Bucs Are Playing “Show Me”
May 8th, 2023
Will trust be rewarded?
No, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is not from Missouri. But he is using a Missouri philosophy, Joe believes, on two areas that could make or break the Bucs this season.
You know, the “Show Me State?”
Licht decided to play along with the Baker Mayfield Product. If Mayfield shows he belongs as an NFL starter — he showed flashes last year with the Rams — the Bucs have their quarterback for the next few years.
And then there is last year’s league-worst running game. Yet Licht, aside from a meh free agent, chose not to upgrade or draft a running back in a draft loaded with running backs.
Show us, Rachaad White, Licht is basically saying.
An unnamed NFL suit says the Bucs are going this “Show Me” route. Mike Sando of The Athletic wrote a column using quotes from unnamed NFL executives’ takes on teams’ post-draft outlook.
One unnamed executive thinks if Mayfield can rebound and the Bucs find success with the run game, playoffs are not a stretch for Tampa Bay.
“What they did a nice job of was just building depth,” an exec said. “The first three picks were value picks. That roster can compete in that division. Some will fall on the quarterback, and then, can they get the running game going?”
Sorry, Joe cannot get worked up about running back Chase Edmonds, who didn’t even run for 250 yards last year. That’s not a guy to help the worst rushing attack balloon to, say, just average.
This is why “this Joe” thinks the Bucs had a solid draft this year while at the same time positioned themselves to make a run at a quarterback in next spring’s draft.
If Mayfield and White don’t show us they are quality starters, the Bucs very likely get a decent or high draft pick next spring.
May 8th, 2023 at 5:29 am
Hey there it is
May 8th, 2023 at 7:11 am
I disagree. I think the Bucs will win the division. I’m about to drop serious cash on the over / under win total of 6.5 games. Taking the over of course.
May 8th, 2023 at 7:50 am
No way the Bucs finish first they didn’t do anything to improve the team. This team had a lot more talent last year and only won 8 games.
May 8th, 2023 at 7:59 am
That’s the beauty of next season, in that if we win, we win, and if we lose, we win. It’s the perfect time to let the younger guys and even vets prove they belong and are long term answers. If not, we can move on next year.
May 8th, 2023 at 8:12 am
Anyone who actually WATCHED the Buc’s games last year knows why we didn’t run the ball well
May 8th, 2023 at 8:38 am
How many starters did we draft this year? Maybe 1 starter this year.
May 8th, 2023 at 8:42 am
If u drafted better you wouldn’t have to say that
May 8th, 2023 at 9:04 am
We brought in a backup QB and the management is talking him up. The team is after the #1 pick in my opinion. But the problem is their always is a few worse teams. And bowles is trying to save his job.
May 8th, 2023 at 9:09 am
Linebacker Devin White is also getting the “show me” treatment as well…
May 8th, 2023 at 9:34 am
First of all we have an easier schedule.
I think we have a better offensive coordinator too.
This alone sounds help.
Then adding Tucker and the speedster from Nebraska as well as Payne Durham should give us more weapons.
We just need the line to be sorted out.
I think the defense will be aggressive and QBs will be harassed all game.
Baker or Kyle just needed to be average and we will be better then last year.
May 8th, 2023 at 9:39 am
Definitely better starting pieces on the OLine but it’s May and we lost Jensen well past this time last year
Salary exchange of Lenny for Chase – both basically receiving backs now
White is a slasher but man he is slight for 250-300 rushes –
I completely agree we do t have enough depth at RB – maybe one of the UDFA hits
We did basically rebuild our pass rush in one offseason- maybe the backfield reset at RB/QB is on test for next year….
May 8th, 2023 at 10:12 am
Just a thought but even if we preformed middle-of-the-pack, we could still maybe go for Jordan Travis next draft? He would provide help to the run game since he is a major threat with his legs and wouldn’t go super early in the draft. Got an accurate arm and is a nightmare if he escapes the pocket. Rooting for Trask in the meantime though.
May 8th, 2023 at 10:55 am
Joe, you’re fixated on the RB personnel. Don’t forget the biggest change from last year (aside from Brady) is the arrival of Canales. Perhaps the scheme was flawed rather than a lack of talent.
May 8th, 2023 at 12:20 pm
Absolutely PSL Bob
May 8th, 2023 at 1:12 pm
With as many positions open in terms of need to find starters and depth, yea show us you belong here. 2023 is basically “Who Wants to be a Buccaneer” until final roster cuts.
