Todd Bowles Not Yet Anointing K.J. Britt
January 24th, 2024
Future undecided.
One big surprise late in the season was how Bucs reserve linebacker K.J. Britt improved and unseated underwhelming Devin White and became a starting linebacker.
To help explain how the once mighty have fallen, in the divisional round loss to the Lions on Sunday, Britt logged 59 snaps on defense, 81 percent of the defensive snaps. White? He had 14 snaps.
If Britt was good enough to start in the playoffs — he had 12 tackles against the Lions — then surely the Auburn product will start next fall for the Bucs, right?
Hold up, said head coach Todd Bowles.
“It’s too early for that,” Bowles said of Britt being a starter. “I think he played well.
“There’s definitely a place for him next year. We’ll probably get into that as we get into the spring, but we like him.”
Bowles cannot be serious here, can he? First, no one knows if Lavonte David will be back or not. Joe has a hunch that the Bucs want to bring David back but for David, who turned 34 yesterday, may want to hang it up.
If David leaves, and White leaves — surely the Bucs aren’t thinking of bringing back an unmotivated whiner to be a backup, are they? — then the Bucs could be looking for two inside linebackers if Bowles doesn’t think Britt is a starter.
Joe has a hunch Bowles said this in an effort to keep Britt hungry. Joe’s not sure if playing mind games with a young guy like that is smart or not. Unlike White, Britt has demonstrated he’s earning his keep.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:07 am
Again..Bowles is not a defensive genius and he is an average head coach…and that’s being generous.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:22 am
Glad he hung in there this long in his career. He made the best of his chance and deserves a spot. He’s a big hitter.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:22 am
KB is a thumper……but we should be concerned about LB
LVD aint getting any faster, KB aint fast and DW will be gone.
We need to get a minimum of one stud LB this year.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:25 am
I agree…it’s too early and there is absolutely nothing to gain by naming him a starter.
We have FA…..we have the draft and we still have 2 MLBs on the roster….
One of the few times I agree with Bowles.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:25 am
Britt is very good against the run but lets not over react. He is not good in pass coverage at all. At this moment he is not a 3 down LB and your starting LB must be, or you will have issues.
White is not coming back, at least with what money he is asking.
David we dont know yet.
ILB is a position we must adress for sure.
Go Bucs
January 24th, 2024 at 8:31 am
No, Britt is (apparently) lacking in pass coverage, owing to speed. (Prolly STILL better than DW) Lions had a neat solution to that, they just stuck 4 safeties in there (I’m assuming they pulled middle LB(s)
January 24th, 2024 at 8:37 am
Britt was a huge improvement over DWhite. Pass pro was better. Run fits were better. Tackling was better. Attitude was better. He even blitzed well. All round better.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:51 am
great player but he does blow coverage here and there and sometimes has bad angles when tackling, I saw him wiff maybe 2 tackles that lead to big leads while in coverage.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:06 am
He kind of reminds of Roquan Smith in the way he goes down hill and bangs someone.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:18 am
loved that 4 safety look from the lions……well not them kisking our butts with it though
January 24th, 2024 at 9:24 am
I doubt Britt is ready to anoint Toad either. Blowes is such a clown. What an embarrassment.
Harbaugh isn’t anyone’s coach yet. Get him. Fire Bloweszo
Toad’s not even competent to be a position coach. Defensive genius my eye.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:33 am
He’s a very good one dimensional linebacker. He does his job and is great against the run. He’s a liability in coverage. Bucs need LVD back for one more season and to pick up a vet or draft a lb this year or next
January 24th, 2024 at 9:33 am
Hes a beast against the run. Filling holes left and right. Definitelyba place for him on this team. Don’t forget about Dennis. Get LVD back for another year and platoon Britt and Dennis together, and add another in the draft or free agency.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:34 am
Make him earn it in camp. Dont need another player showing up 30# overweight
January 24th, 2024 at 9:37 am
Britt has been playing well. Just another bad call for bowles. I don’t think he knows what he’s doing most of the time or seems that way.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:53 am
4 safeties is the future.
I’ve been saying all year, pull 1 LB on 3rd down.
Play an extra safety instead.
Heck, even pull both linebackers sometimes and replace them with DBs.
I want a true “money-backer next year”
An incredible pass coverage SS to play LB on passing downs.
I’m tired of 2 linebackers on passing downs.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:14 am
Not that we saw much of him this season, but all I kept reading in the fall was about Dennis making plays in the passing game. Maybe a rotation of Dennis and Britt covers one mlb spot?
