Players And Positions Still Need Work
August 17th, 2025
Last night, after the Bucs beat the Steelers in the second worthless preseason game, Todd Bowles was asked about how close the Bucs are to being #AtlantaReady.
It’s a mixed bag, Bowles replied.
“Certain groups and certain guys, yes. As a team, we still got to bring the younger guys along with some experience,” he said. “So from a first-unit and some of the second-unit standpoint, you’re seeing a lot of progression. The younger guys are getting experience as they go. We just got to keep building this thing and keep growing.”
Well, maybe the Bucs’ starting offensive line might need a possession or two next week. The rest of the starters need to be in street clothes. The same goes for rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish and probably most of the safeties, if any are still healthy.
Right now, two areas that looked to be very deep are in danger of being thin: wide receiver and safety.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Can’t believe that I’m defending preseason games but there is the fact that we have a new OC and some new defensive coaches. Some of their work is probably providing value to the overall game plan for the real season. I’d still rather have 18 games and a longer training camp with scheduling against some teams that the team won’t play against in the regular season.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
Can’t believe that I’m defending preseason games but there is the fact that we have a new OC and some new defensive coaches. Some of their work is probably providing value to the overall game plan.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
I’d like to see the starting OLine get one series to mass the crap out of Buffalo. Bubble wrap everyone else.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:17 pm
“The same goes for rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish and probably most of the safeties, if any are still healthy.“
Agreed on this, not because I don’t want Parrish to get more reps but I wanna see more of Jayvian Farr the pride of Augustana College.
We saw Vildor at safety last night toward the end of the game, I’ll take him as a reserve at both NB & Saftey. Kindle looked good last night, and that pick was some elite hand-eye coordination. Cashing a pbu into INT on the spot was some good stuff.
I think we’ll be good in both rooms, especially if JMac doesn’t miss any time and Iziens’ recovery window isn’t too long. We’ll miss Izien just as much on special teams on both punt units. There a job for somebody to earn
August 17th, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Starting OLine was on sleeping pills for awhile. They could use a few wakeup reps against Buffalo next week. Hope the weather cooperates.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
@TBBucfans
Another tidbit about last night that won’t be delved into is Coach Foote getting the nod to call the defense. Doubt we’ll hear much of that in the regular season, but like you said there’s value for the guys participating in these games coaches and players alike.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
At least the attrition of injuries is happening at the deeper positions. Could you imagine what it would look like if there were 2-3 injuries apiece at LB or OL instead of safety and wr???
August 17th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
Did #46 get hurt in practice?…made a nice play last week
GO BUCS
August 17th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
We had the youngest secondary in the NFL in 2020. They started off slow, giving up a l ton of passing yards. But they came together as the season went on. And they were shutting teams down during the playoff run, all the way to the Super Bowl. This secondary is older, and more experienced. I think the few young guys will blend in well
After last night game, l have concerns about our O-Line
Pittsburgh interior defense dominated our starting O-Line
August 17th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
If one of the starting oline man get hurt, the same people on here will be calling Bowles an idiot.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Todd says “Sean Tucker needs to get more touches.”
Todd does – Bucky risking injury countless times after declaring Tucker needed more touches.
Todd says “Dean’s eyes wandered after a coverage bust” as the reason he got roasted.
Todd does – nothing to teach assignments and reduce coverage busts. It’s like Deja vu all over again.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:49 pm
What happened to the Buck and Tucker show last night?
I never seen Rachaad White look as bad as they did last night. I had to slap myself – thought l was dreaming!!
August 17th, 2025 at 12:54 pm
Article after article Joe proves that preseason games aren’t worthless…
August 17th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
@Kgh4life….
Yeah…. That sounds about right..
August 17th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
If that combined practice with the Steelers was as testy and physical as reported and if Baker and the first team looked good against a very good defense, it’s time to play football.
I know I’m preaching largely to the choir but these guys do not need all these preseason games. ONE really good joint practice tells them what they need to know with nobody trying to impress fans or media just getting in the work.
This third game is as useless as it gets!!! Stop already with the preseason games!!! Add one more to the season and eat the other two!
I’m READY FOR SOME REAL FOOTBALL!!!
August 17th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
I really enjoy preseason. If they go down to only two a year, that is okay too. Coaches can tell a lot during practices and scrimmages. The Bucs are looking good. Cannot wait to see the Bucs/Bills game next.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:15 pm
Kgh4life Says:
August 17th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
If one of the starting oline man get hurt, the same people on here will be calling Bowles an idiot.
