A Crossroads Time For Todd Bowles
April 11th, 2023
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
When the Buccaneers’ head coach sat down for the Ira Kaufman Podcast in late February, one thing became crystal clear.
Todd Bowles believes inside linebacker Devin White is an extraordinarily rare talent who not only is the best player on his defense, but a man who also has turned into a true leader.
And now White wants out of Tampa, it was reported today by ESPN. He doesn’t like the idea of playing this season on his fifth-year option for nearly $12 million. White wants more and the Bucs don’t want to match his demands now, whatever they may be.
Bowles said at the NFL Scouting Combine that White makes plays he hasn’t seen in 30 years. Joe asked Bowles to elaborate.
“Sometimes we get wide punches and they fake the run fake and they throw the quick screen out wide, and they got two blockers on the cornerback and the safety. And Devin comes out of nowhere,” Bowles told Joe and Ira Kaufman. “I mean he flies across the field; and he keeps it to a three- or four-yard gain. He does some things that you just can’t coach and you just can’t do.
“His nose for the football is uncanny and it’s one of the best in the league. And there’s just not guys on every team that you can go around and say that about. And so for the few plays that he misses, you know I think we tend to beat him up more a little more than we should because the plays that he makes go unnoticed. He does a lot for our defense, he does a lot for our team, and I’m happy with him.”
Bowles also said White is a top-2 Bucs defensive player on a weekly basis. Joe followed up to ask who is the other guy in the top-2. Bowles said that honor changes weekly while White is a constant.
So why won’t the Bucs meet White’s salary demands? Joe can’t answer that, but Joe does know that if the Bucs are all-in with Bowles, then it’s logical to think they should be all-in with White.
Will the full truth come out here? That’s highly doubtful.
But rest assured that Bowles wants White in a Bucs uniform this season — desperately. It’ll be interesting to see if general manager Jason Licht and Team Glazer choose to step up and serve their head coach.
Flash poll posted at 7:08 p.m.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:25 pm
What are the best realistic trade scenarios?
April 11th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
Pittsburgh
April 11th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
Let’s hope there’s a reasonable reconciliation, but if none occurs, let’s get some value for him.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
Bloweszo fawns over him like a doting mother. No accountability, no consequences for blown coverages, missed tackles, poor technique, freelancing. Hence, Diva has zero respect for the doting mom Bloweszo. Who loves Jamel Dean so much he played him exclusively in the playoff blowout embarrassment to the Cows.
Whelp, Bloweszo lovers can have crow jambalaya now, as can Diva slurpers. Best to trade the selfish, self centered, overly egotistical Diva and get a bag of kale for him.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:28 pm
Imagine what Bowles could do with a good quarterback
April 11th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
I bet Mayfield’s alleged leadership has something to do with it.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
*played Dean exclusively on Short Bus teams.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
Could we realistically trade for lamar? I mean cap wise? Also i thought Devin white was more of a Mike evans LD type of player when it came to teamwork! If we can get a 2 and 3rd for him this draft I’d give the dueces ✌🏾 to him
April 11th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
He shouldn’t have put that B’s on tape in the game against Baltimore. That did it for me. He quit. Nobody can tell me any different. I want him gone. If any player doesn’t want to be here get rid of him. Especially the ones that are on film not giving 110%. Sell him for a 1st and get better.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:38 pm
Bowels at the crossroads. The fork in the road. One road leads to a green dumpster.
The other road…….leads to a blue dumpster.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
Diva probably can read, and read the. Loweszo “rare athlete” comment.
Proving that Bloweszo has the savvy of a slug. Sorry, but a successful head coach needs to have some EQ, not just IQ.
Bloweszo might have an IQ of 190, but his EQ is 5.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Trade him to the Cardinals!
April 11th, 2023 at 3:48 pm
Joe Says:
Uhhh, because HE’S NOT WORTH 20+ million per year. It’s that simple.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
You think the Bucs were bad last year? Pfff
You ain’t seeing nothing yet.
April 11th, 2023 at 3:53 pm
That $$ can be spent on Wirfs next year. What are the salary hits if we cut him?
