Ira Kaufman Goes Deep On The State Of The Bucs, Passionate Trade Deadline Talk And Much More; Draft Guru Sean Sullivan Checks In
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What must the Bucs do to be a Super Bowl team in three months? A feisty early-week episode. Enjoy!
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November 4th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Yikes, edge rushers!! Passionate debate.
Yes, Grizz needs more creativity. Evans is our heart and soul. He’s the guy, the spark.
Did not realize we had the most drafted players. That says so much. Agree about the vagueness of injuries. Sensing that your thinking about Bucky and Chris is correct. They will be back.
Happy Anniversary to Ira and wife!
Sean – Good stuff about all that is being done for our veterans and first responders through the dealership. People don’t realize that many of our military families qualify for SNAP, WIC, and other services. It can take a village to wrap our arms around them all, and you are helping them so much. Thank you!
November 4th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
What seems to be overlooked is this; any decision regarding adding a new player or standing pat will not just affect the win/loss record and playoff possibilities but if the addition (or lack of) doesn’t work out then the public focus will return to Bowles and Grizzard and “hot seat” talks start. If Jason stands pat then any negative results the remainder of the season will be blamed on injuries. If he rolls the dice and it doesn’t work………
I think the focus should be on the stability of the head coach position and offense coordinator. Keep the draft picks and money. Keep building this very good team around a true franchise QB with hand picked youth and talent. Focus on the LONG TERM.
November 4th, 2025 at 12:29 pm
(or lack of) strike that
November 4th, 2025 at 12:34 pm
What’s the point of having Sean Sullivan on? He said ‘Licht won’t trade for picks’. Y’all pushed him then it became ‘Bucky is hurt so I can’t actually answer if trading for offensive player would help’. What is that is he afraid of having a take? I think he’s too into being the draft guru. It came off like he was actually a GM with draft picks. Then saying Parsons wouldn’t have an impact on our defense? Stick to scouting prospects man
November 4th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
I agree that trading for a TE makes the most sense…in particular if you look at our roster going into next year. We have plenty of WRs , we have a right guard……but, if you look at our offensive needs in the draft a TE makes sense.
We have Otton but we need a 2 TE threat.
Also, if we don’t trade for players, that is an indication that injured players are coming back.
November 4th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
Once I saw “guru” Sean Sullivan would be on this pod I knew I could confidently skip it
November 4th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Head Coach Todd Bowles doesn’t just talk about getting to the quarterback — the results prove it. Since 2019, only one team in the entire NFL has more sacks than the Bucs, and that’s the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Top 10 Teams in Sacks (2019–2025)
1. Steelers – 319
2. Buccaneers – 306 <—
3. Broncos – 299
4. Rams – 297
5. Eagles – 291
6. Cowboys – 283
7. Ravens – 283
8. Bills – 282
9. Saints – 282
10. Chiefs – 279
The Bucs didn’t stumble into that ranking — Bowles built it. His defense is engineered around pressure: simulated looks, disguised blitzes, five-man overloads, DB fire zones, creepers — all designed to speed up the QB’s clock and force bad decisions.
So when people claim Bowles “doesn’t care about sacks” or “plays soft,” the data flat-out destroys that narrative.
November 4th, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Todd Bowles’ Track Record With Edge Rushers
Arizona (2013–2014, DC)
• 2013: John Abraham (11.5), Calais Campbell (9)
• 2014: Campbell led with 7 sacks despite missing 2 games
✅ Two different players hit 9+ sacks in one season under Bowles
Tampa Bay (2019–2021, DC → HC)
• 2019: Shaq Barrett (19.5, led NFL), JPP (8.5)
• 2020: JPP (9.5), Barrett (8)
• 2021: Barrett (10) — JPP limited by torn rotator cuff (2.5 sacks)
✅ Four straight seasons with 8+ sack edge rushers
✅ Three different players hit those numbers (Barrett, JPP, Abraham)
Bottom Line:
Give Bowles real pass-rush talent and the production shows up — repeatedly.
• 6 seasons of 8+ sacks from edge players
• 3 different pass rushers hit those marks
• One of the best single-season sack totals of the decade (Barrett 19.5)
November 4th, 2025 at 2:44 pm
@TampaBayBucFan
Possibility to upgrade at TE but still think Griz is way underutilizing Cade and Durham and Culp. Why we didn’t use them in red zone passes against the Saints is beyond me. We drafted Durham because he had 21 red zone TDs in college. And remember Culp in the preseason and the end of last year??. I dont thing I would draft a TE until we played the 3 we have to their strengths. Cade is solid.
November 4th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
People love to say Shaq Barrett was “already developed before he got to Tampa.”
If that were true, explain this:
🏔️ Reality Check
Shaq spent 5 seasons in Denver and never hit double-digit sacks once.
He was a rotational guy stuck behind Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.
When Ware retired in 2017, did Denver finally hand Shaq the keys?
No. They spent the 5th overall pick in 2018 on Bradley Chubb — because they didn’t view Barrett as “the guy.”
Denver let him walk in 2019 free agency without a fight.
💰 Free Agency Market Reality
Barrett didn’t hit free agency as some “can’t-miss” pass rusher.
Interest around the league was lukewarm. No big bidding war.
The Bucs signed him on March 15, 2019 to a 1-year, $4M prove-it deal — basically NFL spare change for an edge rusher.
So if he was “already elite” before Bowles got him, why:
✅ Did Denver draft a replacement instead of extending him?
✅ Did they let him walk for nothing?
✅ Did 31 other teams refuse to pay him real money?
✅ Did Tampa get him for a one-year discount instead of a long-term payday?
There’s only one answer:
Shaq had talent, but Todd Bowles unlocked him.
Denver never featured him. Bowles built a role around him — and he responded with 19.5 sacks, a franchise record, and the NFL sack title in year one.
Shaq Barrett didn’t arrive in Tampa as a superstar.
Tampa — and Bowles — turned him into one.
November 4th, 2025 at 2:55 pm
It’s funny how some folks are suddenly calling out others for “acting like Bowles can do no wrong.” That’s rich coming from the same crowd that spent years running full protection for Jameis Winston — even pushing the idea that the Bucs ruined Jameis 😂 as if 30 interceptions were somehow Tampa’s fault.
Amazing how accountability only shows up when it’s convenient.