No Man’s Land
February 4th, 2023
Challenges.
The worst place for a team that needs a quarterback is to pick in the middle of the draft. That’s sort of where the Bucs find themselves.
To trade up into the top-10 from No. 19 would be prohibitive. This is why many believe the Bucs are in the running for soon-to-be-released Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr. But wait, the Chiefs traded up from the No. 27 overall in the 2017 draft to the No. 10 pick and drafted Patrick Mahomes, and they only coughed an extra first- and third-round pick.
(Carr, who has a no-trade clause, is due a $40 million roster bonus on Feb. 15. If the Raiders hang on to a guy they don’t want and cough up $40 million in the process, that tells Joe either the front office there is clueless — not a far-fetched claim — or that level of recklessness means NFL players must be woefully underpaid.)
Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk noted Carr has no permission from the Raiders to seek a trade destination. Weird.
Over at Sharp Football Analysis, Dan Pizzuta, looking at the Bucs’ hole at quarterback and salary cap crunch, believes the Bucs could move up from No. 19 and get a quarterback, keep Blaine Gabbert (who would be salary cap friendly) and still have a shot to win the rotten NFC South.
The Buccaneers also have the 19th overall pick in the draft, which could put them in range to move up for a quarterback should they choose. A Gabbert/rookie tandem could make sense for the first stage of a rebuild but as the Buccaneers proved in 2022, the NFC South is a winnable division.
Pizzuta also floated the notion of using Chris Godwin as trade bait for draft capital. Joe believes the worst thing you can do for a rookie quarterback is to have him play with lousy receivers (see: Bears, Chicago). Mike Evans and Godwin are perfect for any QB, rookie or vet.
After Evans and Godwin, the Bucs have no receivers to speak of. Sorry, Russell Gage only showed Joe last year that he excels at getting hurt. He came nowhere close to earning his $10 million salary. Underperforming Scott Miller is doubtful to return.
But who will run the offense? Carr won’t play for the Bucs unless he knows who the new playcaller will be.
It’s a chicken-and-egg deal with the Bucs. A decent coordinator likely doesn’t want to work in Tampa unless he knows who the quarterback is. And what veteran QB is willing to come to the Bucs without knowing who is calling the plays?
The Bucs are in the Twilight Zone as a result.
Another factor: Todd Bowles already said the Bucs are not rebuilding. Is he going to sign off on a rookie quarterback and possibly be in danger of getting thrown off a cliff with another losing record? Joe is confident if the Bucs’ hierarchy wants a rookie quarterback, Bowles will demand assurances he returns in 2024.
The Bucs are in such a mess at quarterback right now.
February 4th, 2023 at 12:14 am
If I understand Bowles correctly we are “retooling” rather than “rebuilding”.
February 4th, 2023 at 12:36 am
i might bring in baker mayfield…he can be like a jeff garcia sort of…
maybe catch a little lightning in bottle…
let him have a room in the bowels of the stadium (no pun intended)
and do some more freakin’ commercials
February 4th, 2023 at 12:40 am
Isn’t this the reason we drafted Trask. Licht knew after Brady was gone we would be picking late in the first rounds. That’s what winning does. Give the guy a chance.
February 4th, 2023 at 12:43 am
Don’t worry Joe we’ll have a high draft pick within a year
February 4th, 2023 at 12:58 am
Trade and release all the old players, start Trask and evaluate the new young players in 2023. Then fire Bowles after the season.
February 4th, 2023 at 1:00 am
Bucs in the Bowlzone
February 4th, 2023 at 1:05 am
Bowles is the main reason for no man’s land!
February 4th, 2023 at 1:43 am
IMO Trask was like Johnny football in college. Kyle Pitts made him look great like Evans did to Manziel. I’d love to see trask jump in and be successful but he hasn’t been able to move up the depth chart so far. I think with a few moves we are still contenders. I hope we bring in a veteran. I’d trade Donovan smith, Jensen and mason. Shore up the line in the draft. Resign David and Dean. I’d like to see what white would do at olb. We need 2 ILB, another OLB, someone to replace SMB (always hurt) and I’d resign Logan Ryan to play next to Winfield.
February 4th, 2023 at 1:45 am
I’d also trade Shaq to further lower the cap.
February 4th, 2023 at 2:15 am
Why all this talk about CARR?? He is a perennial loser. If the Bucs go for a veteran free agent, virtually ANYBODY on the free agent list is preferable to Carr, who will saddle the team with his cost, which would be a huge waste.
