Todd Bowles: It Was All “Mental” For Chris Braswell
July 25th, 2025
Knows Bucs defense now.
Joe has stated on many occasions that he doesn’t expect much, if anything, from rookie edge rushers. The position is so damn tough for rookies.
For every Bosa brother that has double-digit sacks as a rookie, there are 20 Chris Braswells.
The Bucs’ second-round pick last year did not do well. He had 1 1/2 sacks. Even by low standards for rookies, 1 1/2 sacks is just two plays more than you and Joe made for the Bucs last year.
Even for a rookie, that’s not good. By comparison, Gaines Adams had six sacks as a rookie. Noah Spence had 5.5. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka had four.
But Joe gave Braswell a pass. (See above). Now in his second year, can we maybe expect something more from Braswell?
Yesterday, Bucs coach Todd Bowles was asked about Braswell. Bowles suspected the problem happened not on the field but above Braswell’s shoulders.
“His was mostly mental, I think,” Bowles said. “He had to learn the mental part of it and all the different techniques and playing faster.
“He’s playing fast this spring. Once he continues to play fast in pads, I think you’ll see a big difference in him from last year. I look forward to that.
“He’s got the scheme down now and he’s showing that he’s playing faster. We look to see the guy we drafted.”
This is Joe’s issue: Everybody and their brother knew the Bucs needed help at edge rush, which is why the Bucs drafted Braswell in the first place. So why ask the kid to do things he wasn’t used to — or couldn’t do?
Instead, it would have been better to guide him into the NFL the smart way and ask him to do what he did at Alabama and what made him a second-round NFL pick. Then, once he gets his feet wet and gets comfortable and builds confidence that he can play in the NFL, then you start adding building blocks.
This is like bringing in a wishbone quarterback (do those guys even still exist?) and asking him to run a run-and-shoot offense and then wonder why the rookie struggles.
Did anyone with the Bucs talk to Braswell’s former coach at Alabama, Nick Saban, and ask him how best to use him? Joe’s not trying to ruffle feathers but given Saban’s stellar background with defensive players in college and the NFL, and the Bucs’ franchise’s sordid history of developing rookie edge rushers, Joe sure has more faith in Saban.
Bowles, explaining the mental part of Braswell learning the NFL, sprang to mind one of Joe’s favorite pieces of dialogue between Moe Howard and Curly Howard.
“You know I’m temperamental.”
“Yeah, 95 percent temper, 5 percent mental.”
You don’t remember the stats. You remember the Buccaneer standard.
In I Am That Man, presented by @Gillette, legends sit down with rookies to pass on the culture instilled in the first 50 seasons and what it takes to lead the next.
Episode One with @BMoe_21 out now. pic.twitter.com/KXOk9yjnqy
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 25, 2025
July 25th, 2025 at 4:38 am
Nice to hear that Todd Bowles is seeing such progress on Chris Braswell’s part, even if it’s just in underwear football. Chris comes from a great program, did very well in college once he got an opportunity to start, but didn’t exactly set the NFL world on fire as a rookie. Got a hunch that what he was being asked to do last year was very much different from what he’d been tasked to do at Bama.
July 25th, 2025 at 6:03 am
Because in Todd’s scheme this is what the players must know how to do drop sometimes can’t be one dimensional
July 25th, 2025 at 6:42 am
He didn’t get enough reps last season to truly tell. Those reps were wasted on JTS. Bucs gave JTS to many opportunities to prove he belonged. Now we’ll really see what Chris can do.
July 25th, 2025 at 7:41 am
Love that video! Morrison seems like the real deal. Oh and by the way, have you ever noticed that Rhonde has a bit of an ego? LOL
July 25th, 2025 at 7:59 am
The experiment of George Edwards at OLB coach didn’t work. YaYa didn’t show much growth last year and Braswell wasn’t allowed to play freely. Larry Foote will improve the room and free up these guys to rush the passer. Brass will also play behind Reddick who has been free with his time to help others. Speaking of Reddick, he shut down a running play in the backfield yesterday so he can play the run too!
July 25th, 2025 at 8:01 am
With all the injuries to the DB positions last year, Bowles was trying to make Braswell a CB. Glad Bowles decided to revert Braswell back to an edge rusher.
July 25th, 2025 at 8:14 am
He was confused that he was playing hybrid DB .
July 25th, 2025 at 9:54 am
Don’t see the point in belaboring the small production from Braswell in year one. Second guessing how you develop a player and work him into the scheme is best left to the professionals. It makes absolutely no difference what happened last year. Sometimes players have an adjustment year. It doesn’t mean failure. All that matters is what he does now. I see no reason not to be optimistic about him.
July 25th, 2025 at 10:00 am
Have yet to meet a general manager for a playoff team who expects virtually no production from a second round pick, especially when production from that same position is virtually non-existent to begin with.
If the Bucs aren’t concerned with 1.5 sacks, then someone at One Buc Palace isn’t doing their job.