May 8th, 2023 at 1:26 pm
Lt. Dan – you forget who the HC is?
May 8th, 2023 at 1:46 pm
At QB we’ve got Jeckle and Hyde. Trask is Jeckle cuz he seems to have skills, but he’s too mild mannered. Mayfield is Hyde. He has fiery leadership skills, but can get a little wild out there for his own good. We probably need both to play well because Baker will be the favorite start out of the gate, but either erratic play or his fragility will likely have Kyle getting a good amount of time also. More than anything else, this two headed monster will determine our 2023 season.
May 8th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
@Canabuc,
Actually, one of the things going against the Bucs this season is that we’ll have another #1 schedule again. I’m not sure which outside division we play this year (it was NFC West last year), but regardless, with us winning the NFC South we’ll be slated for the #1 seed schedule in 23-24.
I do agree that based on our roster, we have the players to compete with any NFC south team. The difference is those other teams, especially CAR and ATL will be matched against weaker teams (based on last season’s records).
I still think we compete for the division. I know we lost Tom, but even with him we had a bottom 5 offense. And even with a bottom 5 offense (and competing with last season’s #1 seed schedule) we won the division based on our Defense and overall talent. So long as we don’t lose the turnover battle we should be able to compete.
May 8th, 2023 at 3:07 pm
“Actually, one of the things going against the Bucs this season is that we’ll have another #1 schedule again. I’m not sure which outside division we play this year (it was NFC West last year), but regardless, with us winning the NFC South we’ll be slated for the #1 seed schedule in 23-24.”
Outside of the 6 games against division opponents we play the AFC South, NFC North, Eagles, Bills and the 49ers in SF(again).
May 8th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
Mayfield will not be the starter. It will be Trask. That’s a fact!!
May 8th, 2023 at 3:53 pm
The Bucs roster is way too good to finish 32 out of 32, which is what it takes to get the no. 1 overall draft pick. And even if they did get that pick, to lose that many games (14-17), the rest of the Bucs roster would have to be horrible, which is not the case. There’s a reason no. 1 pick quarterbacks always struggle in their first or first several years in the league – they’re playing on bad teams.
Look if neither one of Trask or Mayfield produces, the Bucs are going to have to get a new QB in a trade or free agent deal. They can be had – just ask Drew Brees and Tom Brady and their GMs. That way a team can become instantly credible with a good supporting cast to go around the quarterback.
And for teams that do draft no. 1 overall – just ask the Bucs how well that went in 2015.
May 8th, 2023 at 4:00 pm
@Duane
Agreed, folks are in too much of a hurry to project our outcome this season, w/o even factoring in the other teams we play. There’s a good amount of our schedule we’ll be facing teams either starting rookie QBs or 1st year starters. Carr, Allen, Hurts, and dare I say Kirk Cousins will probably be the toughest QBs our defense sees.
May 8th, 2023 at 6:32 pm
There is so much talk about what our offense will do this year. This league does everything it can to help offenses succeed. I’m worried about the D.
Can our defense:
1. Create pressure only rushing four.
2. Stop the run without a big body next to Vea.
3. Create turnovers.
If we do those things on D, we will score enough points to win.
May 8th, 2023 at 8:53 pm
All great points @Dooley but remember Carolina managed to get the 1st pick and they almost beat us for the division lead last year so it is possible though you could argue that was an outlier. Getting that #1 pick next year via trade ala Panthers is likely difficult or expensive because of the talent level of the QB’s
May 9th, 2023 at 2:15 am
Amazing how many folks seem to think the #1 pick is a golden ticket to success. It’s as if nobody even pays attention anymore.
May 9th, 2023 at 3:26 am
Come on guys!
Not a single QB in the league is NOT on “Show me status”
Add to that the fact that we couldn’t sign an elite level QB for lack of money and there really were not any availble. So we got what we got! Let the competition begin!
No way to tell what we had last year in the running game when 3 of 5 of your O line is crap, very inexperienced and playing out of position. And you refuse to run behind the 2 that can block.
Not to mention Leftnut’s absurd play calling.
Its annoying to me when people pin a poor running game souly on the lack of a premeire RB.
Simply I think Licht understands this Joe.
May 9th, 2023 at 3:30 am
Please stop with all the Tank talk Joe.
It is getting very old.