NFL.com: Go Get A Linebacker
October 31st, 2025
Turned the corner?
The NFL trade deadline is in four days. Are the Bucs going to at least bring in a serviceable player to help them make a Super Bowl run or are they going to sit back and hope backups play like stars?
It might be a while before the Bucs have as good of a first half of a season like they just had. Going 6-2 in the first eight games is fantastic. Rarely have the Bucs done that in franchise history.
This suggests they have at least a core good enough to make a run. Sadly, a lot of skill position players are hurt, some for the season.
Joe thinks that with so many offensive starters hurt, the cracks were finally visible the past two weeks, glaringly so Sunday in New Orleans.
Despite the Bucs maybe needing a running back or an offensive lineman or a receiver, Kevin Patra of NFL.com is of the belief the Bucs need an inside linebacker to make a run to the NFC title game, and perhaps beyond.
BIGGEST NEED: Coverage linebacker
The offense has been a rough watch of late, but the hope is that the club can get healthier after its Week 9 bye. The defense feasted on turnovers against the Saints, but coverage at the linebacker level remains a concern. Tampa has allowed a league-high 466 yards receiving to running backs this season. It didn’t kill them on Sunday, but it’s a place to bolster if Jason Licht decides to make a deadline move.
Joe wonders if those league-worst receiving yards to running backs might be a little skewed. Jahmyr Gibbs had a monster gain off a pass two weeks ago.
But overall the past two weeks the defense has been very strong. Perhaps SirVocea Dennis has turned the corner?
Joe is much more worried about the offensive line than pass coverage of inside linebackers. But yeah, a throwaway pick for a guy who is serviceable in pass defense wouldn’t be a dumb idea.
October 31st, 2025 at 7:22 am
wait joe the other day you said svd was a tremendous upgrade at lb compared to kj britt now he’s not good enough? i’ll agree he has played hot and cold but his upside has been good and he’sa huge blitz threat now like devin white was in his prime but now we want to get rid of him? i see way bigger needs at wr and edge if nelly can’t sustain what he did last sunday
also 6-2 starts could become the norm, we play in a weak division, we have a franchise qb and a very young team. i think we have a better chance to play in february in 26 than 25.
it’s more likely we don’t have as many injuries next year than a bad start, the future is bright bucs fans. what if we had traded away our 7th last year? idiots lol no tez no twitch no back flip!! don’t be mad when the bucs stand pat
October 31st, 2025 at 7:30 am
Voss is getting better every game.
Yes – he has missed a number of plays – but he has made a # of plays as well.
His stats are pretty respectable – 59 tackles (41 solo – only 1 player in the league has more solo tackles) – 7 TFLs – 2 Sacks – 4 QB Hits – 4 Pressures – 2 PDs
October 31st, 2025 at 7:30 am
Nope!
Explosive WR
October 31st, 2025 at 7:49 am
ILB is the only position we could add that would apply to next year, as LVD will be gone. The rest, we’re trading valuable draft picks for rentals
October 31st, 2025 at 8:36 am
I could see someone like Alan Lazard with a pick swap
October 31st, 2025 at 8:36 am
trade/sign for the trenches!!!!!!
sign Kadeem Telford off the dolphins practice squad and plug him in at RG to improve the run game…
Trade for jeffrey simmons!!!!…not only will he help Vita but he’ll help SVD too!!!!
with that said, no one is coming to One Buc Place lol….not JLs style…
imo, luke and bucky will be back soon….I would say the Bills game…question is, how long will they need to get back in football shape and make an impact….
6-2!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 31st, 2025 at 8:39 am
Want to or not we may have to give up a draft pick to get help to get through the rest of this calendar year. Sir Dennis is a huge upgrade from Britt for sure and is an upgraded version from 2024 sir Dennis. And yes we got test Johnson in the 7th round last year because we traded away or sixth round pick or we would have got him earlier. May not want to give up a draft pick(lottery ticket)but sometimes you got to do what you got to do. Make a serviceable move that will help get you to the deep playoffs this year and also next year in the year after we do have a very young team getting very good draft picks the present and future is finally bright for this team. Let’s go Tampa Bay!!!! Rest up and go get em Buccaneers for those cannons, raise the flags, for it’s a Bucs life for me!!!!!
🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️😬 (So glad we moved out of the lost and dark decades, one of the most winningest teams, one of the top in playoff appearances and wins, and overall division wins since 2020. Prestige and pedigree are not only two words you can now use for this team, Bucs are among the top in those 2 and more categories.)🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️
October 31st, 2025 at 8:40 am
OT, ILB , veteran WR if available. Someone the can really play slot.
October 31st, 2025 at 8:41 am
Apologies for typos didn’t proofread before send
October 31st, 2025 at 8:45 am
getting a WR doesnt make sense while the OL is in shambles lol…baker wont have time…and then there’s the QB WR timing factor…
plus that gives grizz another reason not to run the ball which is what we dont need lol….
without mike, the key to the offense is the run game….improve that and the offense will take off!!!!
6-2!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 31st, 2025 at 8:46 am
WR or OL makes the most sense. Joe, you should post a poll to see how many Bucs fans on this site think that Licht will make any trades before the deadline. I think it’s doubtful.
October 31st, 2025 at 8:46 am
I’d love to see us go outside of Bowles, 6’0 225-230lb archetype at LB. Go back to the Ohio State well and draft Sonny Styles who’s a safety converted to LB that’s 6’4 230 thumper with >30 starts collegiately.
If we were to go for a trade, I doubt it’s some high-priced big name acquisition that’ll cost anything more than a role player and/or day 3 pick.
