A Da’Quan Bowers Return?
July 14th, 2015
“When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Lovie Smith might not have been bluffing when he claimed Da’Quan Bowers did some good things last year, including showing he could be an effective defensive tackle.
Tampa Bay’s 2011 second-round draft pick left the team as an unrestricted free agent in March and had a tryout with the Saints this spring. During a late-June, South Carolina newspaper interview, Bowers claimed he was weighing multiple NFL contract offers and expected to make a decision in mid-July. Joe was highly skeptical and certainly didn’t think one might be from the Buccaneers.
Well, last week, Bowers was Twittering that he was back in Tampa, and he posted a picture of himself in a Bucs uniform on Instagram, accompanied by, “When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.” Akeem Spence even sent him a social media welcome back.
This got Joe’s radar up, and Joe began investigating Friday.
The odd thing is that Bowers’ agent won’t respond to Joe’s multiple texts and phone calls, and Joe’s trusted sources at One Buc Palace are not acknowledging anything about Bowers’ trip to Tampa. Joe can’t even get anyone to say that Bowers did not visit with the Bucs.
After days of reaching out, Joe has thrown in the towel.
If the Bucs do sign Bowers, then Joe is confident Bowers is only viewed as a quality training camp body with an outside shot at making the 53-man roster. Bowers made two starts at defensive tackle least season and played in 11 games. He finished with 1 1/2 sacks, 11 tackles — and a lot fans hoping his four-year Bucs tenure was finished.
Bowers was best known for injuries and conditioning issues, and for being mentally broken by Greg Schiano after Schiano projected he’d have double-digit sacks, plus a gun hassle in New York.
Interestingly, Joe talked to a former Buccaneer back in January about Bowers, and the guy swore that Bowers had a great work ethic but was battling knee issues last year that weren’t made public.
Perhaps Bowers is finally healthy? Joe must believe the Bucs would have no interest if Bowers was hurt or rehabilitating.
July 14th, 2015 at 12:06 pm
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
July 14th, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Please don’t!
July 14th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Say it ain’t so Joe…
July 14th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
BOOBOO!!!!!DON”T DO IT!!!
July 14th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
Why so he can play with another team, have a decent year. Then all of you ‘tards can complain we didn’t re-sign him? Who cares if we do or don’t.
July 14th, 2015 at 12:20 pm
R.O. I care for one. It’s a waste of a roster spot.
July 14th, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Why am I the only person that wants to give this guy 15 chances here rather than him figure it out elsewhere… maybe another “chance” will make him wake up??
July 14th, 2015 at 12:44 pm
Bowers played 81 snaps at DE last year (271 at DT) and he had 2 sacks, 2 hits and 5 hurries, 4 batted passes and 7 stuffs. Why not play him at DE and sign him to a incentive based one year contract? Maybe he has learned something knowing there is no interest in him in FA and it is time to step up and perform? Kook at our back-ups for DE after Smith and Johnson? Larry English…If one DE goes down this team is in a lot of hurt.
July 14th, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Surely, there must be a player that will hit the waiver wire that can outperform Bowers. Even if he is signed now, his chances of making the team are slim.
July 14th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Seems odd that Joe’s sources who have no issue spilling the beans on many stories that seem more big news are tight lipped over possibly resigning a backup DE/DT? Does Da’Quan have compromising photos of AC/DC lovin’ Licht rocking out at a Taylor Swift concert or something?
July 14th, 2015 at 12:56 pm
TBBF… you and I can outperform Bowers!
July 14th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
I always pulled for Bowers to show up for the Bucs, but like you said it was one excuse after another, usually injured constantly. Nobody else apparently wanted him. I don’t understand the secrecy. Lovie likes him. If he is joining the Bucs, I hope he is healthier and can add something even temporary.
July 14th, 2015 at 1:08 pm
Buccfan37…”hope” is all we got left in the tank right now.
July 14th, 2015 at 1:13 pm
I’m guessing there’s a reason none of those other teams signed him…
July 14th, 2015 at 1:35 pm
Save the $ and put it towards the “Sign The Beast” fund! #BEASTLVD
July 14th, 2015 at 2:33 pm
Hahahah april fools! Wait what?!
July 14th, 2015 at 2:36 pm
Joe…based upon your analysis of Bowers…and I’m not saying they were far off at all, why wouldn’t you think his agent would snub you? Like I said, not disagreeing with your analysis, but you can understand why he and his agent might not want to give you anything regarding his future or not in Tampa.
