“They’re Trying To Lose Privately In Tampa”
August 4th, 2023
“Look, Glazer, we’re not doing that again no matter what FOX reports.”
A big-name analyst who claims to have an army sources — and he does — has expanded his assault on Baker Mayfield into a full-blown attack on the credibility of Bucs general manager Jason Licht.
Joe gives an official middle finger to FOX Sports headliner Colin Cowherd, who was hammering away on the Bucs and Mayfield on his podcast this week with former Philadelphia Eagles scout John Middlekauff.
Speaking on the podcast that bears his name, Cowherd suggested Mayfield should retire if he loses the starting job to Kyle Trask. In Cowherd’s mind, Mayfield neither has the mental makeup to be a backup nor the prowess to be a successful starter.
So he fits right in with the Bucs, Cowherd said. Why? Because the Bucs are low key tanking.
“They’re trying to lose privately in Tampa,” Cowherd said. “You get to 1-5, they’re moving pieces at the trade deadline. They’ve got players.”
Cowherd suggested the Bucs could lose their first four games and Mayfield would be benched for Trask at the bye week, if Mayfield even wins the job. A start like that for Mayfield would destroy his “brand,” said Cowherd, who suggested any hint of failure this season for Mayfield should have him calling college football networks for an analyst job.
Per the body language and one-word comments of Middlekauff, he agreed with the nonsense takes.
Joe is angered by this stuff and hopes Licht gets Cowherd’s producer on the phone and asks for a little equal time. It won’t happen, but Joe can dream.
The Bucs aren’t tanking. That doesn’t mean the plan wouldn’t shift if this season falls apart, but there’s no private yearning to lose at One Buc Palace. Thankfully!
Tanking is a massive gamble and a loser mentality. A No. 1 or No. 2 or No. 3 overall pick quarterback is no golden ticket. One need only look to the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 NFL Drafts for rock hard evidence.
August 4th, 2023 at 12:36 pm
Colin spews out any notion that comes to his mind. I started listening to that drivel and turned it off.
August 4th, 2023 at 12:36 pm
Click bait Colin.
August 4th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
So the plan is to move your best players, get the number one pick and bring your savior QB to a depleted roster. What could go wrong?
August 4th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
Cowturd is the absolute worst. The man’s more of a joke than Skip.
August 4th, 2023 at 12:40 pm
Heres an idea. Let’s assume for the sake of debate that the Bucs are mediocre regardless which QB they start…
Would you rather develop Trask so he can either be a starter or better backup for the future, or ride it out with a guy who won’t be on the team at all next year?
August 4th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Joe said: “Tanking is a massive gamble and a loser mentality. A No. 1 or No. 2 or No. 3 overall pick quarterback is no golden ticket. One need only look to the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 NFL Drafts for rock hard evidence.”
Agreed! One Trask in the hand is better than two in the bush!
August 4th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
Just in time, Joe finds a backhanded excuse for why Trask will start: not because he’s outplaying Mayfield, but because the Bucs are “tanking”. Joe’s “anger” at this is fake: when Trask starts it won’t be because Joe was wrong about Mayfield, but because the Bucs are tanking. Get it?
August 4th, 2023 at 12:49 pm
“Cowherd suggested the Bucs could lose their first four games and Mayfield would be benched for Trask at the bye week”
I personally think he is close to being right. I don’t know if I think we will lose the first 4 games…I think we have a chance in our first game. but…if I remember right, we have 5 games before the bye week?
I think 1-4 or 2-3 is the best we can hope fore in those games.
August 4th, 2023 at 12:50 pm
Except for injury, I do not believe we will see Trask before the bye week, unless it is the last half of that final game.
August 4th, 2023 at 1:02 pm
That last paragraph looks like a familiar take in a recent cup of Joe this week. But cheers, glad we’re in agreement!
August 4th, 2023 at 1:06 pm
More bulletin board material.
Cowturd is more shock jock than analyst.
He basically just says whatever…..