October 31st, 2025 at 8:48 am
Another reason the RB reception yardage might be skewed is how good the corner backs cover when all are healthy. The Bucs have four good ones now.
Three first rounders for Myles Garrett, Jerry Jeudy, and Jerome Baker and we’re all set!
October 31st, 2025 at 8:59 am
Bucs can probably win the NFC South with the roster we’ve got now. But assuming that we end up needing to win FOUR playoff games to take the Super Bowl championship, the current roster won’t hack it. We have NEEDS that must be fixed, somehow, for us to beat FOUR tough playoff teams.
One of those needs is OLine. Another of those needs is receiver, either a very good WR or an excellent pass-catching TE (personally I’d rather have the latter). And yes, ILB is another significant need (we’ll have 13 games to go to be SB champions, and the probability of LVD or SVD missing time in there is quite high). Not too concerned about running back, because Bucky will be back soon (I hope) & we’ve got a couple of others who could start producing IF our OLine starts run-blocking more effectively.
October 31st, 2025 at 9:13 am
Not a need. Is he a pro bowler? No. Is he useful? Yes. The biggest need, we all agree here, is an OLB who can sack the dang quarterback with regularity and allow us to cover on the backend while he does it. Would rent a road grader at RG also. And if Godwin isn’t coming back soon, a WR!
October 31st, 2025 at 9:17 am
My preference is the same, ILB. Don’t think many teams will willingly part with those by the draft deadline. If they are willing, they’ll be very expensive, as those players are rare athletes in a desperate market.
I don’t think Licht would part with a high draft capital to acquire any option, unless he found an aging vet with enough in the tank to help get us through until the 2026 draft. That’s been his MO.
October 31st, 2025 at 9:31 am
Midseason trades rarely work out especially WR, edge n Ilb are a little easier to incorporate if they have elite athleticism, OL takes a couple of weeks to get acclimated I doubt we make any meaningful moves due to our record and weak division, without a healthy Godwin n JMc highly unlikely we are a Super Bowl championship roster
October 31st, 2025 at 9:35 am
I would say Jordyn Brooks Quincy Williams Jaquan Mcmillian Bradley Chubb Jakobi Meyers or Wyatt Teller but they’re probably not doing anything.
October 31st, 2025 at 10:48 am
We can only wish. If Jason does anything at all it will probably be to sign a guy with little experience to the practice squad. I doubt he will go after any premier players. Nice to speculate, but I would be surprised if he signs a starter type player.
October 31st, 2025 at 11:09 am
I believe you could bring in izen down to help of pass coverage on RBs if SVD hasn’t turned the corner. Shoot drop smith down to LB and izen to saftey im down packages. SVD is a beast in the run game and is doing well at rushing the passer. Play to these guys strength. Bowles knows way better than I do. At least this is what I would do in madden hahah
October 31st, 2025 at 11:42 am
This offense needs a legit #2 WR that gets open quickly. Ebuka is a downfield guy who excels in vertical route tree. Johnson and Sheppard are serviceable as #3 or #4.
With an iffy Godwin Licht was to give Mayfield a full receiving group. Likewise, more help on the offensive line. Doesn’t matter if Licht has a track record of holding on to draft picks. This is a team that can do great things me if it has all its pieces.
Defense alone will not take you to a Super Bowl. You have to be able to score at least 3-4 touchdowns a game. Detroit, Phila. and LA all can play defense but what the Bucs have shown on offense the past 2 weeks isn’t enough to beat any of those 3 teams. One of them will be in NFC Championship game.
I hope the Bucs can be the other but not with this current offense. The sacks and pressures are making Mayfield rattled and he is missing open vertical receivers.
October 31st, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Sir Can’t Cover hasn’t and won’t turn any corners in coverage. He couldn’t even cover old decrepit Alvin Kamara against the Aints.
I agree with the take that says that coverage ILB is what should Jason trade for if he trades. Which he won’t. And Todd loves his Swiss cheese linebacker, so….
October 31st, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Let’s face it. The Bucs are OK in most all positions. However, we could use help all over the place. This could be our year and we should act like it. Improve the team with late season trade or poach someone off the practice squad. Something that tells the players that the head office is working on improving the team. To do nothing is showing total arrogance that this is as good as we need and will get.
October 31st, 2025 at 2:07 pm
Logan Wilson for a 7th.
October 31st, 2025 at 2:35 pm
Sup Max.
Plus the Bengals are looking to trade him.
October 31st, 2025 at 2:40 pm
Kamara against Bucs = 2 catches for 24 yards
SVD will come out on fire for the last half.
October 31st, 2025 at 3:12 pm
A cinder could cover better, so there’s that.
October 31st, 2025 at 3:52 pm
OL or ILB /OLB are biggest needs. Thinking that the defense is all set bc they played well against the lowly Saints is beyond short sighted.
And a WR will be useless if Baker has no protection.
October 31st, 2025 at 3:59 pm
Dolphins Jordyn Brooks
October 31st, 2025 at 5:12 pm
Sup 87 🙂
@fire, yeah I was thinking Brooks too but that would cost a 3rd plus more money….but hey, i would be ok with it, just hate losing a 3rd.
October 31st, 2025 at 5:15 pm
The defense has been great the past two games. They have SVD doing things he can do well. He’s turning his season around. Stop living in the past.
October 31st, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Every Bucs fan except Joe who thinks Dennis is an upgrade
October 31st, 2025 at 7:59 pm
A lot of these offensive woes. Will be fixed when Bucky omes back.
October 31st, 2025 at 8:11 pm
No article when they were saying go get OL? Weird
November 1st, 2025 at 8:55 am
Logan Wilson trade from Cincy or Isiah Glasker in the draft