Anthony Nelson May Be Todd Bowles’ Secret Weapon
August 1st, 2024
Next man up?
Let’s face it: Joe is absolutely obsessed with an edge rush. If a team doesn’t have one, it’s like running a race and giving a guy a 20-yard head start.
And while much of training camp the focus has been on YaYa Diaby’s emergence/new ankle injury, real wonder if Joe Tryon-Shoyinka will finally get it — and Randy Gregory’s David Copperfield routine — one man has been forgotten.
That would be outside linebacker Anthony Nelson.
Nelson, as Joe has written, is quietly having a solid if not a very good training camp. Maybe the best Joe has seen of him.
Nelson would be a luxury for most teams. How many teams have a guy coming off the bench who can get 13.5 sacks in the past three seasons?
Today, Nelson flashed. Early on, he would have leveled Kyle Trask coming from the left side. Alas, Trask wore a creamsicle jersey. Hands off!
Nelson possibly having his best training camp might be perfect timing given today’s news about YaYa Diaby going down with an ankle injury. As we all know, Gregory is still in hiding. And yes, he’s still on the roster.
(Does Joe want to see the Bucs wash their hands of this guy Gregory? Not just “yes,” but hell yes!)
So already down an outside linebacker and, as Joe is typing this here sentence nobody knowns Diaby’s immediate future, Nelson having a really solid camp couldn’t have happened at a better time.
August 1st, 2024 at 11:44 am
“Secret weapon” lol?
Sounds like Copium to me.
August 1st, 2024 at 12:02 pm
Ya’ll can just keep sleeping on Nelly, because you want fireworks each snap when Nelly is as consistent as the sun shining clouds be damned. Saw him on tape watching one of the teams camp reports a few days back, the kid looks leaner and quicker off the edge. Nelly & JTS play a big part in keeping our run defense up, but fans don’t care about that they want sacks smh
August 1st, 2024 at 12:13 pm
Per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, X-rays on Diaby’s ankle were normal. Diaby still has to undergo an MRI later on Thursday but the Buccaneers are optimistic that Diaby avoided a serious injury.
August 1st, 2024 at 12:31 pm
I always liked Nelson. Not an everyday player, but produces when he’s asked upon.
August 1st, 2024 at 12:44 pm
I’ve always felt he should be getting starters snaps over Mr Cosmetics and The Oaf.
LFG Nellie.
August 1st, 2024 at 1:21 pm
When Nelson is in there he produces!
August 1st, 2024 at 1:24 pm
Nelson really understand dropping into zone and disrupting passing lanes which is why Bowles is high on him. I think Nelson though is underrated with his hands when it comes to rushing the passer. The rookie Braswell is very similar to Nelson in terms of game so I am excited to see them both on the field.
August 1st, 2024 at 1:46 pm
Nelson is odd in that he gets numbers, but when you watch him play he looks so stiff and sluggish – when he’s not. I think it’s just because he’s taller than you think – and it’s like the old Fred McGriff run, he always looked like he was barely trying but had such long strides he’d cover a ton of ground.
Anyways, he does get some sacks in reverse, but I’m not sure I’d want him out there a ton. Then again, who knows, he just haven’t seen him in that role.
August 1st, 2024 at 2:04 pm
With Shaq gone, Nelly is the vet in the OLB room. He knows the defense well and Bowles loves Nelly. I love his safety of Hurts in the playoff game – Nelly didn’t lose contain and was there to sack Hurts.
August 1st, 2024 at 3:23 pm
Different body and position, but Nelson = Gholston 2.0
August 1st, 2024 at 3:53 pm
joe has not always been as enthusiastic about nelson as i have, so im glad to be proven right or at least closer to it
August 1st, 2024 at 9:48 pm
Jason – That’s a good comparison. Just a solid player who sort of sticks around even though everyone is always trying to replace him.
August 2nd, 2024 at 6:22 am
I have been waitng to see Nelson get it together Joe. His high motor and the fact that he is not just a “pass rush specialist” gets loads of respect from this fan. To see JTS getting more snaps than him kind of ticked me off. I love high effort, high motor guys!
He plays the position (As in holding the edge and pass rush) He even drops into coverage when asked although he is not the quickest guy in the world. I think Bowles knows this and also respects his game. However, zero starts last year.
Go Bucs!