Todd Bowles: As Trade Deadline Nears, Bucs Are “Listeners”
October 30th, 2023
“Make us an offer.”
For Bucs fans who want the team to bite the bullet and trade for a running back (or a pass rusher?) as well as fans who want the Bucs to start stockpiling draft picks in order to draft a quarterback in April, Bucs coach Todd Bowles has depressing words for you.
The Bucs are not looking proactively to ship anyone off or are they looking to land anyone. Bowles said the Bucs are neither buyers nor sellers as we are hours away from the trade deadline, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Halloween.
Instead, Bowles said the team is “listeners.”
Bowles did not reveal if any teams are calling Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht looking for draft picks or players, but he said the Bucs are willing to listen to what sort of deals other general managers may offer.
Bowles said if a team offers the Bucs a good deal, they may pull the trigger on it whether that’s swapping players or draft picks.
If you go by Bowles’ words, it appears the Bucs are standing pat.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Blow it up!
October 30th, 2023 at 3:05 pm
BLOW IT UP!
October 30th, 2023 at 3:07 pm
Think the Giants called about Trask? They need a QB really really badly.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
Of course Bucs are standing pat. Bowles needs wins to save his job.
If you read between the lines though, if it’s a blow away deal, Glazers won’t care about Bowles effort to stay employed. They’ll make the move.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
time to re-load… if you can get value for Mike Evans it’s probably time. Same goes for Devin White, although I don’t see us getting much for him. Shaq?
October 30th, 2023 at 3:14 pm
Sell the lil biotch.
Sell the horseback rider too.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Blow it up!
would never wish injury on anyone.
but dang, Trask gotta start soon!
tha fact that bowls does not believe in him should be a glaring endorsement in and of itself.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Licht needs to think about the future Bowles isn’t long for this team
Blow it up we need fresh blood in here trade evans white too even though I don’t know if he has value.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:17 pm
Wouldn’t mind trading Devin White.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Trade Devin White for Montez Sweat straight up or D. White and a 4th for Danielle Hunter.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:25 pm
To me this implies that the Bucs would be interested in trading a few players if offered fair compensation.
– Mike Evans
– D. White
– C. Davis
Are all probably available at the right price.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
@ Mostly Peaceful
I thought maybe the Vikings could have interest in Trask as well…
October 30th, 2023 at 3:28 pm
If it gets the Bucs liberated from Bowels curse, BLOW IT UP!!!
Jim Harbaugh, COME ON DOWN, you’re the next HC on the Bucs team!
October 30th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Loser coach paired with a loser GM (outside of a 2 year run with Arians/Brady), so no Not surprised their not trying to make upgrades in a very winnable division.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
Color me shocked, Todd doesn’t want to change a thing. He wants to stay on the straight and narrow, all the way to another .500 season.
Fortune favors the bold. Mediocrity favors the Bowles.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
The Glazers are going to stand pat at this point.
At the end of the season, they may blow out the entire org starting with JL and TB.
They may no want JL to build the next team from the ground up. Other then the Brady / Arians years, JL has sucked as a GM. To many wasted premium draft choices ( Rounds 1-thru 3 ) for players that do not produce to thier draft status.
So a new GM and HC can start fresh with good picks.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
BLOW IT UP
AND BURN IT ALL TO THE GROWN.
“We’re listeners” ? I am so sick of this loser mentality the front office and this head coach have. SICK OF IT
October 30th, 2023 at 3:44 pm
Bucs now need a terrible season so as to pave the way for a new quarterback, new coach and staff and perhaps even new GM. It is time! Many players need to go. We need better O-Line to start with! Rolling with Hainsey was a mistake–it was easy to ssee this coming–keeping Jensen on the team when he did not get surgery to fix his knee was an obvious red flag–of course the knee failed–it was exploded inside he needs to quit the nfl and get a total knee transplant. Why keep him on the team? Why keep mediocre Hainsey? (or worse than mediocre) so that mistake is on Licht–need to clean house! The only wins will be against Panthers here on out.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:47 pm
If the Buc’s don’t pull off a trade for a decent RB then they really are not serious about trying to win the NFC South. Makes no sense at all….so if they “stand pat” then I will have to pack this season in. Watching the Buc offense is like watching paint dry…..ZERO running game….Baker can not do this by himself…Jason Light is an idiot if nothing is done….he should be on the hot seat as well, no running game last year and this year. What a joke!
October 30th, 2023 at 3:48 pm
I wonder if our “senior football consultant” has any ideas?
October 30th, 2023 at 4:01 pm
He is not to be believed. He doesnt really have much in the say of roster moves, and especially in his restarted hot seat. That being said, maybe Team Glazer lets it play out. They should be in the market for another rb. If White goes down, what do they have then?
