“If You Can’t Make A Guy Like This Fit, You Are Running The Wrong Defense”
May 4th, 2026
“Maniac.”
Boy, this is an interesting reaction. And Joe is pretty sure it’s genuine.
Ben Solak of BSPN often appears on Mina Kimes’ podcast. He’s almost a regular. And when she began breaking down the Bucs draft, Solack busted out laughing.
Not that he was mocking the Bucs (Joe doesn’t think so.) He busted out laughing because of how Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht seemed to be playing chess while most of the NFL was playing checkers.
At the mere mention of the Bucs, Solak openly laughed, saying, “Yeah… boy, the Bucs had a good draft!”
Going over the first four Bucs picks, Kimes said it was “shocking” to her how fourth-round pick cornerback Keionte Scott fell in the draft and into Licht’s lap.
“I understand he was a little bit of a maniac out there,” Kimes said of Scott. “But he was probably All-Team Dawg in this draft.
“For the Bucs to add him … for a team that loves to blitz and [Scott] is a tremendous blitzer as well, just such a hand-in-glove fit.”
That’s exactly what the Bucs need, a “maniac” on defense making plays all over the place and igniting the defense.
Solak responded, indirectly, calling out other teams for being scared of Scott. And Solak said the worst thing the NFL did in not buying Scott is that he fell to the perfect team for him. And now the rest of the league will now feel Scott’s wrath.
“Yeah, the book on Scott for the league was just like, he was a part-time player at Auburn [in] 2024, transfers to Miami, works his way into a full-time job,” Solak began. “But he was not a guy who, you know, [that] had the reputation in the SEC, and, OK, he has this one incredible year. So [teams] were dubious of him.
“They’re like, ‘Oh, he’s got to go to a team where they blitz him, because, you know, you don’t want him dropping all the time.”
And that’s exactly what happened. Scott fell to a team that Solak said will use Scott as a heat-seeking missile, the Bucs.
“He’s gonna have 6 1/2 sacks this year,” Solak declared. “It’s your fault [NFL] because you said, ‘Oh, we can’t make a guy like this fit.’
“If you can’t make a guy like this fit, you’re not running the right defense.”
Strong words from Solak! Joe’s going to call it: If Scott really does get 6.5 sacks this fall, the Bucs are in the playoffs.
Man, 6.5 sacks is extraordinary for the Bucs (sad!). But 6.5 sacks from a safety or a corner? To put that in perspective, Hall of Famer Rondé Barber never had that many sacks in a season. He topped off at 5.5 playing corner in 2000.
“If you can’t make a guy like this fit, you’re not running the right defense.”
Keionte Scott to the Bucs made perfect sense—as did most of their draft.
Discussed with @benjaminsolak on the pod… pic.twitter.com/pJDbA5EvGu
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) April 29, 2026
May 4th, 2026 at 5:22 am
Enter Todd Bowles.
May 4th, 2026 at 5:22 am
Antoine Winfield had 6 sacks in 2023. Then the bottom fell out.
May 4th, 2026 at 5:30 am
14 tackles for loss is an incredible stat for a corner too!
May 4th, 2026 at 5:37 am
Maybe we drafted Sapp-Brooks-Evans-Barber again…
Who knows, but that sure would be incredible!
May 4th, 2026 at 5:56 am
Loved this pick, not so sure Bowles is going to utilize or coach him correctly. 🤷🏻♂️
May 4th, 2026 at 6:43 am
Well, he’s an idiot for saying 6.5 sacks. I don’t believe it. You don’t believe it. Bowles doesn’t believe it. No one does.
It’s just video clickbait.
Jesus. God. The people who think five rookies and some retread players annd coaches are going to take this team to the next level.
We were told last year that they had the right players, the right chemistry.
May 4th, 2026 at 7:05 am
Not a Bowles basher but I sure hope he doesn’t outsmart himself with Scott. See what he does well and let him do it Todd.
Go Bucs!
May 4th, 2026 at 7:08 am
ben is 100% correct. the only problem is that bowles is going to ruin this kid. that’s his record 4 years running.
May 4th, 2026 at 7:33 am
You now have 3 true cb’s, (McCollum, Morrison Parrish) Parrish, Scott and Roberts for the slot, and Scott and Roberts can play some safety. I hope Todd can get them all in positions to succeed without getting too complicated. He has plenty of talent in the backfield and D line now so no more excuses. Coach them better Todd ( your words)
May 4th, 2026 at 7:37 am
Yep, JL is genius. Does nothing, stands pat, and players fall into his lap. Such guile, what clever maneuvering. The ol slow to react lack of inertia leadership. ROH for sure
May 4th, 2026 at 7:43 am
St Pete Matt yes indeed 14 tackles for loss is amazing. TFLs are = to Sacks. You simply are sacking someone other than the QB. I’m a bit perplexed at times how TFLs are almost viewed as a “cute side stat”(especially in regards to Lavonte David). They are literally equal to Sacks.
May 4th, 2026 at 7:49 am
To all “fans” complaining they are being gaslit:
NFL games are a product that it sells to you. If you are upset or unhappy with teams and management giving positive vibes and promoting everything they do as good you must remember it’s their job… This is why Glazers love Jason and Todd. That being said I believe this is a last chance year for Bowles and his defensive strategies.
May 4th, 2026 at 7:50 am
IBS accepts this challenge
May 4th, 2026 at 8:10 am
Todd Bowles: Hold my beer.
May 4th, 2026 at 9:24 am
Temper your giddiness. Sapp & Brooks & Lynch & Barber weren’t game changers their first season. Don’t think these rookies will come in and immediately dominate. You always judge a Draft two to three years later, and so we should not depend on these kids transforming this defense and our team’s playoff hopes in season #1.
May 4th, 2026 at 9:51 am
I love this young man! The fire and tenacity he plays’ with is exactly what we need. Not just a DAWG! He is a student of the game.
Shocked he was still unpicked in the 4th.
May 4th, 2026 at 9:54 am
Let this DAWG hunt! He is a killer!
May 4th, 2026 at 10:01 am
Just dumb how people grade draft picks.
This guy just has to be himself and play like he already does.
We don’t need them to come in year 1 and dominate.
One of them will though. We also already had loads of players that just need to stay healthy. If they don’t we have better backups.
No telling what this team does this year, but it should be better than last year regardless. Todd deserved 1 more year because there really wasn’t anyone better IMO. This is his last year though for sure. No more EXCUSES.
LFG.
May 4th, 2026 at 10:13 am
Seeing is believing! Bring on September!
May 4th, 2026 at 10:25 am
Can he sell beer in the end zone seats? Todd wants him to do lots of other things.
May 4th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Maybe Bain could rush the passer and Scott could cover somebody? Anybody???…….Nah
May 4th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
I hope we cater our defense to the players we have instead of forcing them into roles they aren’t best suited for.
May 4th, 2026 at 1:51 pm
Like this pick a lot. Scouts say he’s a saftey or linebacker in a corners body. Hes good at blitzing too. Diva white had 9 sacks one year from the ILB position. He was unstoppable that year blitzing. Can’t see why Scott can’t turn into the same thing.
May 4th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
To see his tears when he was drafted says it all!
He is going to bring fire back to Tampa Bya!
F having “fun”
I want players that hate losing and who play like warriors!
May 4th, 2026 at 6:14 pm
Todd Bowles can make the possible impossible.
May 4th, 2026 at 8:40 pm
Winfield used to be that maniac but where has he been for the last two years, counting his money like McCollum was last season.