Defensive Moves (And Non-Moves) Are Real Head-Scratchers
March 10th, 2026
“Jason, I’d rather not talk finances right now. After last week my portfolio is redder than Cody Mauch’s hair.”
Look, Joe loves the Bucs signing linebacker Alex Anzalone. There were better, younger linebackers out there, but the Bucs, as one expected, passed on them like walking past the canned green beans at the neighborhood lunch buffet.
“This Joe” guesses the way the stock market took a nosedive last week has folks at One Buc Palace antsy about signing checks. So it’s off to the bargain bin.
Yesterday, not only did the Bucs pass on many better, younger linebackers, they also sat on their hands trying to address an edge rush. To be fair, the big fish is still out there, a guy who reportedly wants to play for the Bucs, Trey Hendrickson.
Ben Solak of BSPN noted yesterday on Twitter that Hendrickson is no longer a three-down lineman. You know who else isn’t a three-down edge? Chris Braswell. He should be nowhere near the field of play on passing downs.
In fact, if Hendrickson can’t defend the run, ok. Have Hendrickson on the field on obvious passing downs. Simple.
But any guy who (apparently) is not great against the run is usually the kiss of death in Todd Bowles’ eyes.
Then there is Jamel Dean. He signed with the Steelers yesterday. So the Bucs lost their best cornerback. Now *if* Bowles moves Jacob Parrish to starting outside corner, then Joe will breathe easier. However, at the combine last month, Bowles gave no clear indication he was going to move Parrish. Had Dean stayed, Parrish should replace Zyon McCollum. But Bowles wouldn’t commit.
So if Bowles keeps Parrish at nickel corner, with Dean now gone, your starting cornerbacks are Benjamin Morrison and McCollum.
How’s your breakfast taste this morning?
If the Bucs don’t upgrade the edge rusher issue — and Joe’s not talking about some four-sack slappy; Joe’s talking about a real legitimate edge rusher — Bucs games ought to be fun this year watching quarterbacks with enough time to brush their teeth pick apart Morrison and McCollum.
“Fun,” as in if you are looking at a five-win season.
Joe has nothing against Morrison. Good dude who showed flashes he could be something when he’s healthy. But to think he’s ready to be thrown into the fire as a starter takes some sort of serious blind faith.
March 10th, 2026 at 5:14 am
What Licth and Bowles have done to this roster set this franchise back a decade or more. This year it’s going to be the same ole Bowles and his Defense.
March 10th, 2026 at 5:20 am
The Bucs have gone backwards. No real surprise. Its the Bucs, in the tradition of Yucs. Sign Otten, let Dean go. Sign a 32yo ILB, let ME go. 3rd and 38 and keep the HC, but fire most of the coaching staff. It was the perfect time to make the defensive genius give up the DC position, but noooooo.
This team is a sorry azz mess. Going down fast.
March 10th, 2026 at 5:20 am
Fire Todd. This is ridiculous.
March 10th, 2026 at 5:33 am
I hope I am wrong… but this is a terrible start. my expectations are not high. every move they make feels sluggish and three steps being the rest of the league.
at this rate, my guess is we’ll have a top 10 pick 2027 along with a comp pick for evans. by then most of the dead money will be gone too. and hey, maybe a new head coach.
guess that’s one way to start a rebuild.
March 10th, 2026 at 5:45 am
At this point I’m calling a spade a spade. Bowles will be gone at the end of the year. The rebuild started this year. Bring on the decade of depression. The Glazers, Jason and Todd are the living embodiment of the three stooges.
March 10th, 2026 at 5:48 am
I love the start of free agency, when hope for a magical season springs to life for teams all around the country.
Then there’s the Buccaneers.
If there’s a plan to do anything besides have a top 5 draft pick next year, I’d love to hear it.
March 10th, 2026 at 5:49 am
i need a new team
March 10th, 2026 at 5:49 am
bowles will get fired little past mid season after they start 2-8
March 10th, 2026 at 6:00 am
Gainwell for 7 mil is the head-scratcher.
