Will Stability Matter For The Bucs Defense?
July 16th, 2026
It’s Year No. 8 for the Todd Bowles defense in Tampa.
A bunch of Bucs have several years in the defensive system. It should matter. It should help guys play faster and think less, and be utilized more to feature their strengths.
That kind of continuity on an NFL defense is rare.
As TheAthletic.com noted this week that 14 teams made changes at defensive coordinator this offseason. That’s nearly half the league. Those coaches had to study their players and craft a system and playbook accordingly. For nearly all of them, it will be a work in progress.
For Bowles, well, his defense should have an edge because he’s got guys all over the field who know exactly what he wants. Bowles can lean on those veterans to help bring along newcomers.
Will it matter? Joe can’t go there with any certainty.
All that seasoning under Bowles didn’t matter much for the defense last season. And every other NFC South defensive coordinator has returned this season, even in Atlanta where there was a head coach change.
That written, Joe is very excited by what seems like an inevitable upgrade in play at inside linebacker. Tykee Smith’s second season at safety should bear fruit. And adding edge rushers Rueben Bain and Al-Quadin Muhammad also looks like a huge upgrade, even if those guys simply play solid ball and rackup up a dozen sacks combined.
July 16th, 2026 at 2:51 pm
Hopefully, we can try and put our CBs a little closer than 10 yds from the LOS. That might help. Hold a tackling class in TC. Maybe not keep the middle of the field open long enough for someone to bake a casserole. Maybe we can get a defensive GURU to run our D? Oh yeah……nevermind.
July 16th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
Last year was year #7. Were they any good, or did they quit on Incredibly Average Todd Bowles?
July 16th, 2026 at 3:11 pm
Last year we were basically ceding any catch under 8 yards, it was maddening
July 16th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
A stable system I would think would generally help. However, we have with 3 rookies expected to play as ALL PROS and they have no prior exposure to Bowles system. In effect you may as well have a new cordinator. Second, with the current CB’s we have, exception is Parrish, new cordintor old cordinator, it makes no difference. They can’t cover that we have seen so new old cordinator what difference does it make?. In essence having the same system for half of the defense probably is not going to help much. It may make a huge difference next year if the new rookie develop and somehow Morrison stays healthy and actually develops this year. However, that is a big IF.
July 16th, 2026 at 4:04 pm
Success does not evolve from the repetition of failures.
July 16th, 2026 at 4:07 pm
Bowles has been an NFL DC for 14 years.
He’s had one defense ranked in the top 5 for total defense (4th in 2015 with the Jets)
He’s had 6 ranked in the top 10, including the one listed above.
8 of his defenses were ranked 11 or worse with 4 ranked #20 or worse.
Take that for what you will, but to me it’s pretty average to me for a “defensive guru.”
Never better than 4th and never worse than 25th.
Am I wrong to want better? He’s had his chance, and then some.
I don’t hate Todd Bowles, I just happen to think, at best, he is an average DC and a below average HC.
And yes, as D. Rules pointed out, injuries play a part. But the NFL is about overcoming injuries, not going full bore “poor me” about them.
July 16th, 2026 at 4:13 pm
Stability?? Huh?
This defense could have as many as 5 new starters come opening day.
Stability with the same DC? I’d go with stale before stable.
July 16th, 2026 at 4:14 pm
Talent WILL matter
July 16th, 2026 at 4:21 pm
The front 7 was weak in 2025…
Reddick sucked! Kancey was lost for the year. Walker never played a down. Hall wasn’t that good. Gaines and rookie Roberts were not very good backups. Braswell was a total non-factor…. Lavonte fought through some fairly major knee issues the entire season – Sirvocea Dennis was not ready for prime time and was a liability in coverage as was 54…..
The Bucs put a LOT of attention on shoring up the defensive front 7 this offseason. There are upgrades all over the place….
Bain > Reddick
AQM > Nelly
Walker > Braswell
Robinson > Hall
Nacho > Gaines
Anzalone > ’25 LD54
Trotter > Sir Dennis
There’s reason for hope with this 2026 Buccaneers defense- and yes – players who have been here awhile like Vea and YaYa and Winfield and McCollum should all benefit from the “continuity” – as should younger up and comers like Smith, Parrish and hopefully Morrison.
