Todd Bowles: There Will Be Changes
July 30th, 2026
Changing up the defense.
Bucs fans have been hollering for months, maybe years, that the Bucs need to inspire change.
What change would many fans want? A change to a different head coach.
Todd Bowles can’t seem to catch a break. Vita Vea gets into a contract hassle, demands a trade and many Bucs fans somehow pin that on Bowles!
If Bowles had anything to do with contracts, he’d already have Vea re-upped. Does anyone really believe Bowles doesn’t want Vea to stay?
But let’s be real: The Bucs defense last year was lousy. Not once last year when the Bucs trailed at halftime could they rally for a win: 0-8 when trailing at halftime.
You may rightly blame that on offense but the defense also has to bow up when the team needs it to. Red zone defense? What red zone defense?
And those things should not be happening with a defensive head coach.
So yesterday after the first Bucs training camp practice, Bowles was asked if he plans to make any changes in his defensive scheme since the defense has let the Bucs down for too long now.
Instead of copping an attitude like many coaches would, Bowles said absolutely he is changing things. He said he had to.
“We’ve made quite a few changes,” Bowles said. “We’ve made quite a few. The fact is, if you don’t play well, you’ve got to make quite a few.”
But it doesn’t stop there. Bowles believes that when you bring in new bodies, you have to adjust. And boy, did the Bucs reshuffle their defensive lineup.
“If you get new people, you make quite a few [changes],” Bowles said. “We’ve made quite a few changes that, obviously, [we] can’t discuss, but we’re building toward that. I like where we are.”
So how many changes are coming?
Just for fun, Joe will remind readers in one of the first plays in 7-on-7 play, Bowles had Rueben Bain dropping back into pass coverage.
You know, change.
July 30th, 2026 at 4:42 am
This is a great post, but the changes I’d like to see don’t have as much to do with play calling. There needs to be a complete culture change. This team quit last year and that is more troubling than lack of talent or play calling. You look at teams with WAY less talent playing their butts off to the end. We can all look at the Bucs and say hey this is probably an average to above average team. The lack of effort is 100% on coaching! Mid-season losing streak coaching! Fix this and you’ll find yourself back in the playoffs this year. If it continues jobs WILL be lost.
July 30th, 2026 at 4:44 am
I think they could have a pretty darn good DEFENSE this year, but only IF the OFFENSE can step up. Cause, this will not be that type of DOMINATING Deffense. But, they can be a strong enough DEFENSE to be able to win games. Again, but it’s going to have to be on the OFFENSE to move the ball, sustain drives, and score TOUCHDOWNS, while putting POINTS on the board. If they don’t… Then, this is NOT a “Defense” that’s going to win games all on THEIR OWN. I am much more concerned with THIS “OFFENSE” 💯
July 30th, 2026 at 4:56 am
Perhaps he’s spent the offseason listening to Robinson who carved him up over the last two years. Credit to Todd!
July 30th, 2026 at 5:00 am
I realize Bowles is a Dick Lebeau disciple. When I was a kid that was a daunting and fairly new defense. It’s not exactly a new thing anymore. Offenses are just waiting for it. We need something different. By different Todd means different players. I dunno. We shall see.
July 30th, 2026 at 5:10 am
Isn’t Monday the first practice in pads?
July 30th, 2026 at 5:15 am
He seriously have better changed and revised his defense scheme from last year. That was one of the worst Buc defenses I have ever seen!
If they don’t get to, and make a run in the playoffs, good buy Bowels and hello Sean McDermott!
I think Sean McDermott is why the Buc’s waited another year to fire Bowels, as McDermott was determined to take a year off to recover.
July 30th, 2026 at 5:17 am
As I think about it, wasn’t Bill Arnsparger the first guy to make the 3-4 defense work? I don’t remember anymore.. I remember him a little from the Dolphins but I was like 12 or 13 years.old.
July 30th, 2026 at 5:46 am
Feed: Back in the early years under Coach McKay and Abe Gibbron, the Bucs used a 3-4 defensive alignment. People scoffed that the Bucs ran a “college” defense……until it became quite popular.
July 30th, 2026 at 5:46 am
Opps-FRED
July 30th, 2026 at 5:47 am
Just for fun, Joe will remind his listeners that yesterday in one of the first plays in 7-on-7 play, Bowles had Rueben Bain dropping back into pass coverage.
Did Bain display ‘Alligator’ Arms while in that coverage in trying to go for the Interception?
Wocka Wocka Wocka!!!!!
July 30th, 2026 at 5:47 am
Imagine Liam Coen’s image at the top of the stories.