The team needs to figure out what the hell it wants to do. The no-man’s land of Bowles—him, his flunkies, his stamp on everything—nullifies all attempts to build greatness. Exactly how long will Bowles be the dictator? What great offensive coordinator walks into this mess, to have limited power? Some lower level assistant amenable to Bowles who wants a stepping stone to something else down the road.
What good or great QB from outside steps into this mess that soiled Brady’s final season? (Come to think of it now, loser Carr would be a good Bowles fit: loser/loser. Ugly as it gets.)
The reasonable thing to do is to throw Trask out there and let him sink or swim, the way the Seahawks did with Drew Lock, who had all kinds of reasons for his previous mixed history. Well, now everyone knows about him. So should we, with Trask. The backup depends, again, on the plan and the level and time frame of the suck.
There is no one 2023 to draft, except Will Levis, unless some sleeper is worth a shot like Tanner McKee. Otherwise, it’s wait until 2024 anyway.
February 4th, 2023 at 2:17 am
Tampa Time Loop, 2 losing seasons fire the coach replace the QB. Rinse and repeat.
February 4th, 2023 at 2:18 am
Thisisouryear, assuming you mean Barret, he’s not really gonna command much of a pick. 30 years old coming off a ruptured achilles and due something lit 18 million … We might get a sixth or seventh, but probably not.
February 4th, 2023 at 2:36 am
NO ONE is going to trade for a 30-year old guy coming off an Achilles tear.
February 4th, 2023 at 3:04 am
Believe Raiders finally allowed Carr to speak to teams that agree to meet their asking price. Actually like Carr, but not sure giving up a pick for him is the best course of action for the Bucs at this time considering their cap situation and need for cheap rookie talent in ’23.
February 4th, 2023 at 3:21 am
Joe Says:
February 4th, 2023 at 2:36 am
I’d also trade Shaq to further lower the cap.
NO ONE is going to trade for a 30-year old guy coming off an Achilles tear.
—————
exactly, no one is trading for shaq with a bum foot and a huge contract…all we can do at this point is pray for a recovery and bounce back – but that’s one of those injuries that alters or ends careers…
hopefully shaq will come back good as new…fingers crossed…prayers up for #58
February 4th, 2023 at 5:33 am
Two things this team needs a HC first and to stop listening at anyone that suggest to keep garbage Gabbert on the roster.
February 4th, 2023 at 5:41 am
Tye … ‘Bowles is the main reason for no man’s land!’
Steele … ‘Exactly how long will Bowles be the dictator?’
Thisisouryear!! … ‘I’d also trade Shaq to further lower the cap.’
Pelsbuc61 … ‘Trade and release all the old players’.
I’m seeing a trend here. Some have Bowles as the reason for our terrible personnel situation, as if he had something to do with the salary CAP mess, HALF the team’s contracts coming due in a single year, and ‘age problem’ (we were the oldest NFL team last season). You might want to rethink where THAT FINGER should be pointed.
Some others seem to think that he’s a ‘dictator’ and thus demanded that it was to be his way & his way only. I’d contend that it was exactly the opposite; that a large part of the 2022 problems with the offense was that he was too hands-off & that BL (and Armstrong) should’ve been launched a LONG TIME before he was. And oh BTW, NEITHER of us could prove our contention because there’s no real PROOF of either.
Still others seem to think we have something that’s worth trading such that it will solve our salary CAP mess & bring us tons of draft picks in the process. Sorry, but anyone we put on the trading block will have the words ‘FIRE SALE’ emblazoned across their forehead. Even CG14 & ME13 & especially Shaq (those 3 BTW currently account for over $69 mil of our $227.5 mil adjusted salary CAP for 2023 … that’s OVER 30% for JUST 3 PLAYERS). The current dead CAP of $52.8 mil for voided contracts (5 players) amounts to another 23%. So well over 50% of our adjusted CAP is tied up in essentially 3 players under contract, leaving roughly $105 mil (45%) for the remaining FIFTY players. But ya, blame Bowles for that.
Instead, let’s try something novel and actually PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. We need to start IMO by figuring out what we want for a TEAM IDENTITY (offense, defense or ‘balanced’ to keep it simple). Personally I prefer the BALANCED approach, but hey, that’s just me.
Then we NEED to hire a quality OC to run that side of the ball. And to go along with that, I’d also much prefer that we hire a quality DC (stop dual-hatting Bowles) AND also find a new S/Ts coordinator. But hey, that’s just me.
