“Immediate Contributions” As Rookies
April 12th, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Many Bucs fans want an edge rusher with the No. 15 pick next week in the NFL draft.
A guy tossed around being linked to the Bucs is Miami’s Akheem Mesidor. Joe understands the want and need.
A lot of schlock draft guys think the Bucs go for Oregon tight end/freak Kenyon Sadiq. Joe fully understands this mentality, but the thought of drafting a tight end at No. 15 seems to trigger many Bucs fans.
Then, there are guys who think Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will heed the words of Bucs coach Todd Bowles when Bowles said in Arizona the Bucs need a corner, maybe two. Some, including closet Bucs fan Peter Schrager, think Licht goes after a damaged-goods corner from Tennessee, Jermod McCoy.
If it makes anyone feel better, former NFL scout and current draft analyst for NFL Network, Bucky Brooks, believes all three of those players will have “immediate contributions” on the teams that draft them — and should be Pro Bowl players in two years.
So don’t worry Bucs fans, if you hate the idea of the Bucs drafting a guy who missed all of 2025 with a bum knee, or drafting a tight end after giving Cade Otton a handsome raise, or picking an edge rusher and spitting in the face of fate as Bucs coach Todd Bowles looks to develop his first double-digit edge rusher since becoming a defensive coordinator in 2013, don’t worry.
Brooks is confident all three will become play-ahs for the Bucs in short order.
April 12th, 2026 at 8:08 am
That’s great! Hopefully the one we pick will be a pro bowler right off the bat. I think Sadiq probably has the best chance of that. Corners and edges take a bit longer to acclimate.
April 12th, 2026 at 8:22 am
Uh well that doesn’t sound great…
Joe, while I know it would be unlikely for Jason, would teams be willing to part with a top ten edge rusher for a 15th overall? Or maybe a 1st and 3rd rounder?
April 12th, 2026 at 8:30 am
I trust in Licht, but he truly needs to nail this draft with at least 3 players that can make an immediate impact on the defense and 1 or 2 offensive players to put their offennse over the top. Tough task. But Licht has done pretty darn good overall with his drafting. We shall see! Go Bucs!
April 12th, 2026 at 8:31 am
How many OLB’s do we need on this team?
– Diaby
– Muhammad
– Nelson
– Walker
– Braswell
– Kamara
That is 6 so far – and for those Bucs fans that are calling for Braswell to be cut – It ain’t gonna happen this season…
April 12th, 2026 at 8:33 am
I’m all in for Sadiq. I think he makes our offense unstoppable which is the tonic for a lacluster defense.
April 12th, 2026 at 8:57 am
How many edge rushers do the Bucs need Marine?
It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. Just because they have 6 in the roster doesn’t mean it’s not a big need. I think they now have 6 or 7 CBs on the roster, but could definitely use a starting caliber CB who can turn into a lock down player.
Joe,
Please stop with the hyperbolic takes on McCoy knee. “Bum knee” and “damaged goods” is just lazy “journalism”. The kid is young and will be 20 months removed from surgery. Not a big deal at all.
As for TE, that would be so Buclike to use the 15th pick on a tightend with 1 year of so so production just because the guy looks great in workouts in shorts.
If they pass on possibly the drafts best CB or an OL that could be a rock or someone who could improve a terrible pass rush..for a TE who will split targets with Otton, Emeka, Godwin, JMac, Bucky, Gainwell ans Tez, that would be depressing.
Look at the all time TE list…players like Gronk, Kittle, Gates, Kelce, Sharpe..none were first round picks and some were undrafted, 5th and 7th rounders. Those first rounders like Howard, Pitts, Engram just didn’t have the impact as the teams that spent 1st round picks on them expected.
April 12th, 2026 at 9:02 am
6 or 100, it does not matter with the 1 coach who continues to fail getting these guys to the next level
April 12th, 2026 at 9:04 am
All Bowzo will develop is double digit losses.
April 12th, 2026 at 9:25 am
No TE, Sadiq is just a big receiver and can’t block his granny from the free samples at Costco.
DT, CB, or Edge at #1. ILB at #2. Or trade down…
April 12th, 2026 at 9:26 am
I think when you build a team you need to never lose sight of building the team. The quarterback is most important. Then defensive line. Then offensive line. The rest are need based and availability. You need to have a plan where most of your big three are first round picks since a star there can dominate a game.
April 12th, 2026 at 9:28 am
Rodriguez is an every down LB. He’ll captain the middle of our defense for years. No player we could draft at 15 would have as much impact as J Rod. If he turns out to be the next Luke K, or David he’d be a steal at 15. Just do it.
April 12th, 2026 at 9:29 am
I worry about the Bucs reaching on an edge rusher with the first pick. I hear the best ones will be gone after the 5th pick. That could be the reason we hear Licht wants to trade down. I am beginning to think taking a corner or ilb makes a lot more sense. We need two at both positions. Please don’t tell me we have two starting corners!.In my humble opinion neither starter is a starter. Outside of Parrish we have no starting corners. Inside LB yes Anzalone looks the part, but he needs another big time starter along with him and depth at the position. I think Dennis goes to ST or does not make the team. Taking a great D Tackle also makes a lot of sense.