—————
Agree! Still would be nice to see – but safety first. Beat ATL!
Where are the Traskers today? I am not rooting against him or anyone, but can we finally admit that he hasn’t shown consistency, quick decisions, and heady play over a 5 year period? He was and never will be a challenge to the starting QB. He is channeling now for the backup role – after 5 years! Listening to his press moments, I question his overall IQ level for a starting QB. I’m sure he is smarter than me in general however.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:17 pm
I would rather they keep the LSU guy as a fourth RB over an extra receiver or tight end. I wonder if he’s ever returned punts?
August 17th, 2025 at 1:30 pm
I’m not a Florida grad but I thought not letting Trask play with the ones last night was dirty. Trask should have never resigned with the Bucs imo.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:39 pm
Dew Says:
I’m not a Florida grad but I thought not letting Trask play with the ones last night was dirty.
^^^^^^^^
I thought the same but then you think, they signed Teddy and started him for a reason. I think the reason is Trask isn’t good enough.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:42 pm
Kyle Trask has shown nothing since he has been here. Teddy looked all world after 2 weeks and Trask has had what 4 years? It just seems like he has zero confidence. After being around Brady and Mayfield, he should be super confident after watching these two men prepare and play. Seems like he is all oh woe is me. Some guys just never get it . I wish I could make millions by riding the pine. Good work if you can get it.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Trask is a pocket passer & was at Florida. Yet he never gets to play with the first team offense & instead constantly has to run for his life. I don’t know good Trask can be but I saw him play with confidence at Florida.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:49 pm
@Robert. Teddy played with our first team offense last night. Helps a lot.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
steelers dline were missing some big names. running game should be a concern with new oc and an injured wirfs
August 17th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Green > Tez Johnson
August 17th, 2025 at 2:05 pm
I agree on the trask comments. Its a slap in the face. Let the guy play with the ones before bringing teddy in and giving him that opportunity. Whoever makes these decisions is losing friends in that building
August 17th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Trask ain’t up to the task. To make ends meet,
Kyle may end up laying tile.
August 17th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
I’m sorry but I’ve seen enough. If I wanted conspiracies this deep I’d go to the freaking political blogs!!!
So Jason is perhaps embarrassed, perhaps not, by selecting Trask so high. What in the world however would make Jason want to see Trask fail?
What would make Todd want to see Trask fail? What could have POSSIBLY made it personsal.
Bottom line is that I can’t imagine why I’m reading so much about a players “feelings” in a discussion of PROFESSIONAL football? Really? Does anybody really care about a teammates’ hurt fee fees? Or is it simply a BUSINESS!!
If you wish to believe Jason and Todd simply cannot see Trask’s “true” talent, ok that’s a difference of opinion. But worrying about being “fair” to Trask?
“I thought not letting Trask play with the ones last night was dirty. Trask should have never resigned with the Bucs imo.”
Why was it dirty? While other teams may have considered him, there’s no indication of them making a formal offer. The Buccaneers brought him back to compete for the backup quarterback role behind Baker Mayfield. IE Trask’s value is minimal, no other team tried to sign him. Trask knew EXACTLY what he was getting into! He had very limited options!
Kyle Trask has earned over 5.5 MILLION dollars already from the Bucs. He’s being paid handsomely to be conspired against by the head coach and forced to play behind second stringers for four years. Waaaaaaa How many times were those second stringers matched up against second stringers?
August 17th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
People need to relax and stop speculating so much anout Trask. Chances are the coaching staff and Licht know exactly what he is by now. The fans haven’t seen enough and can only spitball. I don’t think one preseason game means much to them. Talk about overreactions. Just wait and see what the final depth chart shows
August 17th, 2025 at 2:38 pm
@StPeteBucs. Yeah well nobody else offered Teddy a check at all. By most reports Trask played very well last week with the 2nd & 3rd team. I think his confidence has been totally destroyed at this point.
August 17th, 2025 at 2:52 pm
spbf – spot on. Better said than anyone else. You’ll never get through to the Traskflakes who have cried for years to see him. I’ve suggested they apply for a job with the team, then they could watch him in practice every day and finally learn how hard he really sucks.
August 17th, 2025 at 2:53 pm
Vildor>Dean
August 17th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
Concerned about less than 2 ypc in the run game. Hope Grizz will not revert to forcing the run on early downs when it’s not working…. Maybe the run calls were his way of experimenting 🤞🏼
Very concerned about safety.
August 17th, 2025 at 3:08 pm
Confidence destroy?!?!?