Fixing the salary CAP mess, as best we can in 2023, isn’t an option. We’ve painted ourselves into a corner, for 2023, 2024 AND 2025. Thus the need for planning … a 3-year plan. And that starts with deciding who we have under contract that we want to build around (for those 3 years at least) and which of our own FAs are worth re-signing. It’s really not rocket science, but decision-making of this magnitude really does take TIME. And I suspect that’s why the Bucs are taking their TIME right now in making any major decisions. I don’t blame them. But hey, that’s just me.
February 4th, 2023 at 5:50 am
Steele … I agree with you about Derek Carr. I actually like him as a QB, but he wasn’t the Raiders’ answer nor would he be ours. Besides, no way we could afford that contract, short-term or long-term. Also read yesterday that New Orleans is about to make a serious play for his services. Go git him Saints (they’re the only team in even worse salary CAP shape than we are).
February 4th, 2023 at 5:58 am
Add to this the fact that we don’t have an OC and it’s looking like a long season.
February 4th, 2023 at 6:02 am
Didn’t we draft a 2nd round QB two years ago?
February 4th, 2023 at 6:11 am
What is this Gabbert infatuation in 2019 he didn’t even play in the nfl because no one wanted. When Arians showed up he got relevant again
February 4th, 2023 at 6:11 am
What was the purpose of drafting Trask and then hiding him away?
February 4th, 2023 at 6:26 am
Defense Rules is right on having a plan and time. Other than no risk it, no biscuit, the Bucs have always been built on D with a mediocre O. Never drafted and re-signed a QB in 45 years. However, the league has changed and you need to be able to score. Everyone is correct in saying we lack speed. Build a good O and then get your young QB. Before Brady the Bucs did a great job with the cap and usually had money for FAs along with keeping their players. Play Trask this year (or journeyman QB) while you get your salary cap in line again and build the O. Probably need to look hard at WR #3 through #5. Biggest long term question for me is Wirfs. Keep him at RT or move him to LT? That will answer a number of O-Line questions for you.
Overall, I like our D, but we play too much zone and need to change out scheme to play more man to man coverage. Need to trade White and find a DT for the future. Keep LVD for 2 years to train the two new ILBs we will draft over the next 2 years. I like Hicks at DT, but he’s older, expensive and hurt too much. Can’t keep him. I like our D-Line depth, but will need to re-sign most of them. I love Winfield at S, but his concussions scare me. Need to look for another S.
February 4th, 2023 at 6:30 am
What does QB no man’s land look like? It’s the TN Titans with Ryan Tannehill. Never awful, but never great. Often good enough to win/compete in a weak division. Maybe you win a playoff game. Nothing else beyond that. And they have the best RB in football.
February 4th, 2023 at 6:32 am
No running backs, no tight ends, the o-line is offensive, but you have Trask.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:00 am
We’re going to suck any which way you look at this so dump everybody to collect draft picks and play Trask. Nothing to lose. Lots to gain. ( Get your cap in order/ get younger and faster/ get a very high draft pick after next season.)
February 4th, 2023 at 7:00 am
Bucs Guy … You raised a lot of great points. I think our offense is in a lot better shape than our defense right now, and has the makings for being a middle-of-the-pack offense this year even with a ‘normal’ QB (I have no problem with Trask, Gabbert & a TBD FA duking it out for the starter honors IF we have a decent team around them).
Wirfs is a building block, as is Jensen (our OLine desperately needs his leadership). Mason’s a keeper & so is Hainsey (he got good experience this past season). IF Wirfs can move over to LT (not a given in my book but I’d love to see it) then I’d let Donnie walk; other than that, Smith gets 1 more season with us by default. Leverett’s also a keeper IMO, and I think that Goedeke has promise (he’s still green). If Stinnie’s healthy, I’d re-sign him too (for a very reasonable salary of course).
Restructuring the BIG contracts (ME13, CG14) is about the only way to REALLY impact the salary CAP. That’d mean we’ll be committing to BOTH of them for pretty much the rest of their careers (we don’t have much choice IMO & they’re both top performers & great Bucs). Keep Gage for 1 more year (too costly to release & replace) then draft some WR speed to stretch the field. Also need to add a TE via the draft (as well as a quality TE free agent who can catch AND block). Keep White, Vaughn AND Fournette (too costly to release & replace) and away we go.
Vea & Davis are our building blocks by default (probably need to restructure both their contracts to get salary CAP down). Winfield’s also a keeper, but so are Hall, JTS & McCollum simply because they’re young. Whether to re-sign LVD to a 2-year contract so he can retire as a Buc is a conundrum IMO (depends on whether or not he’ll play for half of what he made last year). White’s future as a Buc will probably depend on what he does this year. I’d re-sign Gholston, RNR, Nassib as well as Hicks & Logan Ryan to 1-year cheap contracts if they were willing (we need the bodies & experience). Dean is my priority on defense, but we may not be able to afford him (SMB as an alternative). I’d also love to re-sign Nelson & Edwards, but again cost will come into play.
