“I Know He’s A Good Pass Rusher”
August 13th, 2025
In football jail.
Joe waited a few days to type about this because Joe was hoping it was just a bad dream.
In the past couple of years, Joe has heard from more than one person inside One Buc Palace that a pair of Bucs edge rushers — Joe refers to them as the “Weekday Warriors” — Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez , just tear things up in closed practices where only folks who are employed by the Bucs ever get to see them.
Joe once asked one of these sources if the Bucs could put a highlight or two of them wreaking havoc in a closed practice on Buccaneers.com. It would get fans excited and show fans these guys have talent.
Joe was told the Bucs didn’t want to do that for fear of tipping off other teams.
This was always very strange to Joe. In open practices, such as training camp, the “Weekday Warriors” may get a sack or two against the second-team offense each week. Maybe.
But when no one but team officials are watching, these guys drive an All-Pro tackle batty.
So Joe always wondered if they give Tristan Wirfs fits in (closed) practices, why in the world are they not playing defense on Sundays?
Remember, the Bucs were so desperate for an edge rusher, they brought Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett out of mothballs, yet no Watts and barely any Ramirez.
Last week at training camp, Bowles came clean regarding Ramirez, why he can’t get on the field on Sundays.
Seems, per Bowles, all Ramirez can do is rush the quarterback. And God forbid the Bucs ever have a competent edge rusher on the field. You know, like not playing a quarterback because all he can do is throw.
“We know he’s a good pass rusher,” Bowles said of Ramirez. “We just want to see him hold up against the run and understand the scheme a little better.”
How does Bowles know Ramirez can rush the passer? The kid has zero sacks to his name! Ramirez is such a good edge rusher, he averages two snaps on defense a game. Two!
This is what just fries Joe’s mind about the Bucs. Any sober person knows the Bucs need an edge rush. Hell, they just dropped $14 million in the lap of a 31-year old.
But what does Bowles do with edge rushers? Sit on the pine or drop into coverage. It’s maddening, absolutely maddening.
You mean to tell Joe that the Bucs’ pass defense was so legendary last year that the Bucs never had an opponent in a must-pass situation? Never? So what if Ramirez can’t do anything but rush the passer? Take advantage of his best ability.
Bill Belichick had a famous saying to personnel folks. “Don’t tell me what a guy can’t do. Tell me what he can do.”
If Bowles really believes Ramirez is a gifted edge rusher, it was irresponsible not to have him on the field in passing situations. Especially when your team is trying to resurrect washed-up edge rushers out of sheer desperation.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:09 am
The guy was a terror in preseason last year rushing the passer. Did we get to see him during the season when we were desperate for one? Nope. Here’s what I see as the scary bottom line, he can’t drop back in coverage. He doesn’t know where he’s supposed to be when Bowles makes that call. We’ve all seen it, watching the best pass rushers dropping back to try and cover TEs and RBs. Drives me nuts!!
August 13th, 2025 at 9:14 am
Perhaps. Mr Watts and Mr. Ramirez. Are a little slow.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:17 am
Typical Bowles. I think he is a great player’s coach, but when it comes to critical thinking, Bowles just does not have it.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Having had played football, knowing what to do is a big part too it. That’s why they say it’s 90 percent mental and 20 percent physical.
If Ramirez is not understanding the concepts he will not get on the field unless in simplified situations. Unfortunately, in a System like Bowles, with injuries piled up players find themselves trying to cover more on their plate than usual.
Somebody like Ramirez not understanding the system eventually would be a liability as he would consistently be caught out of place… Watch film on DW when he was here and you’ll see what I mean
August 13th, 2025 at 9:23 am
You know what drives me batty? This crap: “understand the scheme a little better.” WTH is Bowles teaching? Quantum physics!? Ramirez is going into his third year! Jiminy Christmas!
August 13th, 2025 at 9:25 am
edge players dropping in coverage has frustrated me as well BUT i have seen it work plenty of times….i remember JPP and SHAQ both grabbing an INTs while dropping into coverage and Vita making a stop on 3rd down because he dropped in coverage….
i trust bowles….if he says the kid needs to become a better all around edge defender, then that is what ramirez needs to become lol
GO BUCS!!!!
