Reason For Hope
February 13th, 2026
“I’ll ride anywhere with you, Baker.”
Should the Bucs just say, “Aw, the hell with it. We’re going full-blown Don Coryell?”
Looking at the roster, the Bucs at most may have two holes on the offense. Maybe: question marks at running back and maybe an upgrade at tight end (though Joe is beginning to think former Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard didn’t use Cade Otton right).
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN typed that few teams in the NFL have depth on offense like the Bucs, specifically at receiver.
The hope for a quick turnaround: Tampa Bay can score with anybody when healthy. Its receivers room is among the league’s deepest, and the offensive line has a clear identity. Baker Mayfield, 30, has shown he’s a quality NFL starter with whom Tampa Bay can win.
If a team can score, that means the team can hang with anyone. So why not make that offense elite and dare teams to keep up offensively?
There is no doubt the defense has holes. Many holes. And if they let Jamel Dean walk, that’s yet another hole.
So since the Bucs are so close to having an elite offense, why not go that route and see how far that offense can carry the Bucs?
The Bucs are one, no more than two players away from having a sizzling offense. The Bucs may be six players away from having a strong defense.
At least with a powerful offense, Bucs games will become entertaining again. And who knows, maybe they win a few playoff games?
February 13th, 2026 at 7:05 am
Out of our top 4 WRs, one is a free agent and 3 are injury prone.
February 13th, 2026 at 7:22 am
I hope that they can somehow sign FA TE Pitts from the Falcons
ME is old and moving on scarred hamstrings
CG has had 2 serious leg injuries which has cost him
I’m fine with bringing Otton back!
Oh !
We need a #1 running back
If Tucker could have he would have
February 13th, 2026 at 7:24 am
Not worried about Dean. He has his best year in a contract year. As soo as Dean gets a new contract he will be back on the sideline with an injury.
February 13th, 2026 at 7:33 am
The source of Offense issues 2nd half of last season were:
Injuries to OLine and play calling.
Bucs have addressed play calling.
They need to upgrade the Oline roster- don’t count on Mauch and Bredeson being 100%
February 13th, 2026 at 7:37 am
Tucker couldn’t for the same reason Baker couldn’t- too many injured offensive linemen especially both guards being out for the season. That crushes the pocket and puts defensive tackles right next to the QB and RB at handoff time. Also dramatically reduces the chances of having any holes to run through. Losing Ko Kieft also hurt badly as he and the guards are the engines behind those awesome counter runs we used two years ago to such great effect!
February 13th, 2026 at 7:46 am
The play specifically is 96/97 F counter with an easy release (you can look up the Gruden video with that) and we used it all season in 13 formation with our top 3 tight ends of the field- one (kieft) playing as a fullback.
February 13th, 2026 at 7:49 am
I wouldn’t call J Mac injury prone, he got a terrible injury but shoot he was just in his second year. EE hasn’t played long enough to be called injury prone, what did he miss one game?
February 13th, 2026 at 7:53 am
“one is a free agent and 3 are injury prone”
Well it’s early, but I’m quite certain that’s the stupidest thing I’ll read today
February 13th, 2026 at 7:55 am
A couple playoff games hype is better than Super Bowl hype. This mess will be lucky to beat out the Stanks for 3rd place NFC South.
February 13th, 2026 at 7:58 am
Imagine TE Trigg with this offense….
February 13th, 2026 at 8:08 am
“(though Joe is beginning to think former Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard didn’t use Cade Otton right).”
Understatement of the day, we were ran that ridiculous TE screen at least 3 different times and they hardly ever worked.
Misuse is party how you can explain scoring TDs on 66%(4th) of our redzone trips in 2024, to only scoring TDs 55%(24th) of our redzone trips in ’25. Yuck.
February 13th, 2026 at 8:17 am
Our defense did a better job than our offense the last 6 or 8 games. Our linebackers couldn’t cover opponents short passing game. Our defensive line couldn’t pressure the QB. We’ve Got to hit on a few draft picks to make our defensive front seven better. Jacob Rodriguez is a great player. The kind of player that single handidly gets this defense over the hump. Boy, I’d like to see him leading this defense. If we stay fairly healthy on offense we’ll be fine. I expect Baker Mayfield to be protected better and the kind of leader who can beat anyone in this league. Punter and kicker look good, now let’s improve our kickoff coverage. I think we are alot closer than many here think we are. We weren’t gonna win last year getting beat up on both lines of scrimmage. And Bowles and Baker know that. And when that changes, Katie bar the door. And I ain’t whistling Dixie.