No sense in even talking about the draft yet since our FA decisions prior to that will largely determine what our draft needs will be. And yes, we’ll be drafting for NEED once again (too many holes).
February 4th, 2023 at 7:02 am
You cannot spend a bunch of money on a QB and still build any kind of team around him.
The best plan would be to go with Trask….hope he succeeds. If he doesn’t, draft your QB next year.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:15 am
Wonder if any of our coaching staff are going up to Mobile today to watch the senior bowl first hand instead of relying our scouts to do it. Theres a couple of QBs you could get in the middle of the draft I would like to see.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:15 am
Break the wizened formula, “ we are not rebuilding “ have a talent auction for draft picks and REBUILD. Rip the band aid off can scrub the wound clean so the healing begin !
February 4th, 2023 at 7:18 am
@DR: Bowles is nor responsible for the cap woes. The Glazers are; they wanted two shots at glory. Licht was just doing his job.
Bowles us responsible for the crap product on the field, including Leftwich. The fact he didn’t fire Leftwich mid-season and go in a mandated different O direction is 100% on him.
To say there was no one to take over with the experienced Christianson on staff is a lie or terrible misjudgement.
IMO, Bowles job now is to tank without looking like a tank.
We will see the future when the new league season starts in a few weeks based on the cap maneuvers.
I hope they gut the cap problems and right the ship to get younger and faster.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:25 am
The proverbial
Rock & a hard place
WTF would buy ST’s for the coming season?
Buc ship is adrift without a rudder
February 4th, 2023 at 7:30 am
Cobraboy … I agree with you about letting BL hang around too long. Yes it’s on Bowles IMO, but how much his decision was influenced by BA, Brady & JL is anybody’s guess.
Fixing our CAP problems as best we can is Job 1 this season. If we don’t, we’ll be screwed for many years to come (we’ve already screwed the pooch for 2024 & 2025, and kicking the can further down the street would really hamper any chance we have at rebuilding).
But I have no idea how you ‘tank without looking like a tank’. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it’s a friggin duck.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:44 am
I still think Carr is a solution at QB. I’ve reconsidered a couple times due to other people’s input on the matter, but upon doing more reseasrch, I am 100% convinced that Derek Carr can come in and take over.
He’s not been happy playing for the Raiders…ever. He’s still posted good numbers, stayed healthy.
His TD to INT ratio has been very good.
He has had fumble issues…but that confirms he was getting hit a lot due to bad pass protection.
And, in QB terms, he is young. He could have another 10-12 years in him.
That is a long term solution.
Except…salary cap. Raiders may be forced to release him after the superbowl, so that means he’ll be getting a new contract. Licht would have to find a way to make it work.
The Saints certainly did not regret signing Brees when the opportunity arose. Brees had similar numbers at the time. They made the cap work.
Spotrac lists us at $55m over the cap, but they have not removed Brady yet (and won’t until retirement is official).
Without him, we are only $20m over the cap…trading Mike Evans will instantly clear that up. Having him would be better, but…
February 4th, 2023 at 7:46 am
It makes no sense of pushing money down the road to put a losing team on the field. Do not keep making contract adjustments just start trading some players Smith, Gage, Fournette etc. By the time Shaq gets healthy probably won’t have much influence on our season plus hes on the wrong side of thirty. But number one do not waste valuable draft picks trading for another quarterback.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:48 am
If you love your favorite players…. Set them free !
Aggressively REBUILD!
February 4th, 2023 at 7:49 am
Maybe the Bucs are waiting for after the Super Bowl to hire Brian Johnson as O/C-he’s the current QB coach with Eagles and was Trask’s QB coach and O/C at Florida.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:49 am
You tank without looking like a tank by fielding incompetent coaches…like Bowles and his pals.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:49 am
• Over the next week, we will learn who the new OC is.
• Weakest Division means if we do not tank, we can make the playoffs
• No state taxes
• Good oline (barring injuries)
• Godwin
Licht drafts two groups very well: OL and WR.
February 4th, 2023 at 7:52 am
I do not think wr have to tank. Nor do I think we need to kick the can very far down the road. We have several players with a year left. Extend their contracts a year…that will kick the can withought hurting the cap.