This franchise is about to blow up
July 30th, 2026 at 5:54 am
ALL 3-4 teams have their edges drop into coverage at times (Most less than us, of course)
We had 4 D starters last year who had no business being on the field, and 3 of THOSE aren’t even in the NFL anymore. I’m not sure how you cover up for that with schemes. We’ll be back uo to a middling defense this year, which I’m good with
July 30th, 2026 at 5:58 am
Todd Bowels is the Peter Principal personified
July 30th, 2026 at 6:28 am
Yeah right, similar to that epiphany he had last off season right? 2-7 in your last nine games, speaks for itself. Last go around for you. Stay awake during the game with all of the empty seats in the stadium.
July 30th, 2026 at 6:40 am
Scubog, I remember that. Sort of. I moved to Orlando from Massachusettes in 1979 and kinda slowly warmed up to the BUCS when they had Doug Williams. David Logan was our nose tackle. when I mention Arnsparger I’m talking 1972ish Dolphins. Either way….loooong time ago. As I think about it David Logan was only about 250. Via is 350. What the heck are they putting in kid’s cereal these days?
July 30th, 2026 at 6:47 am
Bowles had an OLB drop in coverage?? You mean in a 3-4 defense the team doesn’t rush 5 players EVERY play??
Only in this dump does that become a thing.
Aa for Bowles and making big changes, I’m not sure he really understood the question. The players have changed on defense for the last few years, it’s the results that really haven’t. The “change” or the question should have been more specific or at least with a follow-up question. “OK Todd, we get that you’ve made changes to the different players, but have YOU made changes to your defensive scheme??
July 30th, 2026 at 6:55 am
1st round undeniable edge rush talent, #15 overall…goes to a HC that drops him in coverage….this kind of absolute abhorrent absurd assinine thinking is long overdue for a pink slip.
July 30th, 2026 at 6:57 am
He upgrades the scheme every summer. Why do we complain?
July 30th, 2026 at 7:20 am
I’d like the Bucs to go back to a 4-3 defense. Instead of 3 LBs, you can put in an extra safety, or joker. YaYa, and Bain should be run stopping pass rushers, no drop in coverage BS. Big bad 4 man pass rush, rarely needing to blitz, but it’s in the tool box. Maybe next year when Zac takes over as HC, and he reunites Bain with Jason Taylor as his DC.
July 30th, 2026 at 7:21 am
He said there would be changes last year. Last training camp he said he and his staff watched countless hours of film and identified the issues. What happened?
The defense was an embarrassment.
Just stop talking Todd
July 30th, 2026 at 8:04 am
I was a Giants fan in the ’80s when I lived in New York. I rarely saw Lawrence Taylor drop back into coverage. In fact there was supposedly an incident in his rookie year when he was supposed to drop back and he decided to blitz on his own instead. He got the sack. When Parcells asked him what he was doing, Taylor told him he should add the Rogue Blitz to his playbook.
July 30th, 2026 at 8:29 am
SB~LV 🏈 Says:
July 30th, 2026 at 5:58 am
Todd Bowels is the Peter Principal personified
_________________
…and BINGO was his name-o…
July 30th, 2026 at 8:33 am
The lack of talent in the CB room will cost the Bucs big time. Every OC knows how pathetic they are and no doubt have plans to exploit this glaring weakness. Burrow will have a career day in Game 1. Blame? What’s your answer?
July 30th, 2026 at 8:58 am
Said that same BS last year. Dead coach walking….hopefully.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:28 am
Put Bowles on MUTE and hope for the best. This clown was spewing the same stuff last preseason.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:43 am
Sorry Todd wishing it so and making it so are two different things. Changing lots of this starts with you sir. Lazy practices and lazy players with no accountability sounds like a place for positive change to me. On you coach.
Dudes already tweaking hammys? Not reporting ready to go? Not a good start…
Jason get these contracts done? Either way, we do not need two unhappy distractions in the clubhouse. Make a decision please.
Go Bucs!
July 30th, 2026 at 9:50 am
can’t believe he’s still coach. already cost us coen and our reoutation
July 30th, 2026 at 9:51 am
Todd Blows sucks.
Joe said it right that the main change we needed was at HC, and we didn’t get that. So, we’ll continue on the merry-go-round of mediocrity.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:52 am
How many fans will not buy tickets this year because of TB? When we are out of it by mid-season it could really show. That’s what will get rid of TB/JL.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:53 am
How many times did he say “quite a few changes?” Wow! He really did get into specifics, didn’t he?
We all know the most needed change will not occur until after the season, if then.
July 30th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
“Just for fun, Joe will remind readers in one of the first plays in 7-on-7 play, Bowles had Rueben Bain dropping back into pass coverage.”
Just for fun, really Joe ? 🙄
If you complain about Bain dropping in coverage you either:
A) Don’t understand football esp modern NFL football or
B) You’re intentionally trolling attempting to piss people off
July 30th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
I remember a couple of offseason ago Joe reported that Bowles said that he saw something while watching film that he was excited about changing. I don’t know what it was but I know the result: A worse defense. So brace yourselves. When Todd makes changes, things go from bad to worse.