A Todd Bowles Draft?
April 18th, 2026
Like most NFL teams, the Bucs have many needs and wants. But how are they prioritized?
That’s the mystery every fan and media type tries to decipher before the NFL Draft.
Sometimes, it’s easy, like the Bucs drafting No. 1 overall in 2015. Tampa Bay was in desperate need of a quarterback. But on the flip side was 2014, the Bucs were in desperate need of a quarterback and did not draft one. Instead, team officials chose to torture fans and then tank the final game of the 2014 regular season.
Then there was the 2021 draft, when Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht said he wanted to “stress special teams” rather than make bold moves to make a very special Bucs roster even more dangerous.
Draft strategy is tough to predict. (See 2025.)
Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler formerly co-hosted the popular Around The NFL show for NFL.com that got blown up by layoffs a couple of years ago. But they still break down all things NFL on the Heed The Call podcast.
It was there this week that Hanzus expressed his surprise that Bucs head coach Todd Bowles still has has job, while Sessler said he thinks the Bucs’ draft strategy next week could reveal how they really feel about Bowles’ future.
“I just gotta believe that if Todd Bowles is your coach, it’s because you want him to orchestrate a defense that takes out opposing quarterbacks,” Sessler said. “And they just feel real light there [on defense]. If you’re Todd Bowles, it’s like, ‘I need defensive help to probably keep my job.'”
Team Glazer is known for a rather hands-off approach on roster decisions. But could Joe envision Team Glazer and Licht deciding months ago that the Bucs would focus on defense in this draft — in part to help Bowles develop and deliver more of his kind of team? Absolutely.
These are the same guys who bet on Bowles in 2026.
April 18th, 2026 at 1:50 pm
Of course defense has many needs and if there is a match at 15 no one will be complaining unless itās Missthedoor out of My Miami Hurricanes
This time next week we will be talking about the UDFA signings
TE Kenyon Sadiq or trade the spot for someone who wants him
April 18th, 2026 at 2:09 pm
This seems all great and everything except for one major issue. This team can not scout, draft, or develop a pass rusher which is our biggest need. When your GM consistently strikes out on Edge Rushers and your HC/DC canāt develop one to quite literally save his job then what are our realistic expectations of this team? Better draft Offensive weapons (TE RB and WR) because the only way weāre winning is in a shoot out.
April 18th, 2026 at 2:20 pm
Everyone should be shocked and outraged that The Great Regressor still has a job.
59-73
5 losing seasons out of 8, including Tom Bradyās only losing season in his whole life
1-3 in playoffs, the lone win coming against the spiraling Eagles
Annual swoons including last seasonās 2-7 juggernaut after 6-2 start
The defensive genius who has cumulatively fielded the leagueās worst pass defense over the last three seasons
Apologistsā excuses try to put lipstick on the pig, except the pig is dead and has an apple in its mouth.
April 18th, 2026 at 2:27 pm
3.28 Evans: so we should just throw in the towel? Perhaps just draft beer – one of your most constructive suggestions that made me laugh.
April 18th, 2026 at 2:35 pm
3:28,
Agreed. Why draft a pass rusher when they arenāt being developed, or better yet, arenāt actually rushing the passer. JPP and Shaq were good because they were already ready-made. Shaq played beyond Von Miller, and JPP was already a dawg! Draft Sadiq or trade back. This is a team built on Offense. Iām going to remain optimistic, even though Iāve seen the Bowles movie many times. I really do hope we shock the world! Go Bucs!
April 18th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
Licht and Bowles just keeping the seat warm for Mike T and a real GM.
April 18th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
A good defensive line makes a great pass rusher on the edge .Cleveland, Houston etc Pittsburgh..Great D lines that push the pocket ..Help for Vea is needed first
April 18th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
Why do keep changing your name Ironlung ( 3-28) l thought you proud Bowles hater.
April 18th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
A Todd Bowles draft? Ugh… here goes.
Round 1: CJ Allen ILB Georgia- The perfect Bowles linebacker- he is a box run defense master who fills gaps and blitzes with pop. As Bowles likes his LBs, he is unathletic as can be- his man coverage is pure KJ Britt. In zone he is SVD- good awareness but no trigger or ability to break on routes and balls. What pushes him to perfection is his ability to loaf, yes loaf, ok whatever, he gets winded but whatever we call it he does it loafier than JTS. He even skips around aimlessly sometimes. I almost forgot, one quality he has that Bowles needs in all his players is that ability to just fall down for no reason instead of tackling the guy with the ball. Allen put that ability on display vs Alabama.
Round 2: Troy Bowles ILB Michigan- 6′ 230 lbs of coach on the field. There is no such thing as enough Bowles. He’ll have Anzalone’s spot by the bye week.
Round 3: Darrell Jackson Jr. DL Florida St- another Bowles prototype- a big body who excels at falling down and missing tackles. I can’t wait for Licht’s hype on this guy.