February 4th, 2023 at 8:43 am
Bonzai … ‘Spotrac lists us at $55m over the cap, but they have not removed Brady yet (and won’t until retirement is official). Without him, we are only $20m over the cap…trading Mike Evans will instantly clear that up.’
I was right with you Bonzai … until that. Brady only shows on our roster (along with LVD, Julio, Hicks & Gholston) because they’re on voided contracts (we take their CAP hit because of our past ‘creativity’ but they’re all FAs … or retired … as the case may be). The only way to avoid that CAP hit that I know of is to re-sign them (and build it into their new contract) or trade them & get the next guy to pay the dead CAP hit (good luck with that one).
In the case of Gholston & Hicks, it actually makes sense to re-sign them to a 1-year contract for some minimum salary just for the privilege of sliding some of that Dead CAP hit to next year. They’re both still decent DLinemen … when healthy … and we can’t draft all their replacements in 1 year. And re-signing them would almost surely be cheaper than signing FAs to replace them.
In the case of Brady, the only option I can think of (now that he’s retired) to avoid paying all of that $35 mil voided CAP hit in 2023 is to re-sign him for 1 day, rework his contract, then get him to retire again. That’s TOTALLY up to Brady if he’d be willing to play along. Looks like the Pats are trying to do the same thing with him BTW so he could retire as a Patriot.
As far as trading Mike Evans goes, be careful what you wish for? Assuming that the team we traded him to picked up his full $23.7 mil CAP hit for 2023 (not sure he’s worth that much on the open market), we’d clear that much from our own 2023 CAP. BUT … we still have his CAP hits for 2024 ($12.2 mil), 2025 ($4.8 mil) and 2026 ($2.6 mil) to deal with. That’s the result of us kicking Mike’s can down the street (figuratively not literally of course).
The old adage ‘between a rock & a hard place’ comes to mind?
February 4th, 2023 at 8:50 am
I counted 15 teams in the NFL who had a starter with a later pick than 19 for the 2022 season.
1st: Rodgers (24th pick), L Jackson (32nd), and Pickett (20th)
2nd: Hurts, Dalton, G Smith, and Carr
3rd: Mills, R Wilson, and Ridder
4th: Prescott and Cousins
5th: Howell (or Heinicke, a UDFA)
6th: Brady
7th: Purdy
My point is, the Bucs could possibly strike gold in any round of the draft.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:18 am
Jimmy Garafolo is more likely to join the Bucs as Carr’s pricetag will be higher and Jimmy G has been on winning teams his entire career. Winning is something that goes further than having a big arm but making poor decisions.
Garafolo has been injury prone so he isn’t in a great position to demand a large contract. I expect him to be the Bucs next quarterback whether we like it or not.
He can manage the offense for a couple of years while the Bucs groom a younger quarterback.
We’ll see how it plays out but he’s probably the best fit out of a group of unattractive free agent quarterbacks.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:22 am
If you think Carr can get you double digit sacks than sign him. Yes the Bucs need a pass rush as much as a QB. Fact is they need a lot of things. Cut the waste, bite the cap bullet, build for the future. Carr would be a bandaid on a fatal wound. We’ll have a top ten pick next year in a QB rich draft. Trask was a second round investment I assume. Time to cash in this year, get your QB next year. Meantime build the trenches!
February 4th, 2023 at 9:25 am
Thisisouryear!! Says: “Trask was like Johnny football in college. Kyle Pitts made him look great like Evans did to Manziel.”
You’re full of crap.
Pitts was injured for a good part of Trask’s Heisman-candidate 2020 season and Trask’s production actually went UP during his absence. Look at the huge Georgia game. Trask threw a TD early to Pitts. Then Pitts got injured. So Trask threw 3 more TDs to 3 other players, for a huge Florida win. 4TDs to 4 different players.
Plus, if Pitts was so great, how come in 17 NFL games he’s scored only 3 TDs? Looks like it was Trask who made Pitts look great.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:30 am
Trade for Carr?
I don’t believe this is realistic for multiple reasons…
– our salary cap situation
– giving up draft picks is a bad idea
– Carr at his best is still mediocre
– Carr’s contract is too expensive and he isn’t worth the cost
If we need a bridge QB while we rebuild bring in Baker-Mayfield. Sport Trac has his value set at @ $6M. I don’t believe Carr is that much better than BM and we can actually afford $6M.
My QB room for 2023
– Baker Mayfield ($6M)
– B. Gabbert ($2.5M)
– K. Trask ($1.5M)
This group fits our current budget and will win just as many games a D. Carr would.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:33 am
Jacoby Brissett is another name I will float out there…
We are on a tight budget people.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:36 am
Thisisouryear!! Says: “Trask hasn’t been able to move up the depth chart.”