July 14th, 2015 at 2:39 pm
Damnit bowers go to f$@king Canada and stay up there.
July 14th, 2015 at 3:31 pm
It is odd. Only thing Joe can think of is another team may also in play.
July 14th, 2015 at 4:20 pm
Waste of a roster spot? Training camp roste? Seriously? Just because we re-sign him doesn’t mean he makes the final 53.
July 14th, 2015 at 4:44 pm
maybe there was an issue with the physical?
July 14th, 2015 at 4:53 pm
Cheeseburger Bowers!!!!!!!
July 14th, 2015 at 5:32 pm
R.O. that’s fine then if he’s just going to be camp meat. Which is basically what he’s been reduced to. But I seem to remember all the terrible moves Lovie made last offseason. The biggest one I think was starting Jenkins over Banks. The same thing could happen with Bowers if he’s brought back. Getting a starting nod when he’s not even qualified to start.
Sorry but I don’t quite trust Lovie yet to do the right thing. Until he gains my trust I’ll probably be skeptical of most of the moves he makes until I see it on the field. Seeing is believing.
July 14th, 2015 at 5:35 pm
I’ll also add that I’m more than happy that someone in the F.O. shoved Jameis Winston down his throat. Because I’m pretty sure he was serious when he said Glennon is the QB of the future. He wanted to go DE real bad with that first pick. Then along came a Glazer….
July 14th, 2015 at 5:46 pm
I twittered back and forth with Bowers after his tweet about Tampa not being any fun for the last 4+ years. Y would he wanna come back if the place was soo bad. And if he plays DT, who’s spot would he take? Spence? Melton? I’d rather see what Melton has to offer. On the fence about Spence though.
July 14th, 2015 at 5:58 pm
I think its a good signing for little money if we do. Imagine if the saints sign him and he is finally healthy and gets 10 sacks. We need de and he can atleast come in and compete and see if he finally put the injuries behind him and can be the force he was at Clemson. These are the types of moves the patriots make and they seem to work out pretty well for them. Sign high potential guys to minimal salaries. These are the type of moves that can put you over the top if they pay off and very little negative affects if they don’t pan out.
July 14th, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Wishful thinking is all we have if we think this guy is going to do anything in the near future. I mean, Bowers and AC both had 4 years to show what they had. Not even in one year did either produce more than 5 sacks. AC got 5 sacks his RC year. Thats it. Why pay any of these guys anything to sit in the hot tub with Stocker. Come on,…its time to move on. Take one look at the past,…and I’m out.
July 14th, 2015 at 6:54 pm
I’d like to give him another shot, but he hasn’t shown the willingness to put in the work and he’s always out of shape. He might make a valuable tweeter backup, but I’d pass. Let him prove it for another team.
July 14th, 2015 at 7:29 pm
Again…Cheeseburger Bowers! (crickets)
Agreed with most of you…forget this unless he’s strictly camp meat. We have a strong DT rotation and Id put Gholston ahead of Cheeseburger any day of the week.
Lets let “America’s Cheese Burger” move on down the road…
July 14th, 2015 at 7:36 pm
You think this is who gmc was talking about yesterday? “Putting in the work to be great”.
July 14th, 2015 at 8:19 pm
This would be the resigning of Clayton all over again.
July 14th, 2015 at 10:56 pm
Danati74 ac got 7.5 his rookie year
So please just know some info before you get into a true buc fans web site. You really typed that he hasn’t had 5 in a year that just want a me to yank your bucs card and neve read another one of your comments
July 15th, 2015 at 12:36 am
Bowers has always had the talent but just thought he could get by on his potential. Who would we have to play if Melton went down in the Preseason?
I am for a cheap show me contract for one year with incentives and let’s see if he overcomes his injuries, gets serious, and pulls a Stocker on us. He can stop the run and has flexibility to play DE and understands Tampa 2 and likes Lovie.
July 15th, 2015 at 7:41 am
No reason he can’t come to camp… best case he competes for a spot at the bottom of the roster. Cullen knows what he’s doing…
July 15th, 2015 at 7:57 pm
2016 could be Bowers breakout season, he may surprise everyone and get 20 tackles and 4 sacks. 20 tackles and 4 sacks for him will be a dream season.