August 13th, 2025 at 9:26 am
^^^
100% on the mark.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:26 am
Not you 813, what Golden Buc said is 100% accurate
August 13th, 2025 at 9:28 am
This is why national media, and Buc fans don’t have confidence in Bowles. I would like to see Hall get some opportunities rushing from the edge. Hall on one side, Roberts on the other side, Vea, Kancey inside. Go big with the pass rush once in awhile. Hey, I’m an old school4,3 guy. Frustrating watching these light arse edge rushers like Braswell, and JTS get stone walled.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:33 am
I defer to the coaches to make the decision who plays & when.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:33 am
Sure. It has. You are correct. Still not more important than getting to the QB. There is a reason good ones get paid a ton of money and are stated high with premium picks.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:34 am
I am on board with Lt. Dan. How difficult is this scheme to learn? It takes guys years to learn it? Simplify it for these guys and if not, put Ramirez out there in pass rushing situations! Come on coach! If Braswell doesn’t step things up, we need to find another edge somewhere….
August 13th, 2025 at 9:35 am
Joe: he didn’t say he was a better pass rusher than Tyron, Nelson, or Shaq, he just said that’s what he does. Nothingburger of an article.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:39 am
This defense starts with Todd Bowles defensive system is very rigid and inserts players to fill specific roles. Other teams start with a system then adapt their system to emphasize the player’s strengths and minimize their weaknesses. The last couple of years, in part due to injury, Bowles didn’t have the players to run his system the way he wanted which resulted in a mediocre defense. This year ?
August 13th, 2025 at 9:39 am
so why is he still here if he is dense and cant pick up the playbook?
August 13th, 2025 at 9:40 am
The biggest advantage in a 3-4 defense is an offense not knowing what the linebackers will do on a given play. If you have someone in that only rushes the passer, it’s easier for an offense to take advantage of that.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:40 am
“We know he can rush the passer.”
Well, Shaq sure couldn’t when he returned. That was pretty obvious, no? JTS sure as hell couldn’t rush the passer. So if the head coach — in his own words — knows Ramirez can rush the passer, then why wasn’t he in there on must-pass downs to do what the head coach and defensive coordinator claims he knows Ramirez can do?
That’s very much a something burger when you lost a playoff game, in large part, because Bowles’ own defense couldn’t force one friggin’ punt.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:43 am
With Jill Tryon out of the way Ramirez can be the new super secret weapon who’s play is so nuanced and next level that us common uneducated football fans could never even hope to see. Like Jim E Mora said, We think we know but We don’t know…and we never ever will…..
August 13th, 2025 at 9:48 am
Funny because in Bowles scheme even CBs and Safety’s can’t cover. Everytime Ramirez has had a chance to play he showed up. How could he be any worse than JTS? Why isn’t he used in Blitz packages and in situations where the Bucs have to get a sack.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:49 am
Best defense the Bucs ever had was a 4- 3. A 3- 4 defense might keep offenses guessing, but sometimes it fools itself with players not sure what they’re doing.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:57 am
Yeah you need to be flexible to your personnel vs forcing the scheme.
I’d assume we have plays for 3rd and long where the only goal of the DE/OLB is to rush the passer so it makes no sense last year not to have seen him on the field more if he truly is good at it
August 13th, 2025 at 10:16 am
Exhibit A as to why Ben Solak says the Bucs coaching, led by Todd Bowles, sucks.
This drives me farging crazy. Time to start drinking again.
August 13th, 2025 at 10:19 am
Joe Says:
August 13th, 2025 at 9:33 am
edge players dropping in coverage has frustrated me as well BUT i have seen it work plenty of times…
Sure. It has. You are correct. Still not more important than getting to the QB.
**************************************************************
the goal is to get off the field…whether that comes in form of a sack, turnover or punt….
GO BUCS!!!!
August 13th, 2025 at 10:28 am
If Bowles has figured out something that creates a new wrinkle in our defense making it more successful, we won’t see it until the Atlanta game. Hopefully it’s true. Also, we need to figure out a way to generate QB heat rushing just 4 somehow at least fairly consistently. It makes such a huge difference in coverage.