I know Bowles is downplaying all the outside negative noise publicly – but I hope he is privately reminding his players on a daily basis – that almost NO ONE who covers the NFL believes this year’s Bucs team can be winners…. and that the players who remain on this team are NOTHING without Brady….
August 4th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
Hey Bonzai, ….. Why? Or better yet, Why Not?
August 4th, 2023 at 1:09 pm
Controversy and sensationalism sells … errr gets clicks
August 4th, 2023 at 1:18 pm
Uhh ohhhh Wirfs just said he is struggling mentally with the position switch, someone get Joe a big storm ASAP!!!
August 4th, 2023 at 1:22 pm
Colin Coward is not a credible source….he has been God awful even when he was here for too long…put simply..He Sucks!
August 4th, 2023 at 1:37 pm
Cowherd is a puffed up a*s who seems to believe his own BS … always has been, always will be. Can’t stand him.
Why is it sports networks employ newscasters that normal people hate?
Do they think they are building their brand by pissing off viewers who aren’t themselves aholes? SMH
August 4th, 2023 at 1:48 pm
Colin’s appetite for foolish takes is boundless.
August 4th, 2023 at 1:50 pm
I think the Bucs believe that in this division none of the QB’s are any good and they have a solid chance of winning the division with Traskfield. A strong defense and a good running game can help a mediocre QB. Don’t think they want to tank, just trying to deal with the cap situation and try to win in a lousy division.
August 4th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Same guy that said with the Draft in 2018 that Cardinals and Jets won the Draft by getting Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold. Went on to say any team that got a QB won.
He’s a BUM.
August 4th, 2023 at 2:01 pm
the one thing that has me thinking we could have something here, is the sheer fact that NO ONE, save a couple guys on DFS sites, think the Bucs have a glimmer of hope. Even in the midst of 2-14 seasons, people would say nice things. Could be a whole bunch of WRONG out there.
August 4th, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Colon cowturd 🪳
August 4th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
People still watch this bloviating bastard?
This is why the “mainstream media” is a joke & nobody pays any attention to them, everyone pontificates with views and clicks in mind not with their true thoughts or analysis, which I believe Colin Cowturd has none.
This is also why JBF is so successful and these BSPN or Fox douchers are circling the drain.
Totally agree with the last two paragraphs, Joe. There are no guarantees in the draft and burning down to build up with unknown talent makes zero sense to me.
August 4th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Who would be trying to lose? Would they let Bowles in on it?
August 4th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
Colin is not known for his accurate takes his job is to spark conversation and make headlines not be right.
If the Bucs are secretly tanking they are not good at it, too many good players here to be in a position to have a top 2 or 3 pick.
August 4th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
If Cowdturd knew anything about Evans, Godwin, David, he’d know there’s no way this team tanks with guys of that caliber. Bucs are in it to win it.
August 4th, 2023 at 3:29 pm
Joe … ‘The Bucs aren’t tanking. Tanking is a massive gamble and a loser mentality.’
Fantastic to see you take a stand Joe. If we took a poll, I’d bet that 90% or more of Bucs’ fans are anti-tanking. Besides, with the talent we’ve got on both offense and defense, there’s no way these players wouldn’t immediately see through that IF the Bucs’ hierarchy even tried to tank. And Bowles WOULD lose the locker room … and his job.
The trouble with guys like Cowterd is that they’ll never admit they’re wrong (‘trying to lose privately in Tampa’ is a ridiculous analysis). His ‘out’ will be if the Bucs do well at the beginning of the season, then he’ll claim that ‘something strange happened on the way to the coliseum’. Ya Cowterd, like you’ll be proven wrong & the Bucs’ TEAM turns out to be pretty decent after all.
