excuses for Baker Mayfield he has everything and it’s time for him to put this offense on his back. What happened in Detroit in the playoffs and against Washington can’t happen anymore.
April 25th, 2025 at 9:59 am
You don’t coach by hoping players will do better.. You coach in the way that gives you the best shot to win. Betting on a rookie receiver, and hoping guys who haven’t worked out yet, will, are not my idea of being on the right track. The best players are in the first round for a reason, and we should have made the first one count towards the reasons we didn’t win a championship last year, and that reason was because of defense.
April 25th, 2025 at 10:14 am
It seems our number one priority was getting a player who is practically a pro already to maximize our Baker window. question – if we’re rolling at midseason, do we extend grizzard or let him take a job elsewhere next year?
April 25th, 2025 at 10:16 am
funny how I was 100 pct sure Eagles would get a stud. joe, did we have worries about Campbell’s health or was it totally a mystery and therefore too risky?