That’s how we won our last Super Bowl, for instance.
Even with all the questions we only gave up 7 points in the last game and that’s a fantastic outcome.
August 13th, 2025 at 10:28 am
WBL
i agree with Golden too lol…
he’s also saying ramirez has to become an all around better defender…cant just rush the passer…gotta play the run and you might have to drop in coverage…
golden mentioning DW was a perfect example….DW only wanted to be a hard hitting blitzing MLB….he neglected to work on his pass coverage skills which would made him an all around better defender….instead it made him a liability….
sounds like its the same with ramirez….according to bowles, at this point, ramirez is a one trick pony…
with that said, i’d rather see him get more snaps vs braswell lol
GO BUCS!!!!!
August 13th, 2025 at 10:28 am
Joe, you didn’t look at the other variable: he thinks the dudes ahead of Ramirez are good pass rushers too. I get your pass rushing obsession, you’re right. But weighing Todd’s words like he has a secret treasure he’s not using is a wild goose chase. It was “if all 4 dudes ahead of him get injured, I know he can do one thing”. Not great, not incredible, he can sorta do it ok. The subtext here is he can’t play special teams, weirdly
August 13th, 2025 at 10:32 am
Joe … ‘So what if Ramirez can’t do anything but rush the passer?’
Bucs got 46 sacks last season; slightly less than 3 sacks per game average. Opposing offenses ran 1065 plays against us; a little less than 63 plays per game. So on the OTHER 60 each game, Bucs registered NO SACKS. Put another way, Bucs sacked opposing QBs on LESS THAN 5% of opponents plays.
So what if Ramirez can’t do anything but rush the passer? The ‘so what’ Joe is that opposing QBs would have him for lunch on over 95% of their plays … in both the passing game and the run game.
August 13th, 2025 at 10:36 am
“But what does Bowles do with edge rushers? Sit on the pine or drop into coverage. It’s maddening, absolutely maddening.”
It’s maddening hearing people get hung up on this, still. Also maddening to hear them referred to as “pass rushers” as if every play our defense faces is a pass.
Joe, you have all this access to football minds at 1Buc to ask the actual coaches “why” our Outside LINEBACKERS drop into coverage. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, complaining about football players doing football players things says more about the observer than the observation being made.
It’s not the “aha” you guys think it is and I personally snicker like Muttley at that particular gripe.
August 13th, 2025 at 10:39 am
Kinda like a race car driver that cannot run road courses, cause all he knows how to do is turn left!
August 13th, 2025 at 10:39 am
I’m not sold on any of the Bucs Edge Rushers from last season
Teams threw 630 passes against us last season
And these Edge Rushers had less than 15 sacks as a unit
That’s pathetic, no excuses, you can’t blame anyone, but then
The D-Line didn’t have any problem getting the QB on his back
Even a 35 year old ILB with wayyyy more responsibilities than them
Sacked the QB more than any of them
There’s no excuses for these guys
It’s time to start replacing these players
August 13th, 2025 at 10:48 am
Silliness.
August 13th, 2025 at 10:49 am
When you go against the same guys over and over like Ramirez & Watts have done in practice for years, it becomes easier to find & exploit their opponent’s weaknesses. These guys have clearly found a comfortable rhythm in practice, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into success on Sundays. I’m not holding my breath for either to suddenly splash on game days. Fools gold.
August 13th, 2025 at 11:26 am
So are Ramirez and Watts worse than Braswell when it comes to pass rushing? Braswell has looked pretty bad so far.
August 13th, 2025 at 11:50 am
I am pretty sure David Walker will be able to sack the QB from the edge Joe. It’ll be next year before we find out though. Patience is hard earned, right? But no worries because Braswell is about to laying QBs out like it was easy. I’m sure Licht said something like that. Right? And hey, we have a guy that actually got a sack last year and it only cost us 14 million. He actually didn’t get a sack (2 half sacks) but you see what I mean Joe? I mean, you’d have to be a real pessimist not to see sacks coming off the edge this year like banging a drum. But I will say that I’m glad I’m an optimist.