August 4th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Look, I don’t give a rat’s patootie what the pundits say. ( I do appreciate Joe keeping us abreast of this Idiocracy)
Jason Licht has written us an unexpected ticket to January football. Even if Baker loses to Trask, he’s a fine, high ceiling backup for peanuts. Ryan Neal was the PFF top rated safety last year and we signed him for pocket change. Greg Gaines is a pretty darn good NT…for a very affordable price. Matt Feiler was a fairly safe pickup for a very affordable price. Mr. Licht appears to have bestowed us with an exceptionally good draft. We have a better OC…he couldn’t be worse, I guess. We have an unbelievable array of UDFAs at crucial positions of need.
Count my upheld fingers, NFL media…it should be only half the time it takes to count your hands.
August 4th, 2023 at 4:24 pm
Colin coward and he is a coward has had a hard on and hatred for Baker Mayfield since his days in college. I’m a Baker Mayfield fan the guy never quits he never gives up and he gives you 100% on the field win or lose. Colin keeps saying this is Baker’s last chance and he criticizes him for only getting signed for 8 million dollars. The Bucks didn’t have any money to give him any more money. Baker said this is where he wanted to come to. This was the team he wanted to play for. He got screwed in Cleveland after he helps save the franchise him and Nick Chubb in Miles Garrett. They traded him so late in the year to Carolina. He had a couple of good wins down in LA. The man just wanted a chance a fair shot. I think he’s going to do good maybe not great but I think he’s going to do good. Come on give him a chance.
August 4th, 2023 at 4:32 pm
coward is right when it comes to baker….but wrong regarding to bucs…
GO BUCS!!!!
August 4th, 2023 at 5:07 pm
The dumb part about what they are saying is if we’re gonna have a freaking top five pick uh I’m sorry why would we need to get rid of our weapons and assets? You help your rookie with targets and a great defense. It’s so funny how these guys make crazy money so they think what they say always makes sense
August 4th, 2023 at 5:20 pm
Privately tanking because we didn’t sign who? Who was out there to get us to the playoffs again that we had the salary cap to sign? If fans were able to call them out directly some of these clowns wouldn’t have work and the rest would be extremely careful about what they say.
August 4th, 2023 at 6:03 pm
Cowturd is a dead armadillo that’s been in the Florida summer sun for 6 hours….
August 4th, 2023 at 6:31 pm
September is only weeks away and then all will be revealed. Until then…next Friday we get to watch the Buc’s 2nd, 3rd, and 4th stringers play a bit!
Joe, Will BM and KT play in these games? If so, will some starters play, too?
August 4th, 2023 at 6:36 pm
i hope joe decides to replay this artcle after the bucs week 1 win.
August 4th, 2023 at 6:48 pm
tank and gamble on a rookie qb for a 5 year period to become the next great thing…?
it has yet to happen for us…ever…
bring in the proper veteran qb and see how we flourish…?
this has definitely happened…in 2002 and 2020…
see what you have this year at some positions, tweek and adjust…and go with the flow at the qb position…see how things play out this year for 2 guys who are each potentially having career defining seasons…
and if they don’t pan out, get that next seasoned and savvy qb to hit the open market as our cap space eases…
heck, look at the jets….they’re doing a tom brady copy cat move in new york…defensively they’re superbowl somewhat ready, and they needed to get the offense up to speed…they’re copying the bucs blueprint in a way – yet we had the offense primed and ready to roll, while they have the defensive unit that’s ready to compete for a title
August 4th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
Haters gonna hate, that’s all this is. No one really knows how the season is going to go or who’s going to be any good. It changes rapidly in the NFL.
August 4th, 2023 at 7:56 pm
Cannot stand Cowhead! Watched him for a few minutes years ago and switched channels for good. I do think has more potential for the future, maybe even now. It’s the Bucs huge mistake for ignoring him totally for 2 years.
August 4th, 2023 at 8:24 pm
You know its a funny world.
That Baker college football broadcaster Colin take came from this board.
How do I know?
I’m the one who posted it.
I’m not mad about it – a good take is a good take and I’m glad it got echoed.
The funny thing is it’s not even my take either. I got it at the proverbial water cooler at work from someone else. Just like Colin, I said wow that makes a lot of sense. Baker would be a great sports broadcaster/analyst.