April 12th, 2026 at 9:32 am
The bucs would take a tight end in the first round after paying Cade. That would be no surprise.
April 12th, 2026 at 9:41 am
i think baker needs a taller target at te than saddiq.
April 12th, 2026 at 10:06 am
Many Bucs fans were triggered last year when we took a WR in 1st. Turned out pretty well so far.
Wouldn’t hate Mesidor, just cant seem to warm up to him and think there are half dozen other Edge prospects that will have similar or better careers.
McCoy’s tape is super sweet – will he tear another ACL? Seems to me that injury happens all the time and cant be predicted (Hello, D Walker!). A wash in reinjury risk IMHO.
Sadiq would improve the team there is really no doubt about it.
-> Question du jour for JB is which player is likely to contribute to wins for our beloved franchise.
April 12th, 2026 at 10:06 am
I really do not think it will be Saddiq. I do think he might be there when we pick, and not taking him will drive many fans nuts.
I suspect it won’t be offense at all. If Bowles truly is on the hot seat, then it has to be defense.
I don’t think it will be ILB. I get the feeling Bowles wants that to be veterans this year…and they plugged that spot…at least for one season.
It has to be DT, Edge or CB, right?
Except…most CBs take 3-4 years to develop. Minimum. Our young CBs were ofds-on the have bad rookie seasons. That’s par for the course with most CBs. That doesn’t mean they won’t be great later.
So I think it will probably be Edge…maybe a DT if someone amazing falls to us.
And the shocker pick for me would be CB. And Licht always shocks me.
April 12th, 2026 at 10:12 am
Tampa2ATL Says:
“Question du jour for JB is which player is likely to contribute to wins for our beloved franchise.”
In a rookie year? An offensive pick has the highest chance.
But if we strictlu consider defense? Has to be Edge or DT…if the guy can dominate.
A mean DT would be great. An unstoppable sack artist would be great.
April 12th, 2026 at 10:13 am
Those suggesting Sadiq have clearly forgotten the Howard experiment.
April 12th, 2026 at 10:29 am
That’s the beauty of this team. Every position is a position of need. First round is best available player period. Am I qualified to tell you who that is. Of course not. You need to trust our scouting department, coaches, and management. I hope they get it right. There’s that word again – hope.
April 12th, 2026 at 10:44 am
Sadiq is not Howard. Each player is different. There’s a bit of risk with virtually any player but treating them as the same person is silly. I would like the Bucs to take Rodriguez or Sadiq in that order with the first pick. I don’t think Rodriguez makes it out of the first round. I don’t think he even makes it into the 20s. He will be taken earlier than people think due to his extreme productivity.
April 12th, 2026 at 10:54 am
Sure, though don’t think Licht would part with a 15th pick for an old edge rusher. Maybe some guy 25 or younger, but what team would do that.
There are guys that can be had without giving up the farm. Licht only gave up a third-round pick for JPP for example.
April 12th, 2026 at 11:29 am
Immediate contributions in the form of busted assignments, whiffed tackles, bad angles, missed blocks, dropped passes. All the hallmarks of the excellent head coich.
April 12th, 2026 at 11:37 am
Since most of you are married to “trade back” for more “value,” and I seem to be the sole member of the trade up for a potential superstar Edge, I’ll acquiesce and dive head first into your thinking. In fact, I’ll take it to the next level …
Why not trade back from all our Round 1-4 picks and build a team around 15-20 players from Round 5?
There’s tons of mediocrity floating about in Round 5, so why not snatch them all up and live perpetually, clinging to that .500 record lifestyle that Licht, Bowles and their supporters cling to like a mountain climber to his tether?
But the way I see it … If you see someone you love, go get them!
Trading back sounds smart. I don’t know why, but everyone says, “Boy, he must be smart. He traded back!”
To me, however, trading back is running from the fear of making a mistake. A Round 2 mistake is far easier to overcome than a Round 1 fiasco.
So go hide, Jason. Don’t take a chance, a big risk. It’s safer back there.
April 12th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Todd Bowles shouldn’t have to develop a pass rusher
That’s the responsibility of the defensive lineman coach, or his assistant
Just as he don’t develop a RB, which is the RB coach responsibility
April 12th, 2026 at 11:47 am
How many rookie edge rushers got double digit sacks over the last decade It couldn’t have been many. Give me a defensive coordinator who can dial it up to get off the field on third down sacks or not
April 12th, 2026 at 11:53 am
DE, DT, CB, ILB. Bucs do not need a TE this year or a WR. Saddiq would be a big mistake.
April 12th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Football1
Spot on post.
2 of each CB and LB and 1 DT needed asap. Order TBD by how the BPA falls. We have no idea how the Bucs have these guys graded on their draft board. It’s in JL’s hands now, scary as that is. His picks on defense have been less than stellar.