October 30th, 2023 at 4:02 pm
As the old coach Sam Wycherley once said 5-11
October 30th, 2023 at 4:03 pm
Wyche lol
October 30th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
Winning the worst division in professional sports is meaningless. You are either a championship contender or you are not — this team is not.
Deal 13, 45 and 9 for picks. Start Trask & the young guys and build for 2024. There’s no point in scrambling to win meaningless games.
October 30th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
Without Licht there is no Arians. Without Arians and Licht there is no Brady. Without the core of the team in place (selected by Licht), Brady doesn’t come here.
But yeah. Licht is the problem. smh
October 30th, 2023 at 4:23 pm
“ Winning the worst division in professional sports is meaningless”
Dumbest take. Did you not just watch the Broncos dismantle the Chiefs yesterday? Anything can happen in the NFL, if you have a chance to get in the post season you take it. Trade 13 and 45 for picks who in all likelihood won’t turn out to be half as good?
Also the idea that every team who has a low chance to win a Super Bowl should give up is nonsense, sets a losing culture and tanking more often can set a team back years.
In 2020 the Bucs were not favored in any post season game, obviously these Bucs are not the same as that team but still I’d take a 1st round playoff exit over a 5-11 season any day. Playoff games are fun, losing is not.
October 30th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
I’d trade Devin White yesterday. I think Mike is actually playing his way to a team-friendly deal, which he’ll sign next off-season. I’d trade White, either of the two starting CBs. I’d love to see us give up a 3rd or 4th for Sweat, we could use some help on the edge. Moss would be a good addition at RB, or Penny from Phili. I bet both could be had for the right price
October 30th, 2023 at 4:32 pm
I am one that think the Bucs shouldn’t make a trade Why make a trade give up a 4th or 5th round pick when the entire offense is sputtering. I am with them trading to pick up draft picks but not giving them up. I mean if we trade for a RB and the QB position doesn’t improve then what. When you look at the entire picture, I really don’t think the Bucs are going anywhere this season. Unless there’s a dramatic change like this up coming Sunday I just don’t see the Bucs going no better than 8-9. Also, So far I am just not sold on Mayfield or Trask. Keep our draft equity and next season let’s go get a QB and RB
October 30th, 2023 at 4:37 pm
And as far as Licht goes, the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately league ” there’s no more Brady and Arians out there to save Licht now.
Licht historically has struggled to build a complete team, that’s why In 10 years as Bucs GM he has 3 winning seasons. Licht might have the worst track record out of all 32 GMs when it comes to running backs and we can now add Ryan Neal to the long list of Jason Licht Free agency bust that features Michael “Ghost” Johnson, Brent Grimes, Russel Gage and Chris “Swaggy” Baker.
October 30th, 2023 at 4:56 pm
Joe you need to ask yourself two very simple questions?
Did Jason Licht assemble the product that is currently failing miserably on the field?
The answer is YES
Is Jason Licht responsible for not making changes to improve the product that is failing miserably on the field?
The answer is YES
The honeymoon with Jason Licht is OVER
October 30th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
“ Arians. Without Arians and Licht there is no Brady. Without the core of the team in place (selected by Licht), Brady doesn’t come here.”
Fully agree. But how much goodwill does that buy Licht? What if, at the end of the year, this rookie class doesn’t show improvement? His last 2 drafts are looking very lackluster.
I’m not demanding he be fired, but I don’t think he should be looked at as completely untouchable. He couldn’t win before Brady and isn’t winning after Brady. How many GMs are afforded the luxury of overseeing 5 coaching regimes, with 4 of those coaches having losing records?
October 30th, 2023 at 5:02 pm
*3 losing out of 4
October 30th, 2023 at 5:03 pm
I hope that Trask gets traded to anyplace! It’s the only way that kid will ever get on the field. This organization has even given Vaughn all kinds of chances to prove himself over 3 years when he has shown zero yet Trask rides the pine.I would love to see him at least get an opportunity with someone and hope he tears it up. If he goes in the toilet, so what? At least we will know what we had! I don’t buy that “ the coaches know best”. These coaches haven’t shown me squat that would make me believe their evaluations. Our HC thinks that things are just fine when his D has given up points and yardage. Our line coaches can’t scheme opening a hole for a RB. Our OC thinks things are really coming together with his “ complicated” run game that just needs more time for the team to learn. These guys have been playing fb their entire lives and they don’t know how to lay a bock on someone? Sorry. I am not buying it. We are what our record says. Zero confidence in our coaching. Go get ‘em Trask!
October 30th, 2023 at 5:06 pm
No worries. Plan 9 is in touch with mission control in Houston. They will find a way to get him back in to the atmosphere from outer space.
October 30th, 2023 at 5:37 pm
Some of the absolute worst fans in sports history come here to complain. You’re complaining, why? Because the owners don’t listen to your opinions that you thought of from your computer chair? Some of you may have played a few snaps in High School and even a smaller amount took a snap in college, exactly 0 of you played in the NFL, and even worse you think you can just make some Madden level trades and its all that easy.