If the Bucs defenders stay relatively healthy – this 2026 group could definitely compete for a top 10 average scores against ranking. Which combined with an expected top 10 offense – would mean at least double digit wins on the season and likely more than that….
It all starts up front and the Bucs have done a good job (with the resources available) of transforming a ‘soft’ defensive front 7 into one that will demand respect and hopefully win a few more games along the way – as opposed to being a liability that must be over come by the offense…..
July 16th, 2026 at 4:21 pm
Beeej Says:
July 16th, 2026 at 3:11 pm
Last year we were basically ceding any catch under 8 yards, it was maddening
To be fair to Todd, hasn’t that been every single year since he became hc?
July 16th, 2026 at 4:32 pm
BuccoMarty … ‘Last year was year #7. Were they any good, or did they quit on Incredibly Average Todd Bowles?’
I still can’t understand Marty why so many fans continue to push this ‘The defense QUIT on Todd Bowles last year’ phobia. We went 6-2 tp start the season & the defense (and offense) were both playing quite good. We then hit a 3-game losing streak against 3 Top-5 offenses (Pats, Bills, Rams) that ate our defense for lunch. But for the last 6 games when we went 2-4, our defense did BETTER than our offense, and actually BETTER than it had done to start the season.
They DIDN’T QUIT; we won the Arizona game 20-17 thanks to our DEFENSE (Cards got the ball back with 2 minutes to go, and our defense shut them down in 4 downs). And we won the Panthers game 16-14, limiting the Panthers to 2 TDs & ending the game by causing them to fumble with us up by 2 pts. Our defense averaged 19 PPG in that 6-game end-of-season stretch. Had we averaged that for the whole season (obviously we didn’t), we would’ve given up 324 pts on the season … good enough for a #5 ranking. That’s not the mark of a team quitting.
July 16th, 2026 at 4:42 pm
Pickgrin … Excellent player-by-player analysis. Completely agree that we’ve got the POTENTIAL to be Top-10 in both offense AND defense.
I’m expecting a LOT out of several newcomers: Anzalone & Robinson in particular on defense, and Gainwell on offense. Rookies will be rookies, but I think we drafted well, particularly on defense, and that Bain, Trotter AND Scott will all be able to hold their own. I’m concerned that things might start a little slow for our defense (some things take time to gel), but I’m hoping that our offense starts the season with its’ hair on fire.
July 16th, 2026 at 4:45 pm
Defense Rules Says:
“They DIDN’T QUIT”
Thank you DR. For stating what should be obvious based on simple statistics – but instead has grown into a false narrative with a life all its own…. (One of the Josephs saying it over and over hasn’t helped).
The 2nd Atlanta game was the only one down the stretch that the Defense totally lost. The other 3 loses to totally beatable teams in the last 6 games were mainly on the offense….
July 16th, 2026 at 4:50 pm
Id like to see them fire todd during the regularly scheduled mid season slump. No reason to wait and let the locker room sour like last year. Defense rules has got to be todds burner account. That atlanta game was brutal to watch, the rams took their foot off the gas and showed us mercy they could of hung 70 on todds defense. This defense quit last year.
July 16th, 2026 at 5:07 pm
srqbuc … ‘This defense quit last year.’
Over many years of watching NFL football, I’ve seen defenses quit, and it’s downright UGLY. This defense gave up an average of 21 PPG over the last 6 games, while our offense scored only 20 PPG over that same stretch. those aren’t UGLY numbers, they’re just too low for consistent winning. Neither side of the ball quit on Todd Bowles, but they were both pretty well beaten up & lacked the DEPTH needed to finish strong given all their injuries.
I’m proud of you for keeping an open mind though & analyzing the stats to figure out what was really happening. Enjoy 2026 though. Tell me again srq, which team are you rooting for now?
July 16th, 2026 at 5:14 pm
Todd’s defense. Play AWJr 17 yards from line to protect against long TD”s. Alll we saw last year was huge gash plays whether runs or pass pays. Winfield was beaten anyway. AWJr is tremendously over rated. Licht would be wise to get rid of him now before the entire league discounts his value.
July 16th, 2026 at 5:39 pm
D. Rules——
Did it occur to you the reason so many fans are saying the defense quit was because Todd Bowles told us the defense quit!
OK, I’m paraphrasing. Todd said they took plays off. But if that’s not quitting, I don’t know what is.
July 16th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
It’s almost like Todd Bowles is a championship caliber HC. Who knew?