Pretty expensive for a 3rd down, small back.
What was wrong with Tucker? He would have been the price.
Allgier who is a complete 1000 yard back was cheaper.
A Gainwell is in every draft.
So far we only improved a LB.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:04 am
We haven’t made a single splash move since Spytek left. I’ve been saying it for years and i continue to be right.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:09 am
gainwell was actually the best move. glazers are signing the checks not licht and bowles. the nfl has a salary cap and the glazers also have their salary cap that licht has to follow.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:16 am
Honestly, I really don’t care what they do. I flat out don’t care anymore…
March 10th, 2026 at 6:17 am
Are the Glazers instructing Licht to position the team for a top 5 draft pick and a run at one of the top qbs coming out in 2027 with no big FA signings, letting Evans walk and giving the lame duck head coach one more season?
March 10th, 2026 at 6:19 am
No Gainwell was not. Nobody woke up yesterday and said i hope we sign him for more than Allgier. Again, Tucker was waaay cheaper. There are small scat backs in every draft. Who gonna bang between the tackles?
White did some of that short yardage stuff.
No power with Bucky or Gainwell.
Lotta money for a player you can draft.
Again Allgier will have better ywar than Gainwell.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:20 am
Bush got 10 mil per, we spent 7 mil on a part time scat back.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:21 am
Gainwell’s a really good football player. Im still gonna miss Tucker if we don’t get him though because of his elite speed. Though Gainwell runs a 4.4 which will probably take it to the house if he gets free.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:22 am
There’s that pesky thing called the salary cap that makes things difficult. So bizarre that people think it has anything to do with being cheap. NFL teams are compelled to spend the majority of the cap. By rule, they have to spend at least 90% of the cap on players on a rolling four year period. In other words, you can’t be too terribly cheap even if you want to.
And yeah, they can create a little more space, restructuring the deals with Wirfs, Goedeke and Winfield but the Bucs have a whole lot of needs. Corner, several linebackers, pass rush, offensive line and with the departure of Evans, a big body 50/50 ball wide receiver. $30-40 million on just one edge rusher is going to leave a ton of holes that the draft, alone, cannot fill.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:24 am
Im sure we are planning on drafting DE/Edge/DT/ILB so we should be on schedule. I think the Bucs have a percentage of cap they want to spend per position group.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:24 am
Hahaha I can’t wait for the “we got to coach it better and they have to play it better” every Sunday night again.
Loser organization.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:35 am
I watch a lot of football. Watched him at Memphis, philly and pitt. Hes a nice mid player. He cant start many games, hes limited by his size. No power.
Bucky needed the opposite type RB to cpmpliment him.
7 mil for Gainwell is insane. That player is in every draft.
Think he makes way more than Bucky and doesnt start.
Thats popr use of your money.
Gainwell has 1700 rushing yards in 5 years, come on.
Waste of money!
March 10th, 2026 at 6:50 am
PLEASE, ignore the best available because another MEDIOCRE season and Bowles can finally walk the plank, as he should have done after last year’s disaster!
March 10th, 2026 at 6:52 am
F-it, owners waited till last minute to try and keep Evans. Absolute garbage move by owners. So F-it, let’s burn it down and start over……What if Bucs traded Baker and the 15th to the Raiders for this year’s number 1 and drafted Mendoza. Heard about that trade proposal idea from another. But interesting is it??
March 10th, 2026 at 6:52 am
I keep saying it. This team is obviously tanking and they need to get rid of expensive contracts. Licht spent way too much money for years and now ownership won’t let him waste any more money. Licht is inept, Bowles is clueless and Baker is inconsistent, thats why Mike left. This is the year to get a top 10 pick and start over next season. I kept telling yall, prepare to be underwhelmed in FA and its happening.
