Fighting Father Time
July 5th, 2024
Stay away!
The Bucs should be good again. Unless Father Time has a different timetable.
That’s the analysis of Matt Verderame of SI.com. He is not like many of his national #NFLMedia colleagues. He doesn’t believe the Bucs are going away just because Kirk Cousins joined the division.
However, Verderame does see a potential pothole: The Bucs have one critical player on each side of the ball from whom they absolutely need production from. And both are on the wrong side of 30: Lavonte David and Mike Evans.
If the Bucs have a rotten year, Verderame thinks it’s because Father Time comes knocking.
Worst-case scenario: Offense struggles and age hinders the roster
The Buccaneers have talent, but that talent comes with age in many spots.
On defense, linebacker Lavonte David is 34 years old, while defensive tackle Vita Vea is 29. On offense, star receiver Mike Evans has never failed to produce 1,000 yards in a season but will turn 31 in August. If any of those three players begin to significantly slip, Tampa Bay has a major problem.
Joe is interested to see how and why Vita Vea dropped so much weight. But Verderame is right in that 29 isn’t exactly young for a defensive tackle.
Back to David and Evans. The Bucs might be able to weather a storm if Evans slips or gets hurt. It’s not like the Bucs don’t have any other experienced receivers.
With David, the inside linebacker corps is thin as hell. Like see-through, one-ply-toilet-paper thin. If David goes down, the Bucs could be in a major pickle.
How thin are the Bucs at inside linebacker? When teams start to shave their rosters down to 53 in early September, Joe would not be one bit surprised if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is on the lookout for a decent linebacker who got the red card from his team.
When it comes to Father Time and David and Evans, those two year after year are among the league’s best. Until demonstrating otherwise, Joe expects them to be their normal excellent selves.
July 5th, 2024 at 12:47 am
If LVD gets hurt all bets are off. The defense already gives up more yards than all but a handful of teams. We’d be forked.
July 5th, 2024 at 2:39 am
I didn’t realize they were good in the first place. They barely beat Carolina and went on a decent to above average run for a few games. That’s what everyone else sees but the homers.
July 5th, 2024 at 3:16 am
Clean house… beat it. It’s a team with many core players 3 years removed from a SB. We were 2 games away from 11-6 and those games got away because Bowles and the D couldn’t stop a last minute 80 yard drive. Bucs walked into those last 2 games without their foot on the gas, thinking they were division winners. Terrible thought process in pro sports but it happens. That was Carolinas SB and the Bucs were thinking playoffs/ receiving a poor gameplan.
Homers see all the faults and all the potential. The potential on this team massively outweighs the faults and any actual fan with half a brain has known that since Tom arrived.
July 5th, 2024 at 4:26 am
If Vea goes down we are gonna really miss him. Even with Kancey.
We got very little behind those two. Sorry but father time may have grabbed Gholston last year.
LVD or Evans goes down we do have some folks who can play. Maybe not to those two’s HOF standards, but I don’t think it would be the end of our season.
Go Bucs!
July 5th, 2024 at 5:00 am
I love our young LBs. Antonio Grier Jr., JJ Russel, SirVocea Dennis, Kalen DeLoach and Vi Jones. All these guys can play at the NFL level. Dennis looked good last year when he got healthy. Pete Carrol talked up VI Jones (Zay Jone’s brother) last year in TC. He was a 4 Star guy and was going to make the Seahawks team last year but got injured. I believe he was on their practice quad. Grier was a stud at USF and balled out for Arkansas (SEC) last year. We all are looking forward to see what Deloach can do come training camp. He was a big part of FSU defense the last few years. Bowles loves these undersized LBs, they fit his system. If they were 10 pounds heavier coming out of college they’d be day 2 picks. They way pick some vet off the wire but I think the coaches really like their young LBers too. I wish outlets like JBF did write ups on players like these trying to make the 53 instead of all this speculation. Some did on Deloach. It’s hard to believe he didn’t get drafted.
July 5th, 2024 at 5:32 am
Evans and David aren’t the only players in the league 29 and over. Kirk Cousins is 35 years old and the sports media don’t seem to mind his age and never getting a SB. I think Aaron Rodgers is 39 and got hurt last year. Stafford is 36. No one talking about them hitting father time. Going by all that, Baker and Goff, both 29, should have many years left.
Lavonte and Mike both have a SB and playoffs under their belt. If they stay healthy in the next coming years, we will see even more action from both of them. Go Bucs!
July 5th, 2024 at 7:26 am
I was wondering if Brady had a huge dropoff that last season, or did those few critical personnel changes doom him
July 5th, 2024 at 7:32 am
Clean house is clearly a saints or falcons fan or just hates his life
July 5th, 2024 at 9:20 am
Every team has players who are at a point in their careers where father time is hovering in the background. I’m not worried about it this year. As far as Vita Vea is concerned, I wonder if the Bucs plan to play him more as a DE than nose tackle. I am optimistic about the defense being better this year. Diaby and Kancy will be better, and I believe Braswell will be making impact plays by midseason. The secondary will be better with Whitehead. Can’t wait for training camp to start.
July 5th, 2024 at 9:43 am
Evans going down would be very very bad.
David going down would be catastrophic.
July 5th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
Things r bright even in that humidity stricken FL,we got a good team with much promise
,so buckle up
July 5th, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Cleanhouse r u from planet shi-ty for brains
July 5th, 2024 at 4:07 pm
Cleanhouse clean out u r locker u r FIRED,jackass!
July 5th, 2024 at 5:21 pm
Holly Crap! two guys over 30 and two getting close! We better fold up the tents and forfeit now before someone gets hurt! We’d be screwed without those players at any age or reason.