Oklahoma is joining the SEC in 2025. Could you imagine OK v LSU or even better OK v FLORIDA? Great for Baker Mayfield, great for Oklahoma and great for the game of college football.
The only way it’s not a good idea is if Baker has a big season this year and gets the big contract. Then OK, punting on a TV job makes sense. Otherwise look at what Colin said. You don’t want to become a punchline. When you step away do it with dignity.
And before everyone gets upset, let’s have a little perspective here. The guy who’s take it was is a 33 year old struggling underpaid IT worker, father of two small children married to a school teacher. They got more love than money for sure. Can’t find a bigger hearted guy – big OU fan living in Point Pilot, TX – a place I’m guessing Mayfield could recognize. A guy who is a big fan and just wants to kick back on a Saturday with a Coor’s Light and watch a little college ball with his good buddy Baker Mayfield.
Can Baker really be mad? Colin all but locked up a TV career for him. I know I certainly didn’t do that. So after Mayfield cashes in on TV money, and he’s with his wife taking instagram photos of their Caribbean vacation – before he thinks about what could have been, he should consider that small town North Texas fan and his family.
We all should have such blessings.
August 4th, 2023 at 9:22 pm
I Agree with Colin C. We As A Team haven’t showed anything else to say we trying to win Blame it on the cap all you want we could Have gotten a better QB… But I’m totally fine with Kyle winning the job
August 4th, 2023 at 9:44 pm
@Mark Maletic
>> Colin coward and he is a coward has had a hard on and hatred for Baker Mayfield since his days in college.
Actually for a short tim he bandwagoned for Baker after the raiders game. Outside of that you nailed it
I like his take here because it just shows how ridiculous talking heads can get in sports. Its just asinine Baker shoudl retire if trasks wins the job. Should trask win the job its HIGHLY unlikely with his experience level he will just sail through every game. Odds are pretty good both Qbs are going to see action. All baker needs to do is show he ‘s a solid backup and he’d be welcomed with open arms back in LA which In my mind as Baker fan Myself is where he should have stayd. They wanted him and love him after his sting there but he didn’t want to wait for Stafford to retire and play backup for them until he does which can;t be too long off.
His take on the buc s tanking is almsot as bad. Maybe I could see it in another division but this division is winnable and wide open.
August 4th, 2023 at 10:05 pm
hah i remember cowherd when he was a hack on the new sprots radio fad here in tampa!! damn im old..
August 4th, 2023 at 10:05 pm
@ Mike S
>When you step away do it with dignity.
and theres where your whole argument falls apart. being beat by a third stringer and ending on that note in no planet called earth would be stepping away with dignity
NO disrespect intended but its highly doubtful Colin had to get the idea of TV for baker (progressive ads anyone?) from anyone on this blog – Baker as a commentator has been bandied about for a while. Its almost always talked about for any colorful player and his commercials were received very well. You are likely tooting your own horn just a weeee bit there.
Baker woudl be far better off as a back up somewhere behind some one likely to not play an entire season ( like where he was in LA which many fans of him wished he woudld have been open to staying with as a back up ) hopefully at th least if not winning the starting job there have a game somewhere like he did with the raiders game that goes down in team lore and then retire
Saying I lost to a third stringer so I am done as a dignified exit is to me jsut totally insane. closet trask fan? anyoen backign that insane idea is an instant suspect no matter what he claims as a closet baker hater.
August 4th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
Cowherd???Seriously Joe???
August 5th, 2023 at 12:02 am
Mike Anthony who knows how that take lifted off? Doesn’t matter. It’s not that I’m a hater, but I know what I saw last season.
You don’t bring a guy who’s had documented issues with turnovers, never thrown for 4K in a season on his 4th team coming off a pitiful season like last year and throw around these “Trask has to be head and shoulders better” takes. Just utter garbage.
I don’t know which is worse – that the narrative was floated – or that it was floated and the homers here didn’t laugh it out of the room.