Round 4: Jimmy Rolder ILB Michigan- the Bucs already picked two ILBs but this a BPA pick. Bowles just can’t pass on a good tackler who is as hopeless in coverage as Rolder is. Plus, he and Troy are besties.
April 18th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
CJ Allen runs a 4.47 40, and that’s unathletic?
Ok
April 18th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
Georgia beat Alabama 28-7 in the SEC Championship game
Alabama had -3 yards rushing for the game
CJ Allen and Georgia defense dominated Alabama offense
April 18th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
It looks like they’re sticking with brasswell ,so they should get Vea some help in the interior Medubuki before he was injured, had Clowney and Van noy totaling 20 sacks in Baltimore, Its all about the push upfront..Simple
April 18th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
Round 5: Diego Pavia QB Vanderbilt- at 5′ 9″ he really puts the under in understudy. Mayfield will be able sit out a few series or a few games now that Bowles has someone he can trust to throw balls off the backs of his well-compensated offensive linemen’s heads. This year when Mayfield takes a big hit, cue the horn section and send out Mariachi Mayfield to keep us entertained for short stretches.
April 18th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Are we there yet?
April 18th, 2026 at 3:57 pm
Lakeland- Those are numbers I’m talking about the tape. Watch him in man doind KJ Britt impression after impression. I acknowledged he is a boss against the run in the box but thats it. He has no click-and-close or chase in him. He is downhill or nothing. He gets played doing it. Allen did show some serious skip-to-my-lou skills versus Alabama. Pay attention to how he doesn’t even sniff in the direction of screen plays and then loafs. He would be a great addition if it were 1996. Then there is his knee and all the better ILBs to choose from- I’ll be crushed if Bowles gets this dude. Licht needs to save Bowles from himself in this draft. There are too many opportunities to revamp this scheme with fresh talents and approaches rather than just pick younger versions of the same junk Bowles has been working with.
April 18th, 2026 at 4:00 pm
I don’t believe the Glazers will fire Todd Bowles in 2026
I think the Bucs will be successful this season, and beyond
April 18th, 2026 at 4:07 pm
What tape you’re watching?
I’m a Bulldog, k watch every Georgia game
I know CJ had knee surgery for a meniscus after Texas game.
He missed the following game against Charlotte
He came back to play against Georgia Tech
Then he played in the SEC Championship game against Alabama
But his knee started swelling after the Alabama game.
When they played Ole Miss on New Year’s Day in the playoffs
He was hobbling, could barely walk, but he played anyway
That’s why he didn’t run at the combine, his knee was still swollen
But he’s back now, and ran the 4 47
April 18th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
But CJ should have shut it down after the Texas game
He knew he was entering the draft, so why risk it
But he’s committed to the team and Kirby Smart
He wasn’t at 100% after the knee surgery, and it seems like he was loafing
But he was playing on a swollen knee
April 18th, 2026 at 4:30 pm
hes a boss inside the box cause the line eats up the blockers Help for Vea please
April 18th, 2026 at 5:00 pm
3rd and 28: Says
“This team can not scout, draft, or develop a pass rusher which is our biggest need. When your GM consistently strikes out on Edge Rushers and your HC/DC canāt develop one to quite literally save his job…”
Okay, I’m a bit tired of this narrative. It is simply unproven. Here’s why:
š When Todd Bowles became head coach, he wanted Baker Mayfield as his quarterback
š He knew that in order for a good QB to succeed, you had to build around him. To do this, it meant mostly neglecting defense in the first round for a few years.
š Bowles and Licht knew the defense would suffer as a result, but it was the way to attain success quickly…and it worked. We won multiple division titles.
š You may ask why not add top “free agents”? Money. The superbowl run left us with strong cap issues, so we had to use the draft. People tend to forget that.
š So, to address the claims that the Bucs cannot scout or develop great pass rushers… it’s not that they can’t.. it’s that they have not tried with high picks.
The claim that they cannot do so is misleading.
April 18th, 2026 at 5:05 pm
I’d be happy with any of these three in this draft:
Sonny Styles
Chase Bisontis
Jacob Rodriguez
April 18th, 2026 at 5:18 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai
So by that line of thinking Mike Smith wasnāt a bad DC it was only because we neglected the defense so Winston could succeed? Thatās a bit moronic. The best thing a QB can have, especially someone like Mayfield, is to have a good O Line and good defense. We check the box on Oline but this defense is trash. Which goes back to scouting and development. Bowles, with the exception of our Super Bowl runā¦not the season but our final 8 games, has been a below average DC and HC.
Since Bowles has been our HC 5 edge rushers have been drafted. Only 1 (YaYa) has been decent. (heās a #2)
Since Bowles has been our HC weāve drafted 19 players in comparison to 13 offensive players.
So please explain how the defense has been neglectedā¦..
April 18th, 2026 at 5:35 pm
A Bowles Draft would be all Offense since He cant develop a defensive Player if His Life depended on it