Then Kyle does not belong in the NFL!!!!!
This is a JOB on a NFL TEAM!
Kyle signed up to be the leader of an offense. There is no time to lose confidence nor have your feelings hurt.
This is not PEE WEE FOOTBALL!!!
This are grown men who are millioners!!!!!
August 17th, 2025 at 3:09 pm
ITS A JOB NOT JUST A GAME!!!!
August 17th, 2025 at 3:26 pm
Hold on … Let’s kick this around for a second and ponder on this….
First off just let me say that Bowles DOES NOT seem to be a very smart man…. I’ll explain. He KEEPS GETTING GUYS HURT! HE JUST CAN’T READ A ROOM to Save His Own Life… Much Less McCollum’s life. You know the guy. OUR REALISTIC NUMBER TWO RECEIVER ON THE TEAM! Or at least HE WAS…… UNTIL YOUR DECISION MAKING ALMOST GOT HIM PARALYZED FOR LIFE TODD BOWLES!
WHEN YOU’RE A SMART, and SEASONED COACH… You put TRASK IN WITH THE FIRST TEAM in ANY Scrimmage if Mayfield is sitting out!!!! EXPLANATION POINT, END OF DISCUSSION, PERIOD!!! What on GOD’S GREEN EARTH ARE YOU THINKING BOWLES???
Here’s a Thought that Bowles Better GET FIGURED OUT….
Trask “KNOWS” Your Offense Forward and Backwards, Upside and Downside…. Bridgewater knows NOTHING! Let’s just Start Right There.
A hypothetical from last nigbt….
What if Mayfield gets hurt in the Very First Gane of the Year??? And BTW, Your brilliant coaching prowess GOT YOUR NUMBER TWO QB (Trask) , THAT KNOWS ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR OFFENSE, well HE’S OUT! He got Hurt because of YOUR NOT SO BRILLIANT DECISION TO PUT HIM IN WITH THE THIRD/ FORTH STRINGER, JOME OF AN O LINE! HE GETS HURT AND NOW HE’S OUT FOR THE SEASON….. Now What?
WHAT IF YOU GOT HIM HURT UNNECESSARILY WITH YOUR LOUSY DECISION MAKING IN A PRE SEASON GAME last night? AND NOW YOUR STUCK WITH BREAKS IN HALF (Bridgewater) WHO DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE ON HOW TO RUN YOUR OFFENSE ? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THEN SHERLOCK?? WHAT DID YOU JUST DO??? YOU LIKELY LOST US THE ENTIRE SEASON! That’s what might have happened last night.
It’s an unlikely scenario, BUT YOU SEE, “IT’S HAPPENED BEFORE AND IT WILL” HAPPEN AGAIN!
You BETTER GET SMART! Because You’re coaching LIKE A FOOL!
BE SMARTER THAN THAT BOWLES1
August 17th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
Alls I can say is the Bucs should trade now for Trey Hendrickson. It’s our time! Go Bucs!
August 17th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
That couldn’t have been Jamel Dean beaten for 43 yard Mason Rudolph bomb and later touchdown in the end zone? Everyone on this site has Dean headed for the HOF. Must be injured? Why not, it is already the 2nd preseason game? Dean couldn’t start for any other NFL team as a CB. His legion of fans on this site disagree.
August 17th, 2025 at 3:47 pm
Trey Henderson is on the trade block right now the bucs need to get him right now.
August 17th, 2025 at 3:51 pm
Bengals have made it official and are now listening to trade offers for the reigning sack leader….
LICHT get on the phone and send a 2nd round pick for trey Hendrickson
GO BUCS
August 17th, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Obvious One…. You mad bro?? lol it’s just a game take it easy mane. The boys are athletes and want to play, quit using Bowles as a scapegoat for everything that goes wrong, sometimes injuries just happen – it’s a part of the game
August 17th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
Joe, Braswell looked better but is there any chance we go pick up Trey Hendrickson still?
August 17th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
Our good players may overcome Bowles Blunders.
August 17th, 2025 at 4:19 pm
In summation of the “needs work” category, I’m guessing none of us would mind the acquisition of another stud pass rusher (what team wouldn’t). Trey Hendrickson comes to mind … if we lived on Fantasy Island.
Reports today have the Bengals dangling the aging sackmaster as trade bait. No doubt the Bucs could become a dangerous defense with this guy commanding double teams and generating sacks for himself and others.
And then comes reality.