July 25th, 2025 at 10:18 am
You’re not going to have success in the NFL
When you spend a 2nd round pick on a pass rusher for 1 1/2 sack
I’m tired of Bowles making lame excuses for these guys
We got 2 sacks from CJ Brewer, who rarely saw the field
July 25th, 2025 at 11:02 am
I’m suspect on anybody not able to move JTS off the field and to the bench. Admittedly, Braswell didn’t get much of a chance. That is ON THE COACHING STAFF! Braswell is another miss by Licht or was poorly coached by Bowels. I guess we will find out this year unless we have another JTS situation. No good but won’t bench him.
July 25th, 2025 at 11:20 am
ok for now, same for culp
July 25th, 2025 at 11:25 am
Joe Says:
July 25th, 2025 at 10:00 am
That’s not my point. Of course they would have wished for more production in year one… but sh!t happens and an unproductive rookie season is not indicative of future performance.
He gets a mulligan from me.
Goedeke got a mulligan.
Cappa got a mulligan.
Ronde freakin’ Barber did less than Braswell as a rookie.
Rookie year is an adjustment year. Some guys are more NFL ready than others.
What matters is now for Braswell. The Bucs still see the player they drafted.
And let’s not forget that it doesn’t appear George Edwards was the right OLB coach for developing pass rusher, and now Foote is in there lighting fires under people. Edwards was a handicap for Braswell (and probably JTS as well).
July 25th, 2025 at 11:46 am
Joe says,
“So why ask the kid to do things he wasn’t used to — or couldn’t do?
Instead, it would have been better to guide him into the NFL the smart way and ask him to do what he did at Alabama and what made him a second-round NFL pick. Then, once he gets his feet wet and gets comfortable and builds confidence that he can play in the NFL, then you start adding building blocks.”
This is an excellent point you raise, Joe. IMO, this points to coaching. Not just one coach – the collective group of coaches on D. Hopefully Braswell will be improved this year.
July 25th, 2025 at 11:57 am
Simple observation: The Bucs have been through how many OCs? 3? 4? in the last 4 seasons. But they are still the top dawg in the South. I am looking to listening to how the first round rookie EE does. The D will fall into place.
July 25th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
I couldn’t agree more with Joe’s observation of Bowles. It makes ZERO sense. And, I’ve never understood any of it. It’s like, he’s either too stupid, or just plain old stubborn. I don’t know why anyone would continue to insist on trying to place a square peg through a round hole!? It’s just DUMB. I mean, you are THE COACH… Isn’t it YOUR JOB to evaluate, identify, and recognize your own player’s strengths and weaknesses!? Then, utilize them ‘in a way’ that puts THEM in the very best position possible, in order for them to showcase their talents… So, that they and the team BOTH, can succeed and thrive!? I would sure hope and think so! I was really surprised with Bras last season. VERY disappointing. I thought for SURE he was gonna make an immediate impact (at least somewhat, by the second half of the season), given the ultra amount of ‘high-level’ coaching that he received at both, the high school and college levels (St. Frances and then BAMA). Especially, after hearing about his ‘freakish’ NFL combine numbers. I was very excited about him. But, he had ZERO ‘impact’ at all. We’ll see what happens with him for this season… HE needs to step-UP. I’m pulling for him. We need him BAD.
July 25th, 2025 at 1:39 pm
To quote Marshawn Lynch – “he’s got to get his mentals right.” 🙂
July 25th, 2025 at 1:53 pm
I can’t believe people are still bashing Braswell. Doesn’t it get a little old? And let’s live in the present for crying out loud. Last year is over. Here people are racking their brain trying to blame someone. Foocking waste of time.
July 25th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Should we expect the same Year 1 to Year 2 explosive growth we saw from JTS and Yaya. Bowles does an amazing job of developing EDGE players. I’m optimistic and excited.
July 25th, 2025 at 3:22 pm
literally the same optimism every year with the pass rush. smh.
go trade two first round picks for micah parsons
July 25th, 2025 at 4:10 pm
@jarrett,
Dumbest thing I’ve heard yet today.
July 25th, 2025 at 11:28 pm
One of the probems that I still see with Todd Bowles is his tendency to try and cram a round peg into a square hole. He’s seemingly too precious about his scheme and doesn’t like to adjust if his players can’t do what’s called for in the moment. How many times have we seen this? JTS is the most recent example, Braswell might be the next.
July 25th, 2025 at 11:49 pm
^^ profoundly wrong analysis.
Bowles builds his defense around what his players are capable of. The reason he’s multiple and mixes things up so much is to put the personnel on the field that gives them the best chance to succeed. It’s not rigid or scheme-first. You can criticize him for their success in execution, but to say he builds the scheme in the abstract and then jams players in whether they fit or not is just plain inaccurate.
July 26th, 2025 at 1:16 am
Thank you Joe. Todd loves to paralyze his players with way too much to think about. This proves his genius.