April 11th, 2023 at 4:01 pm
@GboBucsfan
*I think* it’s +$12 mil in cap savings if he were to be traded, haven’t looked at Whites’ numbers relative to the cap since the season ended tho
April 11th, 2023 at 4:01 pm
This is just another knock against Toad. He coyly says ‘the other best Bucs defender fluctuates but White is the constant.’ Are you f’ing kidding me?? The most inconsistent player on this team is the constant? Todd, you’re either trying to coddle White (and failing) or you’re completely f’ing blind.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:01 pm
If you’re the Bucs you really have to think about blowing this whole thing up. Yeah we can maybe win the division but all the other teams that would make the playoffs are bound to blow us out. Get picks for him, Jensen, sh** I’d even take calls on Vita Vea. Get younger, find a QB and set a solid foundation on both sides of the ball. Think about it all the Golden area QBs are old and retiring. Time to find us our Pat Mahomes, Burrow, etc. hate to see it but I’m a fan of the team before the players
April 11th, 2023 at 4:01 pm
Everyone knows White a me first player. Every interview it screams he’s gonna do what’s best for him. If you didn’t see this coming after the Super Bowl…. You weren’t watching.
Come on Joe, you gonna tell me between you 2 and Ira that you don’t know what he wants for money or that this has been going on? I got $100 that says you did, but just can’t talk about it.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:05 pm
SB~LV Says:
April 11th, 2023 at 3:28 pm
Imagine what Bowles could do with a good quarterback
Is this a joke!
We had the GOAT and he squandered him. I would put a drunkard 12 yr old as coach before bowles
April 11th, 2023 at 4:08 pm
Linebacker is not a high impact position. He’s locked in for 2023 and can be tagged in2024. He has no leverage here.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:09 pm
Shouldn’t be surprised that the usual suspects are using this situation as another reason to bash Bowles. At least you guys are consistent.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:11 pm
Rashaan Evans is available.
He played well for the Falcons last year, more disciplined than White.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:11 pm
If you can’t replace a linebacker you don’t need to be a coordinator coach or GM. If he is that irreplaceable then at least it would be an excuse for I too 5 pick in the draft next year but I have a feeling we’d be fine without him
April 11th, 2023 at 4:15 pm
Why would they serve their head coach he stinks? Talk about a guy that was shoved down the fan base’s throat and the owner’s. BA did him a salad by waiting until it was too late for the organization to go out and look for a replacement. They had no choice but to give Bowles the job.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
How can Todd Bowles be such a great defensive coordinator, but also so moronic at the same time? Devin White is so inconsistent, yet Bowels thinks he is our constant in the top 2 each week? WHAT
April 11th, 2023 at 4:31 pm
Licht spent his money on Dean & LVD…….there’s only so much to go around…..Licht needs to anticipate these types of problems and act on them before it’s too late…..
Trade the man for the best pick you can get…….take some of the savings and pick up a FA ILB……because KJ Britt ain’t gonna fill the need.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:31 pm
White > Geraldini as the most hated Buccaneer as of 11 Apr 23.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:32 pm
White is getting blasted on Florio’s site as well.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:33 pm
He can play angry this year and walk next year if he wants and the Bucs can have the 3rd round comp pick.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:34 pm
Watch New England’s practice squad for one player that we can steal back: Olakunle Fatukasi. Go get him like we got Ryan Neal from Seattle.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:37 pm
Don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
If he wants more money he should move to edge rusher. Could he be capable of playing that position?
April 11th, 2023 at 4:46 pm
Did Wagner sign elsewhere? I’d love to David and Wagner together for a year.
April 11th, 2023 at 4:48 pm
When one of the captains is demanding to be traded, things have gone off the rails with players in that locker room I bet
April 11th, 2023 at 4:56 pm
IMO, we wasted a top 5 pick on a MLB that can’t fill a gap or take on a blocker, but boy is he fast…
The issue is simple, we are NOT getting back anywhere close to what we spent to draft him and we have no better options, he either plays on the option or he sits out the season
April 11th, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Nothing is off the rails in the LR. Diva is a 1000% me first youngun who never learned anything from LVD, ME, TB, CG, who are all quintessential in their awareness of compensation value and also the impact their demands have on the team, that is, winning.
Remember when Joe published “LVD and Diva don’t like each other?” Something like that. Here’s one of many reasons. Bowels is such a cupcake he doesn’t even listen to his best defender. He bloviates about rare talent, Diva demands to be the highest paid LB in the game as a result.
The headless couch. 2014 can’t come soon enough.
April 11th, 2023 at 5:19 pm
Wouldn’t it be fun if all these Bucs fans and ESPN “reporters” got trolled by some Bucs “sources”
April 11th, 2023 at 5:27 pm
What’s interesting is White experienced AB’s drama and Godwin’s tact, and he’s opting to go with the drama method?
April 11th, 2023 at 5:32 pm
SlyPirate – Diva is a rare athletic talent, but isn’t going to set any MENSA records. Send him off in a wheelbarrow for a kilo of horse droppings.
April 11th, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Hi long time reader. Due to the changes in advertising you have on your page I can no longer access your wonderful site at work. Please go back to the old way. I like reading you at work. I am concerned you my loose many other readers. Humble fan.
