The Forgotten Edge Rushers Woke Up
August 17th, 2024
Won a roster spot Saturday?
Joe is a suspicious type because Joe has to be suspicious. The amount of stuff Joe comes across on the record virtually daily would make you think the Bucs are the 1980s 49ers.
And, as always, there are hidden messages within public comments Joe has to sift through to get to the core meaning of the public words.
One narrative Joe heard all offseason was that José Ramirez, buried on the practice squad last season, was giving Tristan Wirfs fits in practice last fall. He was so good that the Bucs, who had one of the worst edge rushes in the league, couldn’t have used him on the active roster?
He was so good no other team could have used him and plucked him off the practice squad roster? Not even the lowly Stinking Panthers?
Then there was Markees Watts. He sure hustled when he was out there and seemed to always be around the ball. Watts appeared to have something to work with.
But there again, Watts only had 45 defensive snaps all last year. That breaks down to two snaps a game (including two playoff games).
On a team crying for an edge rush, Watts couldn’t get on the field. Odd.
So Joe hopes readers can understand why Joe was a bit skeptical of the Ramirez/Watts cheerleading/confidence boosting.
Well, after the Bucs showed they were sackless last week in the first worthless preseason game of the year, guess who blew up in Jacksonville tonight?
That would be Ramirez and Watts.
Ramirez had three sacks (second-most by any Bucs player in a preseason game since TruMedia began tracking preseason sacks). Watts added one.
The way this team gets sacks from its outside linebackers since Jason Pierre-Paul got hurt and later not re-signed, Joe feels as if those two getting four sacks total on Saturday, it’s like the Bucs found Bruce Smith and Jared Allen on the street.
At halftime on the WFLA-TV Channel 8 broadcast, Dan Lucas asked Bucs coach Todd Bowles about Ramirez’s sacks. Bowles sounded like a proud father.
“He just has to keep working on the little things and he will be all right,” Bowles said of Ramirez.
Can this be a harbinger of future? Success from Bucs edge rushers this season? We can only cross our fingers and hope.
And hope seems to be what the Bucs too often have banked on for an edge rush since the team ran off Michael Bennett for no good reason.
HAT TRICK FOR @Jose4six 🤯
📺: #TBvsJAX on WFLA pic.twitter.com/q6IXIadlPB
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) August 18, 2024
August 17th, 2024 at 10:42 pm
Ramirez does look quick.
No idea if he’s actually good or just good vs scrubs since Bowles refuses to play his starters.
But hey, what does Andy Reid know? Nothing, not compared to Bowles, so what if Reid is playing his starters, Bowles knows that he’s looked at the rule book and these games don’t count, and so only a truly idiotic person would play real players in a fake game.
August 17th, 2024 at 10:44 pm
I know one thing Rod…
Bucs got bullied tonight.
Camp cupcake effect?
August 17th, 2024 at 10:47 pm
Looked on that highlight like Ramirez did get there, but after the ball should have come out.
Also he did a roll spin that a starting tackle should have handled.
3 sacks in a good number though. Relentless to the QB gets sacks. If the opposing offense isn’t crisp you’ll get home.
August 17th, 2024 at 10:48 pm
Mike S – From a physical standpoint, I didn’t see the Bucs getting beat up, and they got 5 sacks and averaged almost 5 yards per carry. I think it was just a sloppy game like you used to see in game 4 of the preseason when both teams played nothing but backups. It’s just ridiculous we’re seeing this in week 2 of the preseason when you only have 3 games.
August 17th, 2024 at 10:50 pm
Mike S – If you go watch highlights of Jose, he did the same thing last week, where you’re saying the tackle should have picked up and didn’t. The guy is legit fast and has some nice pass rush instincts, but we’d need to see him vs starters to know if it translates or not. He is undersized, and starters tend to each up guys like him – but not always. Maybe we’ll find out at some point this year.
August 17th, 2024 at 10:54 pm
5 Takeaways
Ramirez > Braz
Tuck & Buck can run
Trask is not the future
Britt is slow
Backups are Backups
August 17th, 2024 at 11:07 pm
Bucs defense got 5 sacks, but couldn’t get Jax off the field for most of the game and then what 5 consecutive 3 and outs end of 2nd half into the 4th quarter?
They got some runs, yeah, and the oline got more push than we’ve seen but Jax sustained ball control and Wolford couldn’t do anything.
At this point the battle for #2 is over. Trask has some lightning in his game that Wolford doesn’t have.
The way I see it is Coen and probably Bowles too – they like Wolford and probably don’t think Trask will be back next year. They want a backup caddy for Mayfield and not a QB well liked by local fans lurking like a shadow. They gave Wolford every shot to win the job, but it didn’t materialize.
Now the QB politics are still in play. Trask hanging around like a vulture. If Mayfield misses any time and Trask steps in and performs well, that’s going to put egg on faces and complicate this situation. Gator fans will be IRATE. I think Trask still leaves either way. The die has been cast there.
It’s all a moot point – like being insult to literal injury if it happens. If Atl takes a step forward this season and the Bucs take a step back and even a short one – it’s not a lock for Bowles to get an extension after the season. Especially if Atlanta establishes themselves as the clear division front runner.
Bucs are overdue for things to go sideways. That other shoe could drop.
The way they got handled by Jax tonight – doesn’t feel good at all.