The Bengals would want an arm and a leg for this 17 sacker, including both draft picks and players, and Licht is not renown for trading away his team’s future. That aside, Hendrickson wants a Brinks truck full of cash just to suit up. I’ve read the Bucs supposed cap, and I don’t see the room even if Licht altered his modus operandi to make it happen.
Enter D. Rules, our armchair capologist.
Hendrickson wants a fortune, the Bengals want a second fortune. My math, based on an AI summation, says the Bucs could have as much as 26.2 million in cap room this year, and Hendrickson wants more than that for himself.
So, Mr. Rules, how could the Bucs afford to pay both the Bengals with players and draft picks and Hendrickson too?
I don’t see it happening … but I’d take it if it did.
August 17th, 2025 at 4:20 pm
I don’t know about anybody else, but I think the effectiveness of the first unit last night, even when the running game wasn’t there, indicates that Grizzard has a very good scheme and adapts his play calls well to the flow of the game. Pitt’s defense was a good test.
August 17th, 2025 at 4:23 pm
Re.eber, when trask is playing with the backups, he is also playing against backups. It’s not like the steelers had their #1 d out there against Trask and the other backups. To me, if a guy NEEDS all the best people in order to look good then maybe he just doesn’t have it. Plenty of good players shine no matter who they are playing with.
August 17th, 2025 at 4:23 pm
@JA our owners traded 2 1st round picks for Gruden. I believe they would do it again for another Super Bowl.
August 17th, 2025 at 4:24 pm
I agree about Hendrickson. Bucs are going to struggle getting pressure on the QB against better teams. I haven’t seen anything that changes my mind in the preseason. I know Braswell got a sack and had some pressures, but he also had problems one on one with second and third string tackles. As far as Reddick, not much more as far as rushing the passer. Need a true force on the edge to get back to the SB. Philly generated a lot of pressure with four rushers, the Bucs have to bring the house leaving big gaps in the second level.
August 17th, 2025 at 4:29 pm
Bridgewater > Trask. Better decision making, faster recognition, more accurate, NFL game experience. Simple decision really. UF fan btw, but it is what it is…lol.
August 17th, 2025 at 4:30 pm
Bring on the Bridgewater Bloopers. Coming soon. Right at the wrong time…..
August 17th, 2025 at 5:01 pm
Trey is a Florida boy. He would love to come to Tampa. PLayed college ball in Boca Raton at FAU.
August 17th, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Trey is a great pass rusher, but can he cover receivers?
August 17th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
The lengths some go to! When it comes to the BACKUP, if you’re a realist, one statement sums it up:
Bridgewater is the better player.
That’s it!
Oh, and you can never have enough competent DBs!
August 17th, 2025 at 6:09 pm
It hilarious about all the guys for some reason coming to Trasks aid.
St Pete Buc said it so well. Live with-it Trask and Trask fans. If he was some great prize, he had all kinds of potential opportunities to get a better gig as a free agent this recent offseason.
August 17th, 2025 at 6:31 pm
Bengals won’t risk the chance of trey pulling an h.reddick… the bengals are dumb lol…they’ll unload trey for a 3rd round pick
GO BUCS
August 17th, 2025 at 6:41 pm
Geno11. That training camp in 2023 is the reason why people feel that way about Trask. It has nothing to do with what college he went to Trask was better that year in training camp. They should have never said it was a competition when they knew it wasn’t. The media in Tampa stop interviewing Baker Mayfield because even they thought he won the competition. They should have just cut Trask and said Baker was the starter and you wouldn’t have this split between Baker and Trask. Now to me I thought Baker was going to easily win it but he didn’t. Bowles likes who he likes and if he likes a player they will start even if they don’t deserve it. Just look at Dean a prime example he starts and he is not a good corner. But Bowles likes him and with coaches like that never win Superbowls .
August 17th, 2025 at 10:41 pm
Yep. When Trask is cut, he’ll have the same post Bucs career that Shaun King and Krissy Simms did. Like JaMiss. Ruined by the Bucs tyrants who would rather screw players over than win. That’s how you do it, Oneilbuc. They do it on purpose to harm individuals and piss off fans like you.
August 18th, 2025 at 2:44 pm
Aqualung. When you bring in trash coaches and when you miss on a whole draft like they did in 2016 when none of the players that year lasted 3 years with the team that would hurt any young quarterback. And yes Baker Mayfield was out played by Kyle Trask in 2023 that’s a fact. But one thing about Baker haven’t done anything yet but put up stats what has he won ? He’s choked in the playoffs 2 years in a row.