April 11th, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Trade the droolsh to the Browns. The Texans now have a head coach I wish we had. Trade the Diva to a place that will forever be fecal brown. Cleveland. I don’t care if we get a 2032 8th round pick and a side of warm coke slaw. Licht – tell Bloweszo “We don’t coddle prima donnas. Get over yourself and by the way, learn to teach his replacement his assignments, how to cover in pass pro, and that tackling is better done lower than the shoulder pads.
April 11th, 2023 at 5:40 pm
Blind man – cool that your employer is paying you to read JBF! Take it up with them, I’m sure they would accommodate the productivity for their business they would enjoy as a result.
April 11th, 2023 at 5:49 pm
At least BSPN and the NFL Network have a reason to talk about the Bucs now.
April 11th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Goatfarmer … ‘The headless couch. 2014 can’t come soon enough.’
Fascinating comment Goatfarmer. First off I didn’t know that couches had heads. But secondly, 2014? Sounds like you’ve missed a decade of so. Guess you’re still pining for Lovie Smith to come back as the Bucs’ coach.
BTW, 8 comments out of 43 total on this piece might be a new record even for you. Don’t misunderstand though. It’s not that 8 comments is excessive in & of themselves in your case; it’s probably not even your record. It just amazes me that anyone can pen 8 comments that say absolutely nothing with a single word of hope or useful information in them.
April 11th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Key word, Sometimes…
April 11th, 2023 at 6:10 pm
I asked the AI to make a poem about Devin White wanting a trade… It’s touching…
Devin White, you want to bolt?
From the team that gave you a jolt?
Aren’t you the one who talked tough,
Said you’re a warrior, never enough?
Now you want a change of scenery,
A move that’s really quite demeaning,
Leaving the champs for what, some cash?
What happened to loyalty, what a rash!
Don’t get me wrong, I get it, you’re a beast,
A linebacker with skills that never cease,
But jumping ship won’t earn you respect,
Just make you a player that’s quite suspect.
So before you make your big escape,
And join a team with a weaker tape,
Think about the fans, the team, the crew,
Who supported you when you were new.
Stay with the Bucs, make history,
Be a legend, a true victory,
For you’re a star, a force to reckon,
And leaving now would be a serious lesson.
April 11th, 2023 at 6:13 pm
…and one more AI post, this time I told the AI to write this out as if it was a movie… This is awesome as the AI, on its own, created a world where the Bucs win another SB! I could post a 100 of these, including rap songs, bad jokes, etc. AI is really going to hurt the Q-Zoo market the most.
Title: Loyalty’s Edge
Plot Summary: Devin White is a linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team he helped lead to a Super Bowl victory. But when he receives an offer from a rival team, he begins to question his loyalty to his current team and teammates.
As he contemplates his future, he begins to experience a series of vivid dreams in which he sees himself as a warrior in ancient times, fighting for his king and his kingdom. The dreams become more intense and real, and he starts to see parallels between his current situation and the ancient battles he is witnessing in his sleep.
With the help of a wise old mentor, Devin must navigate the conflict between his desire for personal gain and his loyalty to his team and his true identity as a warrior. Along the way, he discovers the importance of true loyalty, not just to his team but to himself and his values.
As the season progresses, Devin faces tough challenges on and off the field, but ultimately realizes that his loyalty to his team and his teammates is more important than any individual success. In the end, he leads his team to another Super Bowl victory and earns the respect and admiration of fans and players alike.
Loyalty’s Edge is a powerful story about the struggle between personal ambition and loyalty, and the importance of staying true to oneself and one’s values, no matter the cost.
April 11th, 2023 at 6:22 pm
But Bowles is a players coach, and everyone loves him.
NOT!
See what I did there.
Anywho, if Bowles wasn’t an idiot, he’d just have White blitz up the middle on nearly every play. That’s where White is an all-pro, when he’s running at the ball and creating havoc. But if you have White backpedaling and just playing in coverage, he’s nothing special. When, in 2021, the Bucs had all those injuries and were forced to play zone, I got it, you had no choice as guys off their couch couldn’t come in and play man-to-man. But last year, you had guys back healthy, and old Gutless Bowles went from being ultra aggressive under Arians, to being super passive and just letting White waste away in coverage. It’s stupid to not use guys in a way that plays to their abilities, in particular when they’re a special talent.
White is probably the best interior pass rushing LB’s in the NFL, so use him that way.
And to the idiots out there, just because White isn’t David (who should be a 1st ballot HOF’er), that doesn’t mean you toss them aside. You don’t get a ton of HOF’ers, it’s pretty rare in fact, you still need your good old pro-bowl and all-pro players, and even just plain old starters.