January 24th, 2024 at 10:18 am
Think LVD retires man his IG Kinda gave retirement vibes
January 24th, 2024 at 10:46 am
Same behavior same results coach😁😁👍👍
January 24th, 2024 at 10:46 am
I think LVD retires
January 24th, 2024 at 10:48 am
Man, if I was LVD I’d retire also after getting shafted by Bowles terrible defensive scheme!!! Being left out to dry in the middle of the field all game Sunday, Ridiculous!! Thanks LVD… Go Bucs.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:52 am
Devin White is the shi*!!!!!. Tough ass nails behavior dictate the game. Love you but failure is not an option. People want us to feel less than others😁💯🎂. Stay strong son😁😁
January 24th, 2024 at 10:56 am
As others have said, even a slow safety is faster than an interior linebacker. The other problem is fast interior linebackers don’t grow on trees
January 24th, 2024 at 11:23 am
I like this Guy but I would not go overboard on the praise either.
To do so could potentially reduce value is his Free agent LB’s that may be moving on.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:33 am
See a lot of names mentioned but don’t forget about Dennis who has a phenomenal camp before having set backs with injuries his rookie year. Also wouldn’t surprise me if white ends up back here after see what the market offers him. That being said we should pass on his attitude alone
January 24th, 2024 at 11:44 am
Another stupid remake by the head idiot. I guess he thinks the Glazers are going to pay White 20 mil a year to ride the bench.
January 24th, 2024 at 12:05 pm
Love KJ. He gives his all each and every play.
January 24th, 2024 at 12:24 pm
I saw a list yesterday of the top FA candidates at LB. LVD was 2nd DW45 7th!
LVD has at least another year…IF he wants it…and if he wants to finish as a Buc great…if not the Bucs perhaps will not be able to afford him on the open market.
SECOND most desirable LB is going to get some coin if only for a single season.
January 24th, 2024 at 12:36 pm
Why would you anoint the guy before you even go through the draft and free agency? He’s obviously not a complete player. If they can find a guy who is equally good in the run game and pass game, Britt is back on the bench. Glad to have him though. More dependable than D. White.
January 24th, 2024 at 12:37 pm
I don’t see anything wrong with this response. Who knows who we’ll draft or sign in the off-season? Why commit on record to Britt being a starter now?
I’m not a fan of Bowles but his statement is fine.
January 24th, 2024 at 1:38 pm
I’ve had this thought that the door isn’t 100% shut on White. What is the possibility of Tampa cutting Shaq and bringing back DW on a prove it deal (all he’s worth) and have him rotate as blitzing outside LB?
January 24th, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Unless he can somehow get a lot faster, I don’t see how he’s an every down starter – or at least not one that isn’t going to kill you.
Such a shame the way that Bowles misused White, who was an amazing attacking LB who caused chaos – and instead Bowles had him sitting back in a soft zone playing in space most of the time where he stunk.
I can’t believe you can’t figure out how to use one of your best players in a way that they’re effective.
January 24th, 2024 at 2:28 pm
Bowles’ default answer to most questions is “blah, blah, blah…’. Actually giving thought to his answer is too painful for his feeble brain.
# FIRE the LIAR!!!
January 24th, 2024 at 4:57 pm
Hope we get a heavy defensive draft we sure need some more talent on all 3 levels
January 24th, 2024 at 7:18 pm
I just can’t see Britt being an every down linebacker for an entire season. I like him a lot and I would love to have him as depth and special teams but his ceiling is playing tackle to tackle football. His inability to drop back and cover is too big of a risk.
January 24th, 2024 at 7:35 pm
Why would he, Britt is too slow to be a fulltime starter.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:29 pm
Josh Says:
January 24th, 2024 at 1:38 pm
I’ve had this thought that the door isn’t 100% shut on White.
——–
Bowles did successfully kill the high-end market for White, but there’s no way if I’m him I’d come back here on a prove it deal, just to get stuck sitting back playing zone on 98% of plays.
I haven’t paid enough attention to other teams defensive schemes, but there is almost certainly someone out there that runs a scheme where they have inside LBs that are in nearly constant attack mode – and if I’m the GM of a team running a scheme like that, I’m going to sign White, and try to do it on the cheap for multiple years since I’m certain he’s going to put up huge numbers.
From White’s standpoint, based on his comments in the past, I think he’s very well aware of what he does well, and what he does poorly, and is going to pick someone that matches his skillset. He’s still insanely fast (when healthy), and he’s a very good interior rusher from the LB position, and he just screws up other teams plans when he’s unleashed and just told to go chase down the ball. Again, I don’t know why Bowles would let him play that way some games, then for long stretches just play him where he’s backing up on every play, when everyone knows how bad White is in that scenario.