February 13th, 2026 at 8:26 am
I can get behind this. They need to add a bunch of B+ defensive starters through FA and add starting RB through the draft or free agency. Bucky is a nice change of pace guy but too small to carry the load. Must sign better backup linemen also.
February 13th, 2026 at 8:33 am
The thing that bothers me about the poor play calling angle is if the plays weren’t working, and clearly something wasn’t working this year, why didn’t Mayfield override Grizzard’s call and run a play that he thought would work better?
Think about this for a minute. That stupid series from the 1 or 2 yard line where Bucky tried to run up the gut 4 times should have never happened. Why didn’t Mayfield say “to heck with this, EE go to the corner of the end zone”?
There would have been no consequences to Mayfield for changing the play in the huddle, especially if the play worked. But even if it didn’t what could Grizz or Bowles do? They didn’t sit him down because of injuries, they can’t spank him and I imagine the Players Union would crap and fall back in it if the Bucs tried to fine him for calling his own plays.
I just can’t figure out why this staff and team seem perfectly satisfied with beating their heads against an immovable brick wall instead of making an adjustment.
February 13th, 2026 at 8:33 am
We need some Thunder with Bucky’s lightning. Tucker? Maybe. And we have a Pitts type on the bench in Culp. Maybe Robinson can actually find a way to use his talents.
February 13th, 2026 at 8:39 am
For who? I doubt anything will change with Todd coming back. The D probably won’t change much either. Sure it’s not all on him it’s on Licht & the Glazers, too!
February 13th, 2026 at 9:16 am
If you’re going with offense and hoping and praying that there are no serious injuries to the line or any where else again than you have to draft Love from ND if he’s there. He is a bigger, stronger, faster version of Bijon Robinson and the only offensive guy I would draft that high this year.
February 13th, 2026 at 9:33 am
Beeej Says:
“one is a free agent and 3 are injury prone”
Well it’s early, but I’m quite certain that’s the stupidest thing I’ll read today
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LMAO. Great post Been. Yea, its very early. And we have an abundance of idiots here at JBF
February 13th, 2026 at 9:58 am
Joe. Bowles will not allow that. He wants a running game because he wants the games close so his defense can be the hero. That’s why he punted the ball against Buffalo instead of going for forth and 2 late in the 4th quarter. And that is what made me turn against him. I think he was looking for the glory for his defense. And he will do the same thing next year by throttling down the offense.
February 13th, 2026 at 10:38 am
The owner said ‘to hell with winning’ by retaining IBS as HC!
It’s insane to believe IBS will suddenly transform into a quality HC after several years of mediocre display.
February 13th, 2026 at 10:47 am
I think we have some hope if our oline stays healthy next season like 2024. That seemed to cause a vast majority of our issues in 2025
February 13th, 2026 at 11:07 am
Fowler has a poor record when using the term loaded to describe rosters. He’s never held accountable just throws darts at the wall hoping something sticks
The Bucs receivers are no better, no worse than most rosters. Before the 2022 season he said Denver was loaded , they finished 5-12, said same thing with Cleveland 2022 finished 8-9, etc etc. Tons of fast athletic receivers out there, not many route runners.
February 13th, 2026 at 11:08 am
Defenses have a history in the NFL of bringing Super Bowls 🏈 championships. The Bucs in 2020, the Eagles in 2023 and the Seahawks in 2025. The Bucs need to find that illusive edge rushers. And Bowles needs to up his coaching game.
February 13th, 2026 at 11:09 am
Jmac missed 5 games and was limited in several others in 2023 at Washington with a significant mcl strain. It’s why he dropped to the 3rd.
He missed 4.5 games with us his rookie year with what I believe was a lower body injury.
Then we know what happened in ‘25.
Injury prone.
February 13th, 2026 at 11:34 am
Calling EE and JMac “injury prone” is beyond stupid. This place….