April 11th, 2023 at 6:31 pm
Draft day trade! Maybe someone picking at the bottom of the 1st will pull the trigger! That wouldn’t be bad for a average looking LB the past 2 seasons.
April 11th, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Hilarious how these morons want to dump a LB who looked ‘average’ the last two years, yet they embrace literally the worst QB in the NFL for the last two years.
Zero consistency.
April 11th, 2023 at 6:52 pm
What if Tampa trades ALL of their bud light to Baltimore for Lamar?
April 11th, 2023 at 7:08 pm
It amazes me how people can continue to utter the same insults and b!tching about Bowles day after day after day. You’d think they’d get tired of it all and maybe look for reasons to be hopeful, at least once in a while, just so they could get some relief from their own negativity.
April 11th, 2023 at 7:30 pm
What is Bowles talking about? The Diva ‘flies across the field’ because he’s in the wrong place probably. He further uses an example where the play is set up properly but gets busted up by White. What? That’s what all linebackers do. It’s their job, Todd. Ask your previous OC about busted up screen plays. Not really a glory filled moment. I’d love to see Diva get his glory but unfortunately that’s on the other side of consistency and that’s just a gap he can’t hit.
He doesn’t want to be here. I don’t see a reason to keep him. At least he got a Superbowl with us.
April 11th, 2023 at 7:35 pm
Rod Munch they believe whatever buzz hits the wire. Having said that, I don’t think White is worth 100 million. Tied 24th in the league in tackles – most on that list are LBs. He’s a good player, but I think he is overestimating his value.
April 11th, 2023 at 7:36 pm
J – never happen. The Glazers covet their Bud Light.
April 11th, 2023 at 7:40 pm
Is there any reason DW can’t be an edge? If he’s good he’ll make twice the money
April 11th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
Draft another stud linebacker in the draft and let Devin go. Maybe he will grow up someplace else, but I doubt it. He is a one trick pony and that is a delayed blitz up the middle.
Other than that he is barely a linebacker. He can’t cover, he can’t seal an edge and he is bad as a regular blitzer.
April 11th, 2023 at 8:30 pm
Only 12 mill?????? Have a good year and you’ll be rewarded.
April 11th, 2023 at 8:32 pm
White is not dumb He knows what going to happen with Toilet Bowles next year
April 11th, 2023 at 8:33 pm
What a deceptive headline. I WISH it was a crossroads time “for Todd Bowles”. Him being fired could not happen soon enough. Heck, can we push him to the crossroads right now, and push him into the “goodbye” part of it?
As for Devin White, shrug. Things like this always go back to questions at the top. What is this team about? What is Bowles Ball about, besides losing? What time horizon are we talking about until it’s over?
If it is time for a reset, decide who is dead wood, how much is worth it for jaded veterans who have been products of a bad culture for years, and can they transition to a future regime?
April 11th, 2023 at 8:34 pm
Pay the man,” the money I was worried they would let David slip through your fingers he is worth it Steven D Carroll of. Logansport in
April 11th, 2023 at 8:46 pm
It hasn’t even been confirmed that it is about money. Maybe Devin sees no hope in the near future with Bowles at the helm. You know, like everyone else thinks.
April 11th, 2023 at 8:51 pm
Rod, I am fascinated with that AI stuff. Well worth reading. I have not seen Bowles have much success in evaluating players, but if his head is right, I see Devin improving and he does have talent. Last year sucked for many players. I don’t know what has really honked Devin off but I don’t see it just as salary. I hope he tells someone the real reasons that he wants to be traded. I hate to see him go if he gets his mind right, but at this point that seems to be off the table.
April 11th, 2023 at 8:54 pm
TRADE THE SELFISH A.H….USE HIM & SOME PICKS (EVEN #19THIS YEAR )TO MOVE UP TO #3 & GET THE CARDINALS PICK..USE IT TO DRAFT WILSON,ARMSTEAD OR O’CYRUS TORRANCE..THE LINES NEED HELP !, ANTHONY RICHARDSON IS A QB WHO WILL DOMINATE AFTER BEING COACHED UP A WHILE..
April 11th, 2023 at 9:18 pm
I asked AI how to get the Bucs on the road to winning.
AI said: Fire Bowles.
April 11th, 2023 at 9:54 pm
Is this the joe Bucs fan page or the Rod Munch blog?
April 11th, 2023 at 10:22 pm
White needs some more horse feed. You know that just leads to a heaping steamy pile of shi_!
April 11th, 2023 at 10:27 pm
Defense Drules – ever had a typo in a post? No, I’m sure not. 2024 d-head.