The premise of your question – that Trask was allowed to compete with Gabbert – is completely false. Trask was never allowed to compete with Gabbert. Gabbert was gifted the #2 spot because Tom Brady wanted a veteran as his #2 and the Bucs did whatever Tom Brady wanted. Below are publicized comments that prove this.
In May 2022 – before training camp even started – Bucs quarterback coach Clyde Christensen said there would be NO COMPETITION between Trask and Gabbert, as the #2 spot was Gabbert’s: “I DON’T SEE TRASK COMPETING WITH GABBERT FOR THE BACKUP JOB THIS YEAR [2022]. YOU CAN’T REP EVERYBODY. IT’S HARD TO GET GABBERT ENOUGH REPS. SO WE’LL PREPARE GABBERT AS THE NO. 2.”
After Christensen said that, Joe himself wrote here on JBF: “BUCS QUARTERBACK COACH CLYDE CHRISTENSEN SEEMED PRETTY CLEAR TO ANYONE LISTENING: THE BUCS CANNOT FIND A WAY TO GET 2021 SECOND-ROUND PICK KYLE TRASK ENOUGH SNAPS SO HE CAN HAVE A FAIR SHOT AT PUSHING BLAINE GABBERT FOR THE BACKUP JOB TO TOM BRADY. THEREFORE, GABBERT IS BRADY’S IMMEDIATE BACKUP. END OF STORY.”
One has to be either ignorant or a Trask hater – usually both – to keep peddling the fiction that there was this great competition between Trask and Gabbert, on the field, both playing with the ones, and Gabbert won. It’s utterly false.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:39 am
Been calling for Jacoby all along, best stopgap option
It’s really a moot point though, with Todd at the helm we are destined for a dismal year
How long does it take to hire an OC? Missed the senior bowl, trips to visit prospects window is closing quick
Another jacked up season headed our way with the indecisive one steering the boat
February 4th, 2023 at 9:45 am
Just bite the bullet take all the cap hits this year and start building a championship caliber roster again with a new coach and QB in 2024.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:46 am
Okay, we need a little dose of reality here. Bowels is not dictating anything. He has no leverage to demand any assurances for 2024. He is just talking the talk. He is dead man walking. The Bucs Will tank in 2023 whether they want to or not. It doesn’t matter who the HC is. If you have to pay Bowels anyway, why not just le him add another year to his legacy of failure. Just hire Joe’s cousin Eddie to fill the OC role and the brass will have a year to contemplate their future coaching staff and scout potential draft choices. And we Bucs fans can relax and enjoy the football season with no expectations and no disappointments.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:54 am
Joe, is anything going on in the OC search? They did several interviews but then seems like nothing this whole past week. Odd.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:55 am
But we have a QB. And he doesn’t cost much.
Carr or Mayfield will perform the same for this offense as Trask but cost way too much. This makes zero sense when we need other skilled positions.
February 4th, 2023 at 9:57 am
When will Jason Licht make a state of the team address , both last year and planes for 2023 ?
February 4th, 2023 at 10:24 am
Bring in Mayfield if they can sign him. Let Trask battle it out with him or just resign Gabbert and make him the starter and hopefully three years with Tom Brady have rubbed off on him.
February 4th, 2023 at 10:33 am
OK here come the hits. I suggested, in ways, it would be better if we lost the Panthers game and ended up with the 7-10 record the Panthers have. Yes, we wouldn’t have won the division and had that great playoff performance. Bowles might be gone. And we would have a slightly easier schedule next year. But we would have probably be picking at #9, in Carolina’s place. And we would have a shot to get the first round QB we could probably use, by including a second or third round pick to move up. So enjoy that division championship. Some of the same fans hammering me over that are talking about stinking next year and even tanking to get a good QB draft pick. What can I say?
February 4th, 2023 at 10:34 am
beanblo, where did you get the impression Brady wanted a veteran QB by his side? What possible information could Gabbert provide to Brady. His backup at NE was Garapolo then Hoyer was 3rd the veteran. It’s not like Falco next to Wislon, Falco brings valuable information.
DR, Who is to say Licht, BA & Brady had a say if BL’s job security? Bowles is the HC, he could have easily shown Licht or anyone involved the issues on offense this team was having and hired a intirm OC. If all these scapegoats you listed supported BL, then why is he gone NOW???