The only people that are confused, dont know NFL ball. Every team needs at least one terrible season to get a very high pick to draft an impact player. Thats how the Bucs got Mike.
I’ll say it again, buckle up, this season will be terrible.
March 10th, 2026 at 6:54 am
Trade Baker & 15th pick to Raiders for there number 1 to draft Mendoza??
March 10th, 2026 at 6:55 am
Licht got a mulligan with Brady
He can’t build a roster through the draft he has shown that
His free agent picks and roster moves are bizarre.
We are going to be lucky to win 6 games
March 10th, 2026 at 6:58 am
I’m losing my faith in this organization. Crappy ownership, bad GM, and a terrible head coach.Put a decent product on the field and you might sell tickets.
March 10th, 2026 at 7:01 am
Angry about Evans Says:
March 10th, 2026 at 6:54 am
Trade Baker & 15th pick to Raiders for there number 1 to draft Mendoza??
Dr Evil Laugh
bwahahaha and repeat several times
bwahahaha …… bwahahaha …… bwahahaha…… bwahahaha
Then catch your breath and wait for Raider Nation to knock on your door and pay you a visit
March 10th, 2026 at 7:02 am
If the Balloon Head Glazer family do not bring in Jim Schwartz as the the DC and force Bowles to just be the HC, the upcoming season is already over!!!
It’s that simple!
March 10th, 2026 at 7:11 am
We are currently a worse team than on Sunday. Maybe Algier Didn’t want to come here and got a better chance to be #1 back in AZ. I also wonder how fast can the new defensive staff get Todd’s scheme down since it takes players years. It’s better if they sign 2 edge FAs as usually rookie edge players rarely produce.
March 10th, 2026 at 7:15 am
“Great”is thrown around here a lot lately.I honestly can only think of one player who played great last year.can someone help me out and name a couple please. My pick had zero catches,rushes tackles or Tuddys.
I can think of at least 7 from our last Super Bowl. Remember our Super Bowl and the many great players we had?
March 10th, 2026 at 7:16 am
My guess is Hendrickson’s agent is playing Bucs’ offer vs Cowboys’ offer
March 10th, 2026 at 7:17 am
There goes another person talking about tuckers “elite speed.” When have you ever seen it. Ever. I love fans of guys who are perpetually second or third stringers year over year over year – fully believe in their heart that “all they need is a chance,” and that somehow the scouts, and coaches are the ones that are wrong. Nevermind that Kenneth Gainwell was voted team mvp and ten times the player Tucker is. Good grief. The real talented players start and/or get playing time, and swaths of people continually default to 40 time when that doesn’t even begin to describe a running backs ability/proclivity to actually show their speed. Jahmyr Gibbs, Jeremiyah love and Tucker all running similar 40’s do not somehow cancel each other out. 2 of those guys are all world talents, the other is a special teams player
March 10th, 2026 at 7:17 am
is Hendrickson’s agent playing Bucs’ offer vs Cowboys’ offer ?
March 10th, 2026 at 7:22 am
Well the good news is, the Bucs’ cap should be in a good place for the next GM
March 10th, 2026 at 7:24 am
Oh, so Jamel Dean is a huge loss now. Good to know.
Wish I knew that the last three years I’ve read articles and comments hating him.
March 10th, 2026 at 7:31 am
This is JL & TB’s prove it year. FA signings will give an indication to what we can expect in the season. TB’s resistance to getting a Veteran edge is becoming more obvious. Honestly, how he is still employed is beyond me. Yes, as it’s been said, the Glazers run their business according to a certain ideology. If the Bucs do not have a couple significant signings of defensive FAs, then you’ll know what to expect. And, no, drafting college players who don’t have man strength and NFL football knowledge won’t help for 2+ years. So, we wait.