Results. Yet another Bloweszo beauty. Never held his prima donna accountable, then raved about him, and now – time for your 12,000 word diatribe of excuses.
April 11th, 2023 at 10:30 pm
$12 M isn’t enough to play? $12 M ? Apparently he never worked at Wal-Mart when he was 16!!!
April 11th, 2023 at 10:35 pm
I’m totally surprised that Devin doesn’t want to play for the defensive genius Bowles! The guy who defends him to no end! To no end!
April 11th, 2023 at 11:03 pm
It kind of puts in perspective his status previously with the undertone of I’m out. I would cash out now or if he can come to a reasonable agreement for the next couple of seasons because we are down bad in cap and have wirfs contract coming in 2025 and we have Winfield who is coming up in the 2024 season if rather have wirfs and Winfield over white 🤷🏻♂️
April 11th, 2023 at 11:28 pm
¿What is it with LSU and malcontents?
Guess he wants Roquan Smith money. I wouldn’t do it. Right now if I have to chose to play a game without LVD or Devin. I’m choosing to play without Devin everytime.
April 11th, 2023 at 11:29 pm
Let him go. Overrated.
April 11th, 2023 at 11:30 pm
Well I’m excited for the season can’t wait until it starts, and it will most likely be a lot better than most think here go bucs.
April 11th, 2023 at 11:43 pm
Licht had to be overjoyed when his headless coich (not couch, apologies to couches for the previous typo) hyped the underperforming overrated prima donna , eliminating any internal leverage for the Bucs. Maybe this is my 10th post in this thread? Yeah! I might post 15 more. And still won’t come close to the number of words some soft plate types in every entry without ever deviating from “safe” except to defend Toad’s Bowels and reject results as a proper metric. More excuses to be regurgitated.
April 12th, 2023 at 12:30 am
Bunch of fake fans ! You sound just as bad as Devin White .. No wonder he wants to leave , and for the record , he is a top 4 ILB .. Go Bucs
April 12th, 2023 at 1:50 am
Cobraboy Says:
I asked AI how to get the Bucs on the road to winning.
AI said: Fire Bowles.
——
HAHA… that sounds way to accurate to be genuine AI.
April 12th, 2023 at 1:57 am
Crickett Baker – The AI stuff is available to the public, the big one that everyone is talking about is ChatGPT, just sign-up and talk to it as if it was a person, and you’ll be amazed at what it can do. Just keep in mind it’s dataset ends in like Sept 2021, so it’s not currently meant to deal with current topics. But you can do fun stuff like tell it to respond as if it was Todd Bowles, and you’ll get boring Todd Bowles answers. Tell it to write a rap song about how Devin White wants to ride his horse out of Tampa, and seconds later, you’ll have a song written. Ask it to write a movie about a talking horse that gets the head coaching job of the Buccaneers, and boom… continued below…
April 12th, 2023 at 2:00 am
Title: The Talking Horse: A Gambler’s Redemption
Summary: Lucky is a retired racehorse with a gambling addiction, owned by the shady Max. Lucky is sold to a family in Tampa Bay where he discovers his talent for football and offers to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator. However, Lucky’s gambling addiction resurfaces, and he’s tempted to bet on the outcome of the Buccaneers’ games. Meanwhile, Max shows up in Tampa Bay, looking for Lucky and hoping to use his talking abilities for his own gain. Lucky must navigate his old demons and stay focused on the game if he wants to help the team win the Super Bowl. With a mix of edgy humor and comedy, Lucky and his friends overcome the odds, and Lucky finally redeems himself in the eyes of his family and the team.
April 12th, 2023 at 7:34 am
Despite what Bowles says he simply is not the best player on our defense!
Lavaonte? Come on man!
Vea? Come on man!
Winfield Jr.? Come on man!
Shaq? Come on man!
And I really don’t think he is top five!….Come on man!!!
He does make the occasional splash play, (Most of those are Bowles called scheme blitzes that many if not all LBs could make) but when you blow three for every one of those splash plays? You are not a ProBowl alternate…what a joke…you are not even a good teammate! Every blown play causes your teamates problems! Running around like you just won the Lottery does not make you a leader either!
April 12th, 2023 at 7:39 am
umm Rod ? you okay bro?
to many Budweisers me thinks.
April 12th, 2023 at 7:55 am
Stick Britt in there, find a cheap veteran free agent warm body, Trade the asshat for what you can get. Round doesn’t matter. Pay now or get nothing for him later. We have made that mistake before.
Also despite what has been reported he does have trade value just not 20 mil worth. Kinda hoping for a 3 and a 4.