April 12th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
Marine Buc … ‘How many OLB’s do we need on this team?’
The reality IMO is that all 6 of those OLBs would be infinitely more effective IF our DLine did its job 100% of the time. Unfortunately, even with Vea staying on the field for a whopping 763 def snaps, our DLine got minimal pass rush and was only marginal at stopping the run.
Thankfully Jason & Todd finally saw the Licht (oops, Light), and figured out (after several years in the darkness) that good old Winn Dixie was right … ‘Where’s the beef?’ So we added some well-aged beef … 31-year-old A’Shawn Robinson (6’3″ & 320 lbs) to replace 25-year-old Logan Hall (6’6″ & 283 lbs) at DT, and 32-year-old Raheem Nunez-Roches (6’2″ & 305 lbs) to replace 29-year-old Greg Gaines (6’1″ & 312 lbs) at NT.
But that’s not even treading water, since that makes us significantly ‘older’ on the DLine (yet hopefully better), and it doesn’t really add ‘a beast’ to complement Vea. And that’s what we REALLY NEED … a beast to complement Vea … so we can keep nasty beef on the field 100% of the time (like we had when Vea & Suh together owned the interior).
My preference has long been NT/DT Kayden McDonald (6’2″ & 326 lbs). He’s an awesome run-stuffer who’s strong like bull, and as nasty as one also on the field. He SHOULD still be there at #15, and JL needs to pull the trigger on that pick if he is.
April 12th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
When Tony Dungy was HC, he didn’t have to worry about developing defensive players
Lovie Smith was great with developing linebackers.
Rod Marinelli were great with developing D-Line players
Herman Edwards was great with developing defensive backs
Mike Tomlin was Herm assistant, and later Herm replacement
Raheem Morris was Tomlin assistant, later Tomlin replacement
All of those defensive coaches became Head Coaches
Todd Bowles never had high quality defensive assistants like Dungy
But he’s had quality offensive assistants, which Dungy didn’t have
April 12th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
My point
We need high quality defensive coaches to develop our rookies
The defensive coaches are just as valuable as the players
April 12th, 2026 at 12:48 pm
D.R.——
“My preference has long been NT/DT Kayden McDonald (6’2″ & 326 lbs). He’s an awesome run-stuffer who’s strong like bull, and as nasty as one also on the field. He SHOULD still be there at #15, and JL needs to pull the trigger on that pick if he is.”
Why?
Is not among this team’s bevy of weaknesses the overwhelming inability to get to the quarterback? I’d take our current run stopping situation in exchange for halting the likes of a Kirk Cousins, now a backup, displaying first ballot HOF performances whenever he plays the Bucs.
Trade up for Reese, Bain or Bailey! More of the same ain’t working!
What say you? Hence … (omitting “horrible villain,” I still cannot believe your preferred pick)
April 12th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
@ DR
I am all aboard with McDonald in round #1 but not at pick #15…
It would be great if we could move back a bit, pick up another top 90 pick and grab KM @ pick 20-24 or so.
April 12th, 2026 at 1:28 pm
If you are going to use that lame argument for not drafting Sadiq, you want Joe to list all the first-round edge rushers this team has drafted since Lee Roy Selmon?
Using that same weak line of thought, you’d have never drafted Emeka Egbuka because of Michael Clayton. Or never would have drafted Tristan Wirfs because of Kenyatta Walker, etc., etc., etc.
April 12th, 2026 at 1:33 pm
Honestly defensive tackle linebacker and edge rush we upgraded in free agency so they can draft whatever they want
April 12th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
dungy having all those great assistants on defense wasnt luck . he sought after coaches that could teach. on that principle alone is what should have gotten bowles fired.
April 12th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
replacing hc should have been the #1 priority. season tickets since 1988 after college. this year no, season already over
April 12th, 2026 at 3:20 pm
1) Barring Styles, Bain or Bailey being available, trade back for more picks.
2) Get the best available ILB to be your future leader – Allen, Rodriguez or Hill
3) DE in the 2nd because there are a number of good ones still available here and now you’ve taken care of your 2 biggest defensive needs
4) Your next 2 picks should be DT and CB.
5) If you got extra picks you could work in a WR, TE and G. If not these are all day 3.
6) With extra picks, you could double up on CB and ILB
You don’t need to double up on DE because you kind of already have that with Walker
April 12th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
Somehow Vea fell out of the top 10.
We got one of the greatest NTs in NFL history at pick #13.
We got Tristan Wirfs outside of the top 10.
We got one of the best OTs in NFL history outside of the top 10.
If McDonald is there at 15, then we are lucky.
If the best DT in the draft falls outside of the top 10, you MUST pull the trigger.
April 12th, 2026 at 6:36 pm
They must have a lot of lead in the water in Lakeland.
April 13th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
Whoever they draft will immediately need surgery and rehab for at least one season.