Be fan of the team, root for Tampa Bay and let the folks who get paid to make decisions, make decisions, your opinions are as irrelevant as you are to the NFL and the folks that get a check signed by the NFL.
October 30th, 2023 at 5:49 pm
Actually TIMMY-We are the NFL , because without FANS it ceases to exist.
October 30th, 2023 at 5:50 pm
Yall are like my kids whining before the movie is even done, what coach says, Oh yeah, we want to trade this guy, and this guy, the fact that he said he’s listening means business is open
October 30th, 2023 at 5:51 pm
There is no way Team Glazer is letting this train wreck make any moves
They know as well as we do the likelihood of Todd turning this around is very, very, very low
You don’t gamble the future of a yet to be named coach – maybe they pick a new guy that wants veteran players, like Bruce did…
One thing for sure, no one is letting clueless Todd make any personnel decisions- preseason was his last shot
October 30th, 2023 at 5:53 pm
What are you 14, Jimothy? Fans have opinions. You think there are soccer riots in England because they quietly are just hoping the leaders do well? Heck no. We have opinions. That’s what being a fan is.
October 30th, 2023 at 5:58 pm
Without you Bucsfan they would just move the team to England, Germany or Mexico. Then you would be FormerBucsFanSince. But hey, if it makes you sleep better to think you’re relevant, then I’m all for your false sense of relevance.
October 30th, 2023 at 6:10 pm
Bud Licht ought to go ahead and start packing his stuff too..
Ultimately this is, and always has been, his mess.
Glazers are hands off.. until they fire you.
October 30th, 2023 at 6:26 pm
Licht isn’t going anywhere and he shouldn’t. Like Joe stated, without him we have no Ariana, Brady, etc.. I’m not sure how the rest of the season will play out but we can legitimately make a run or fall on our face. There is so many winnable games ahead but we can suck something awful at any given time. I said it after the Super Bowl win, keeping all players the same is a risk as much as a reward. Complacency sets in, and a reality check is always needed. This team is far far away from being that championship team but a reality check is needed and a shakeup is warranted. White, Dean, Davis, Hainsey, Tryon, Barrett, whoever needs to put on notice or a coaching change will happen. If the Glazers don’t see that we are capable of being a playoff team then go ahead and get something for whoever doesn’t fit the Buc mold of the future.
October 30th, 2023 at 6:56 pm
Wow, talk about no-win situations. Guess I don’t understand why Todd Bowles is fielding questions that by all rights belong to Jason Licht.
October 30th, 2023 at 6:59 pm
After the deadline in a day, Bucs will get zero for Evans and White. Might as well get what little you can instead of nothing. Although Baker has heart, they did him no favors by not giving him at least a competent Oline and RBs. After they lose to the Texans, the glazers should want to see what they have in Trask. Nevertheless, they should blow it all up after the season and let Harbaugh pick the new GM.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:46 pm
Trade deadline is way too early. They need to push it back to Thanksgiving.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:53 pm
I’m not surprised. First of all, they should’ve been honest to the fans instead of mind messing us. Decent owners would give long time season ticket holders a credit for this crap charade. How many more coaches are they gonna let licht select? He hasn’t a clue of what ot takes to built a winner and don’t count Tom Bradys three seasons as GM. Jason slurped everything Tom requested and now he doesn’t have the backbone to upgrade his team, if they are truly competing this season. I’m not an expert but I’d rather have salary cap relief and draft picks for 2024 now than let some of these players leave at season’s end and hope for a late compensatory pick. Something tells me there will plenty of fans dressed as empty seats for the last 4 games this season.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:46 pm
I hope we sell for draft picks and tank. I do not want to win the division at 8-9 and retain Bowels.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:07 pm
Burn it all to the ground. Trade anything and everybody. Evans might get you 2nd rd pick. White might net a 3rd.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:37 pm
Why would they do anything it’s more fun to just stand pat and watch it all burn down. Can’t wait to get rid of Bowles we can trade him for a coke and a bag of chips.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:38 pm
Sorry to say for Bowles but THAT’S NOT HIS CALL! He just better focus on doing what he can with what the Glazers and Jason Licht decide to give him. PERIOD!
October 30th, 2023 at 11:00 pm
And btw, those asking for Licht’s head…. Sorry but you guys…. WOW!
There is a reason you’re not in charge of anything meaningful.Well, maybe you do or maybe you don’t make bad decisions for yourself and possibly for your own family as long as they LET YOU. But there is a CLEAR REASON why you don’t run anything of substance. You guys LACK VISION and seem confused as to WHY we are in this situation. Let me guess, none of you got the memo… Right…
And OF COURSE you could do a far better job… JUST WOW!