This team will have a very difficult time securing a quality OC after Bowles (Yes Bowles he is the HC) 2022 debacle. If you need to chase a desperate decent QB, go get Mayfield if the Jets or Indy aren’t already. He’d probably only cost $15M.
DR, you really enjoy your Bowl of Turd in the morning, don’t you.
February 4th, 2023 at 10:36 am
NE fan. Totally avoidable, as I said above. Struggling organizations keep doing the same things, making the same mistakes. Welcome to Bucworld.
February 4th, 2023 at 10:58 am
What comes first? Chicken or egg?
February 4th, 2023 at 11:10 am
All we had to do is fire Bowles before the Carolina game, promote Lefty to head coach to finish the season…two loses, no division championship with the post-game embarrassment, a top ten pick, then fire Lefty, hire a new HC, New DC, New OC. A little easier schedule and begin the rebuild. Of course, the playoff game revenue would be lost. But we would be starting the rebuild next year, rather than waiting a few years. Of course, Im no visionary like the Glaziers.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:11 am
NEfakefan why are you here ??? Go back to New England your comments don’t matter you are not a bucs fan !!!
February 4th, 2023 at 11:24 am
Primary need is some young hungry athletes on defense.
We got pushed all over the field in that playoff game. Since our superstar QB days are over and we have a defensive minded head coach, going to spend a big part of pur draft capital on that side of the ball.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:29 am
Arron Rodgers. Green Bay would trade him to a N F C team for first round pick this year and a second rounder next year. We could even throw in Donnie with the deal.. lol. Bottom line is that players and coaches would be lining up to play here if we could get Rodgers. Salary Cap means nothing, ask N.O. Lol. Make it happen Jason!
February 4th, 2023 at 11:31 am
Buc4. Wrong… The Packers and AR said they would NEVER be traded to an NFC team. I mean, speculation is OK…but maybe you could do just a simple internet search?
February 4th, 2023 at 11:36 am
NEMasshole,
It has been reported around these parts since Trask was drafted that Brady wanted a veteran as backup, not a rookie, as Brady was here to win Super Bowls. Which is totally understandable.
Further, Brady himself was an untested 6th round draft pick riding the bench when Drew Bledsoe got injured and Brady took over for the Patriots and never looked back. Brady knew his own history, and knew Gabbert was no threat.
More, Bucs quarterback coach CLYDE CHRISTENSEN himself said there would be NO COMPETITION between Trask and Gabbert, and JOE himself SAID IT TOO (see my post above quoting them).
Sorry to burst your false narrative with the facts.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:36 am
Oneilsuckyall, I was a bigger fan than you, I supported the entire team not just the minority players. At least I offered a suggestion with Mayfield. You probably don’t care for him either.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:38 am
And for those of you still lusting after AR. Just know, the Packers want a one and two this year, and probably a one and two next year. Of course, there would be stipulations of give some back if he retires after one year. But add that to the 50-million-dollar contract? Put the pipe down boys… it won’t happen.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:41 am
And considering where the Bucs are drafting this year, they might want an additional year one or two. SMH. Won’t happen, thank goodness.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:42 am
Nobody wants Roger’s salary, that’s $50M off the cap. I see him going to Jets or LV. Though the money he’d save in taxes is probably appealing since he is ALL for Karen. Bowles & Roger’s? Oil & water. Plus he needs to win some place or he goes down as the biggest choke.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:47 am
NE… I’ve been saying the Jets or LV for some time. The Jets may be one QB away from a real run. We aren’t close anymore. It would be the very picture of an inept organization to sell off the next decade for a one or two years QB play with Rodgers. Bowles is gone anyway, I think. But still…..
February 4th, 2023 at 11:48 am
“I’d trade Donovan smith, Jensen and mason. Shore up the line in the draft.”
LOL, you think you’re gonna replace 3 of your 4 best o-lineman in a single draft? Thank god the fans don’t manage this team lol.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:51 am
And agreed about Rodgers- too much salary AND too many draft picks to make that happen… (and packers said they won’t trade him to an NFC team)
February 4th, 2023 at 11:51 am
Sure Unbelievable….Teams will trade a franchise QB still playing at a superior level, for a one and two and a box of cracker jacks. Don’t you know? SMH.
February 4th, 2023 at 11:54 am
Frankly, at this point, I’d say roll with Trask and resign Gabby. If we lose over a dozen games while straightening out the Salary cap, that might be the best to be hoped for. Then hopefully draft the Franchise QB next year.
February 4th, 2023 at 12:13 pm
Look at the picture of that face, below the headline of this article.
That’s what abject failure looks like.