August 13th, 2025 at 11:54 am
Teams threw 511 passes against the Cleveland Browns last season
119 fewer passes that was attempted against us
But Myles Garrett had 14 sacks last year
More than ALL of our Edge Rushers combined
With 119 fewer dropbacks
August 13th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
Ramirez is a good pass rusher, for the practice squad. Too small and ineffective For the big league. We need A1 pass rushers not undrafted free agent hopefuls. Hall, Kancey, & Yaya need to bring the noise this season now that we have a legit proven commodity in Reddick for opposing offensive lines to worry about.
August 13th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
Can’t imagine him looking worse than Braswell
August 13th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Huh?! You sat on this? You laid this eggs months ago, maybe even last yr. It irks you so much because you “sat” on it so long it hatched and is pecking your….
August 13th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
If you follow Bowles line of thinking, you won’t see David Walker for 3 years either since they trot Braswell out there as a 2nd rounder.
August 13th, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Yeah, it’s just mind-boggling to me. Absolute INSANITY. Watching the Cam Ward ‘highlights’ over the past two days, & seeing Braswell, Dennis, & (DT) Greene (Defensive TACKLE) dropping back into coverage like THAT (10-yards short from ANY WR, just standing there 20-yards deep, like ‘spying’ the QB/RB/etc), was very disturbing and disappointing to see… With a 4-MAN “Rush,” & Ward just standing back there “TAP-DANCING.” It’s total INSANITY. Ignorance AND just flat-out Stubbornness by Bowles. YES, Stupidity (thanks, Apple AI). I have a real fear and strong feeling that we will continue seeing A LOT of that, over and over, & again and again, all throughout this entire season. AGAIN. If true, then I might not have a hair left on my head by the end of the season. It. Makes. No. SENSE. To Continue Being BURNED That Way.
August 13th, 2025 at 2:34 pm
Hendrickson, Watt, Garrett etc etc… Edge sacks matter – just not as much as some people continue to say it does.
Let our RUN defense start slipping and then we’d really have something to worry about.
August 13th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
Sounds ilke suspect coaching.
Not to mention we’ve got four really good tight ends – USE ’em.
August 13th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
In other news, Bowles is an idiot, and if you havent figured that out yet, what does that make anybody that believes otherwise?
Bowles will either stubbornly play a guybout of position for four years and never admit the mistake, or just never play a guy that he’s belittled to the media in fear that that player might prove him wrong.
Licht can say all the right things if he wants in front of thebpen and mic, but it has to be maddening to draft guys with a specific idea in your head of what that player could be capable of , and then never get to see if you’re right because the head coach is a stubborn fool.
August 13th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
Wiait what understand the scheme better? And going into his third season he hasn’t figured out working on run defense is how he can get on the field? He hasn’t bulked up yet? In 2025 if he hasn’t put it together will he?
August 13th, 2025 at 4:32 pm
There is a lot here we don’t know about Ramirez. We do know that the entire world knew JTS wasn’t any good and Bowles kept putting him out there. I think that Bowles is very good with the secondary but not very good with the d line.
August 13th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Clearly the guy is a bust.
August 13th, 2025 at 6:41 pm
I heard TJ Reeves interview the guy. It’s not hard to imagine he is having a difficult time learning the scheme. Say what you will about the coach or scheme, learn your job dude. Yr THREE, this on Ramirez
August 13th, 2025 at 7:41 pm
Down. Distance .Play call. Audible defensive call. The defense needs to process, too. I think Britt was shown the door, in part, to this.
August 13th, 2025 at 9:15 pm
if dennis plays and plays well, that would allow him to play.
these are professionals, if you have a weakness they will take advantageous until the weakness is covered.
wish that wasnt true, even on a 3rd and 15 its wise to throw to a man that is open quickly in most cases.
ramirez and watts survived a major shake up, jts didnt britt, etc.
August 14th, 2025 at 12:05 pm
Bowles would be a better coach if he just wasnt soo resistent to change or doing things a specific way. If Ramirez or Watts can rush, they need to be in on 3rd and long. No questions asked. Braswell hasn’t shown anything, give these other guys a shot and let’s see what they can do. It’ll only help us in the end. These zone blitzes ain’t fooling anyone btw. Name 1 time it actually worked last year with a splash play. Get your head out of your a$$ Bowles