August 17th, 2024 at 11:30 pm
I believe we will see a lot of them if we can get a lead on teams and they are forced to pass
August 18th, 2024 at 12:23 am
It’s been a long time but I’ll say it …
Hope is not a strategy …
August 18th, 2024 at 5:17 am
Mike S … ‘Bucs are overdue for things to go sideways. That other shoe could drop. The way they got handled by Jax tonight – doesn’t feel good at all.’
We haven’t even started the season yet Mike. The ‘other shoe’ in this case is our starters, and we haven’t even seen them yet (well, except in their underwear according to Joe?). We won’t know what we have until Game 1.
Personally I was encouraged by the POTENTIAL improvement in our running game last night (at times). And especially on those few series where we had Barton, Bredeson & Mauch in there. Trask made a few nice throws, but overall was ‘just OK’ IMO (an improved running game is taking on greater & greater importance me thinks).
I was appalled by our 2nd team defense, and that was with presumed starters Britt & Hall being out there quite a bit. Britt reminded me of MLB Barrett Ruud (he could never ‘stand anyone up’ while tackling & would always give up 3-4 extra yards). And Hall leaves a lot to be desired in terms of protecting his gap; saw Jags RBs run right through the gap he’d just got moved out of (or moved himself out of) several times last night. And that was against backups.
Looking more & more like our starters better stay healthy. And especially Vea & LVD.
August 18th, 2024 at 5:45 am
Ramirez did well. I watched the game last night and this morning on YouTube TV. Liking Ramirez, Bucky, and many others.
We are in the top ten of having the youngest team when the 53 roster is set. The Saints are at the bottom end with the oldest players. Growing pains either way. But we have a future and are looking good. This was one preseason game. Not worried yet.
Guessing that Licht is making decisions about a new pass rusher now that Gregory has been released.
August 18th, 2024 at 7:01 am
Joe, I’ve been having a big problem with your site screwing with my blu-tooth that my heart monitor uses. No real worries. It’s not dangerous, but why does your software mess with my Blu-tooth?
August 18th, 2024 at 7:05 am
To bad none of those sacks were on those third, and long money down. When it counts, like the third, and 17, and the third, and 15 that’s when you need that sack. When it counted, on third down the pass rush didn’t get it done, and the secondary couldn’t cover.
August 18th, 2024 at 7:05 am
just remember 1983! 4-0 in preseason, 2-14 regular season, i’m glad they lost save it for september
August 18th, 2024 at 7:06 am
All it actually does is interrupt the connection, but I have no idea why
August 18th, 2024 at 7:32 am
Great point mj. We say it every year, but then every year we do it again. Preseason means nothing.
It’s kind of like every December 22nd when we say “I swear, next year we start Christmas shopping in September!”
August 18th, 2024 at 8:01 am
Sly, Britt is a problem. He’s not really starter material and we have nothing but projects behind him. We are so thin at LB we have to be scanning the upcoming cut downs for replacements or looking at a trade. We’ve been so preoccupied about edge we overlooked the inside. Edge is at least mediocre. Inside is all hope.
August 18th, 2024 at 8:05 am
Everyone covering their bases. lol
August 18th, 2024 at 8:11 am
Drunk Bucs fan. This year on December 22nd we’ll be saying “How about those Buccaneers!” I stole that line from Jimmy Johnson. But we’ll be playing at Dallas Dec. 22nd. And my 4 boys from around the country are picking me up here in Ok. and we’re gonna go see it! My oldest has been a Cowboy fan for his 40 years. They all think I’ve went a little overboard with my new team. So now they have been studying the Bucs. And every one of them now has some “skin in the game.” I don’t think they are ready to jump ship on their teams just yet. I know the oldest will always be a Cowboys fan. I love him dearly. But nothing will make me happier than a 5 hour drive home from Dallas after the Bucs smoke those dastardly Cowboys! I don’t believe any amount of adult beverages is going to be enough solace for that boy! It’s getting so close I can almost taste it!
August 18th, 2024 at 9:16 am
Kent on, that’s one I have circled as “I really want that one, bad!”
August 18th, 2024 at 11:03 am
He needs to work on better celebration dance if he is going to be the new sack king
August 18th, 2024 at 12:17 pm
Maybe Bloweszo can teach him a sack dance. He sure can’t teach pass defense, but at least he can’t stop 3rd and long or a slant pass.
Jason needs to tell Toad, either fix the problems everyone has been seeing since 2021, or Jason will fix the problems and hire someone else,
August 18th, 2024 at 1:36 pm
Haven’t seen anyone mention how terrible our(another) 2nd round pick has looked.
August 18th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
Until Toad can stop 3rd and gazillion, it doesn’t really matter if anyone sacks the opposing QB. They have Toad right where they want him. Hell, Bucs could get a sack on third down, setting up 4th and 2 gazillion. Opposing coach might as well go for it. Touchdown, Opponent!
August 18th, 2024 at 4:09 pm
The next time Ramirez and Watts are out there, they’ll drop into empty zones every time. It’s the way to ensure well roundedness.
#Todd.InsuranceBusinessExecutive.2025
August 18th, 2024 at 4:12 pm
Need to address DB….seriously! I saw guys running into each other and some just dont know how to tackle….i know its preseason but once again our backup db room looks awful.
Probably going CB first next draft….
Im on it Jason, screenshot this