February 4th, 2023 at 12:32 pm
You can’t overpay for a second rate QB like Carr or Mayfield and expect to be better down the road. It is what it is. 2023 is the year to pay the piper. Let older free agents go, trade players with big contracts, and collect draft capital. Get a QB in next year’s draft.
February 4th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
They could have a roster of hall of famers. With The Abject Failure coiching the Bucs, they’d still lose 14 games.
February 4th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
The Bucs only won eight games last year with Brady. So think about it, whether his replacement is Carr, Mayfield, Brissett, Gabberr ot Trask there only going to win five or six games at the most. Hopefully we will hire an offensive coordinator before the draft.
February 4th, 2023 at 1:49 pm
@JimBobBucsFan – as I understand correctly Bowles is a tool.
February 4th, 2023 at 1:51 pm
Bucs would be wise to cut D smith, Gage, Fournette and Shaq. Save some $$$. Trade who you can but doubtful they would get anything back in these deals. Maybe Smith would land a 5th or 6th round. Gage possibly a late round. They paid him too much.
February 4th, 2023 at 2:02 pm
All Licht’s doing ..
bowles wins 8 games WITH Brady—how many will he win withOUT Brady ;; 3, maybe 4 .. “24 draft position will be better …….
February 4th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
There are people out there that think the Bucs can win the NFC south next season. Do you think the Panthers, Saints and Falcons will be better or worse next season? They should all be better. The Bucs won 8 games and beat 1 team with a winning record (Dallas week 1). Bucs could have very well had been a 5 win team had Brady not led them from behind with LATE wins against the Rams, Cards and Saints (all losing records)…
It’s laughable to hear Bowles say retooling. No buddy, you and Licht need to blow this sucker up. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE A BETTER TEAM WITHOUT BRADY. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE A BETTER TEAM WITH 23 free agents and 55M OVER THE SALARY CAP. Dude, gimme some of what you are smoking.
There is going to be no silver bullet(s) to fix this Bucs mess. It’s going to take time and patience. First, Bucs need to deal with the reality of being in salary cap hell… the price we paid to win a SB. Was it worth it? HELL YES! I give Licht/BA and company a lot of credit for getting Brady here and making it happen. Now they have to deal with clean up. Lets just hope that Team Glazer and Licht can create a long term viable plan to rebuild this team.
Dump salary and underperformers and you must trade some high priced good players and acquire more draft assets. The ONLY way is through the draft and that is going to take a few seasons. And just as important, figure out how you are going to get your 2nd franchise QB (Brady was the first). The Bucs have not had one EVER until TB12 came here three years ago. And I know for many of you that is a debate but not in my eyes.
February 4th, 2023 at 3:42 pm
Bowles is not in a position to demand anything from this team his job is to coach the the players on the field and the coaches on the field
February 4th, 2023 at 4:40 pm
@mark2001 . Maybe you should look around on the internet. There are a few very recent articles about the Bucs possibly making a run for Arron Rodgers. If the trade is good enough, the Packers would allow Rodgers to play for an NFC team outside of their division. At the end of the day it’s all speculation like everything else on this site, but who would have ever thought that we would end up with Brady. If anyone can make it happen, Jason can.
February 4th, 2023 at 6:17 pm
Aaron Roger’s isn’t a leader. He’s got one or two years left in him and many complained about Brady, what did Karen do last season? He’s on the down swing. Bucs don’t have anyone that matches Watsons speed. Roger’s doesn’t have a quick release, get him and where does the money come from for a oline and TE?
February 4th, 2023 at 7:38 pm
Aaron Rodgers, Carr, and maybe Mayfield are too expensive
Gabbert’s major mistake was getting drafted 10th overall by a crappy team.
Jim Harbaugh thought a lot of him and brought him to SF. Harbaugh went to Michigan and the Niners had a joke of a coach in Tomsula. Despite that Gabbert played as well as the team as a whole. Gabbert finished the 2015 season with 2,031 passing yards with ten touchdowns and seven interceptions for an 86.2 passer rating. In eight games as a starter, he had a 3–5 record. Not great but he is competent.
I still feel funny typing this but I’m finally ready to give Jameis a shot. He’s angry with N.O. for playing Dalton over him even after he had regained his health. N.O. is cutting JW loose. For the right amount of money would he not represent a decent gamble?
February 5th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
Jameis..no . Never. It would be rolling back all the Brady years, and saying, here we go again. That is good enough for us. I wish him luck. But this organization will never return to the five years of failure and futility that lead to the naming of the stadium rightfully, the den of depression.