March 10th, 2026 at 7:35 am
You could gives Bowels the ’85 Bears defense and he would still find a way for them to give up 40 a game…….let alone 3rd and 28……lolololol
March 10th, 2026 at 7:37 am
After watching Spytek’s aggressive FA haul, do you still feel Licht was the mastermind behind luring Brady to Tampa. Like Bowles, Licht is slow to react and adjust, stubborn in his approach, and really does not impress me. Jason “bring em all back” Licht lacks creativity to be an effective GM in the rapidly evolving NFL. Don’t be fooled by his SB ring. The saber-toothed tiger was a top predator before it went extinct. Evolve or die
March 10th, 2026 at 7:43 am
Now that i’m kinda injured to the fact that Bowlzo is going to get another undeserved chance, I’d still rather see the BUCS at least win the NFC South back. Anzolone is solid, if not great. A huge step up from SVD. Gainwell? He’s pretty comparable to White. A tick smaller. A wee bit faster and quicker. Overall grade: a very expensive meh. Otton signing? An even more expensive meh. Maybe when we have our starting guards back we should be ok on offense. Man, could we ever use a boatload of defenders. Maybe James Pearce will be available…when he gets out of prison.
March 10th, 2026 at 7:51 am
Why is it a head scratcher?
The moves were always going to be upgrades at defense (which is obviously a low bar) but were going to be mid tier players that you don’t have to commit guaranteed years and money to.
This is not a staff you go all in with. That’s a smart approach.
March 10th, 2026 at 7:56 am
Free agents likely crossed Tampa off their lists. Hard to sign them if they don’t want to come here.
They don’t want to play for Temu Tony Dungy.
March 10th, 2026 at 8:00 am
Nobody is gonna want to play for Todd Bowles and we dont want to spend top dollar so bad combo when our franchise best offensive player just left and it wasnt for more money thats when you know your a bad team again thanks Glazers keep collecting those checks your one of if not the worst owners in football
March 10th, 2026 at 8:01 am
As for players who left we will miss Evans, but his body is just beaten to death. A noticeable loss,? Of coarse. A huge loss? Not quite.
White? A noticable loss, but not a disaster.
Jamaal Dean hurts a little more because we simply don’t have anybody else at the moment. The guy was actually a good corner when he was available. If he could only catch. They had to know Dean wasn’t gonna resign and already have had a free agent lined up. A good one.
March 10th, 2026 at 8:04 am
This all go’s back to one decision- not hiring Liam Coen as the head coach. Had him for the taking no more revolving door at OC and a guy who can Skeem up plays. Ultimately, Jason needed to go to the Glazers and state the same. Its business nothing personal but Todd Bowles was easily replaceable and under performed as the DC.. Now the fruits of this are coming to pass..
March 10th, 2026 at 8:11 am
I was really hoping that Licht in particular was going into yesterday with some grand & glorious plan to at least half of the dozen quality free agents I figure we NEED to have any chance at winning the NFC South again.
But nope, instead we paid $8.5 mil a year for a 32-year-old MLB, $7 mil a year for another lightweight (5’9″/200 lb) RB, and $10 mil a year for a TE. And oh ya, we lost a future HOF WR AND a starting CB, but got ZERO compensation for either.
I’m really hoping that Day TWO of free agency is a LOT better.
March 10th, 2026 at 8:11 am
This is called “free” agency, as in players are free to choose. As evidence by Mike Evans decision, this isn’t a coveted destination right now.
That said, this is a piss poor free agent group overall across the NFL and a strong defensive draft.
March 10th, 2026 at 8:13 am
Technically Free Agency doesnt start until Wednesday. Ha
March 10th, 2026 at 8:16 am
Maybe they kept Bowzo around for the restart. Out with the old Bums and in with a fresh set. Waste of a season. Evans knew.
March 10th, 2026 at 8:27 am
I don’t see the vision seems the team is punting on 2026 and prepping for a rebuild
March 10th, 2026 at 8:35 am
Im a huge JL fan but I am even shocked at the lack of moves and how this team has failed to replace top end talent. The fact that day 1 passed without a pass rusher is wild to me. Or a DT