We just had Tom Brady here. Tom effen Brady. Now you’re selling me Baker? You must think I’m stupid – that we’re all stupid. We all just witnessed what greatness looked like and we know it ain’t Baker Mayfield. That emperor has no clothes.
You want to say we bring in Baker to compete and give him one more shot at being a franchise guy? Even that’s a stretch, but maybe I can see that – but’s baker that has something to prove and not Trask. Handing Mayfield the job on a wink and a nod is ridiculous. The truth is if Baker loves the game and wants to stick it out he needs to take the Geno Smith route. Get humble, spend a couple of seasons as a backup, work on his game and try to find a situation. Can the guy do that? I don’t know. Doesn’t seem like it. If not then TV is the better bet.
As far as this Trask is a 3rd stringer nonsense. Have any of you watched any tape on Trask? I can’t see how you have.
You don’t draft a Heisman finalist and sit him behind Baker Mayfield after he sat behind Tom Brady – especially when the guy has been humble, has been a hard worker, has been a coachable team player and now is coming on. Don’t jerk his chain or any of our chains.
August 5th, 2023 at 12:09 am
Maybe they don’t want feed Trask into that early season buzz saw?
Perhaps the real story here is Colin tipping us off – these guys want to make some deals, collect draft picks and get after it in 2024. The Baker TV line draws attention to it. 13 games is plenty to see what you got in Trask. There’s a lot of hedging going on. I wouldn’t get insulted if they had a constructive year building for the future. That’s what is important.
I think Bowles is coming from the angle where he thinks his defense is going to be better than many expect it to be.
It might be. There’s something going on there.
Run the ball, be a point guard like DC says and don’t turn it over – Bucs could be in a lot of games this year. Get to the soft part of the schedule and then you open it up with Trask.
I could see that working.
August 5th, 2023 at 12:17 am
Worse case scenario for Baker is he gets the starting nod on reputation and bravado and then gets benched after crashing and burning. Then the boy cries wolf one too many times.
If Trask starts and turns into Glennon then Mayfield has a chance to become the hero.
August 5th, 2023 at 6:48 am
2 clueless organizations let TB-12 go.
Idiots at the helm. Both teams will finish below 500.
August 5th, 2023 at 7:30 am
When has cowturd said anything that was not absurd…ever Joe.
How this jackass has kept a job in sports “journalism” si beyond me. He and Rome are a pair of no talent boobs. They invented all this mess we now call sports journalism instead of what it is, (insert your word here). Tom McEwen would be shouting from the roof of the Tribune for their heads!
Go Bucs!
August 5th, 2023 at 7:46 am
Colin Coward is literally always wrong. If he says the Bucs will fail this season, it makes sense to wager on making the playoffs! I honestly feel more confident about this season now that Cowherd said that- I’ve never heard him make one correct prediction.
August 5th, 2023 at 8:39 am
“You don’t draft a Heisman finalist and sit him behind Baker Mayfield after he sat behind Tom Brady – especially when the guy has been humble, has been a hard worker, has been a coachable team player and now is coming on.” – Mike S
Excellent point. Another angle I don’t see being discussed is this -> If Trask gets shafted by the Bucs again, is he going to want to leave?
August 5th, 2023 at 10:44 am
Would the Steelers tank? The Packers? The Pats? You start that and before you know it you wont have to tank its a culture.
August 5th, 2023 at 3:48 pm
mg Says:
August 5th, 2023 at 6:48 am
2 clueless organizations let TB-12 go.
Idiots at the helm. Both teams will finish below 500.
^^^^^^^^
Didn’t Brady RETIRE? Are you trying to rewrite history?
August 5th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
I don’t believe this, I think the Bucs are trying to win games this year, if I didn’t think they were trying to win I wouldn’t waste my time on them.
August 6th, 2023 at 7:49 pm
Steelers fan . I agree 💯 persent I wish most of the bucs fans had a mindset like that!! That’s been the problem with this franchise and fan base they want to tank not all of us that’s why I called tanking a losing mentality .