ONLY THE FAMOUS AND FABLED LOSINGEST SPORTS TEAM IN HISTORY’S, “FANS” WOULD WANT TO RUN THE BEST GM THIS TEAM HAS EVER HAD, AND JUST WON US A SUPER BOWL, OUT OF THE BUILDING IN A “KNOWN” 80 MILLION DOLLAR CAP CRUNCH YEAR, THINKING THAT YOU HAVE AN INCKLING OF WHAT YOUR ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT. DER UH WOW!
You REALLY ARE a few PRETTY FART SMELLERS NOW AREN’T YOU!
DUH, DER UH, DER…SMH BECAUSE SOME OF THE FAN BASE IS FUBAR!!!!
October 30th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
Please forgive my outburst. It’s not fair to judge. Some have different we’ll say “levels”. And they don’t think in a box very well, let alone outside of one and that would include me when I’m FOOLISH ENOUGH to fall for what obviously must be baiting me and others.
I mean, what kind of an IDIOT would be serious about what they are saying concerning the most successful GM in an organizations history including NOW, and be serious about cutting their noses off despite their sad faces. I admit it. You guys got me because SURELY you’re NOT that stupid.
I apologize for expecting people in general to think in advanced terms because that’s Not Common and DEFINITELY Not Fair to Expect from the “folk”
I now realize you can only work with what you got and most throw blind thoughts out there struggling to stay relevant without pondering the whole picture in depth and it’s not fair for me to expect the “folks” to NOT ONLY “NOT” think it through, but to actually THINK BIGGER.
For instance, perhaps there is a certain plan in place to pose as if not to tank while actually tanking to ACTUALLY ACHIEVE an ACTUAL Franchise QB instead of half baked retreads that WE ALL KNOW will not get us to anything great without the Will of GOD HIMSELF pushing the narrative! AKA Just trying to keep the season interesting because there is PLENTY OF PROOF to demonstrate that the org has No Intentions of hosting Bowles ANOTHER SECOND AFTER THIS SEASON as the head coach!
Evidence in the hiring of a ONE YEAR RENTAL of an OC and nothing more…. Won’t even Blink at the notion of an upgrade ANYWHERE this season. Proof is All Over the Place….
Mr. Bowles doesn’t have the know how or talent to actually run this team or ANY OTHER as it DESERVES TO BE in a Professional Sport. And of course THEY ARE AWARE! I guess Mr. Bowles was the best of two bad choices between him and Leftwich in a pinch when Arians went down suddenly and it was Far Too Late to find a decent head coach in a timely manner, otherwise.
So I should have known better and realized that some of you guys are masterful clowns and I fell briefly for the circus act. Of Course you’re NOT Serious about getting rid of the “BY FAR MOST SUCCESSFUL” GM THIS ORG HAS EVER SNIFFED!
Apologies
October 31st, 2023 at 4:56 am
I HEARD VITA VEA PLAYED RUNNING BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL..HOW BOUT USING HIM ON 3RD & SHORT ( REMEMBER “THE FRIDGE” ? )
October 31st, 2023 at 4:58 am
NOW THERE’S A FULLBACK FOR YOU & OUR BUCCANEERS !
October 31st, 2023 at 5:43 am
Bucs are listeners more like watchers they never do anything at the trade deadline.
October 31st, 2023 at 7:04 am
@ Allbuccedup
Agreed. The Bucs NEVER do anything…..ever…….during the trade deadline to make a splash……………………..infact, I cannot think of one time they have for impactful players.
October 31st, 2023 at 11:46 am
It’s all about leverage, folks. A team that makes an offer has less leverage than the team receiving an offer. That said, the Bucs won’t do anything, as I have said before UNLESS they get a pretty good deal that they are then in position to make even sweeter by being the “listener”.
October 31st, 2023 at 11:56 am
What part of Bowles’ statement made people here think that he has anything to do with making or accepting an offer? Pretty sure it says “the team” is listeners (a k.a. management).
October 31st, 2023 at 1:46 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a NFL head coach that seems to appear to do very little on the sidelines of a game. He looks more like a spectator than a coach.
Most of the coaches in the league, get upset at the refs, will be looking at their playbooks, will be pacing the sidelines, they are interactive with the game.
Todd just stands there. We need a coach that players trust and that can make players better. Other than Winfield, who on the Bucs has improved or has made game changing plays.
Its all about making plays and Todd doesn’t look at all interested in getting more out of his players.
I don’t know what goes on in practices or team meetings but as a head coach if your team constantly is unprepared for the good teams, gets nailed with false start and holding penalties, misses tackles, can’t get the ball to the impact players, than this is a head coach that shouldn’t be on the sidelines.
A guy like Bowles is more suited to being up in a suite with the headphones on as a coordinator. Leading players isn’t his style.