A New Year’s Wish List
December 28th, 2024
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
It’s almost time to turn the page on 2024, which means it’s time to read between the lines for the Buccaneers.
As we approach the new year, players, coaches and staff are looking forward to a fresh start. Here’s what they’re craving in 2025:
Chris Godwin: An enticing offer to return to One Buc Place before free agency, followed by a complete recovery from that dislocated ankle.
Lavonte David: Another one-year contract extension to lead a young defense and add to a potential Hall of Fame resume.
The Glazers: A legitimate Super Bowl contender to mark the 50th year of the franchise.
Jason Licht: A nasty edge rusher falling into his lap on draft day.
Baker Mayfield: A dynamic receiver who can stretch the field and excel at yards after the catch.
Antoine Winfield Jr.: A healthy season to help fans remember what a game-wrecker he can be.
Liam Coen: An offer he can’t refuse from Buc ownership to stay in Tampa and tweak an already imposing offense.
Bucky Irving: More touches.
Jamel Dean: More interceptions.
Todd Bowles: A sense of job security.
Mike Greenberg: A GM title elsewhere after 15 years with the Bucs.
Chris Braswell: Redemption after a forgettable rookie season.
Luke Goedeke: A contract extension for one of the NFL’s premier offensive tackles.
Tykee Smith: An offseason emphasis on blitzing techniques.
Punter: Player to be named later.
Mike Evans: Enough TD catches to move past Tony Gonzalez into eighth place on the all-time list.
Calijah Kancey: Further recognition as one of the league’s most disruptive defensive tackles.
Jordan Whitehead: A good, hard look in the mirror.
Kyle Trask: An opportunity to compete somewhere else.
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka: Ditto.
Zyon McCollum: The freedom to shadow the opposition’s best receiver all over the field.
Graham Barton: A thank you for a solid rookie year … now work on your snaps.
Cade Otton: Continued growth for a dependable target and blocker.
Jalen McMillan: More consistency, especially early in the season.
SirVocea Dennis: A starting job to flash his skills.
Bruce Arians: Long, straight drives from the tee box.
Rachaad White: A dozen touchdowns.
Trainer Bobby Slater: A less hectic season.
Secondary coaches Kevin Ross and Nick Rapone: More interceptions. Lots more.
Ring of Honor: A recipient, any recipient, after a 2-year hiatus.
Buc Nation: A team that wins the close ones, especially against Atlanta.
Ira Kaufman Has An Ominous Message For Todd Bowles, Talks Panthers Matchup, Defensive Criticism, Bucky Irving, Game Predictions & Much More
December 28th, 2024 at 9:14 am
Solid list…
On Evan’s .. getting his 1000 yds this season is another one.
December 28th, 2024 at 9:34 am
R. White – stop fumbling!
B. Irving – stay healthy and replace White.
S. Dennis – stay healthy for longer than 2 weeks in a row.
C. Kancey – stay healthy and play an entire season.
JTS – go away!
J. Whitehead – retire!
K. Trask – good luck in Carolina!
LOL!
December 28th, 2024 at 9:45 am
Buc Fans – A retractable roof with air conditioning and cheaper ticket prices
December 28th, 2024 at 9:49 am
Don’t like that new years list at all if it has anything to do with Todd Bowles “coaching staff”. Time to let Dean and David walk if you are changing head coaches
December 28th, 2024 at 10:07 am
Jalen: Extra time in the weight room with a trainer!
December 28th, 2024 at 10:34 am
Kancy start your calf regimen now. AWJ, a uniform made of bubble wrap. Bowles, a clue
December 28th, 2024 at 11:06 am
I’d go for all that. Well said Ira.
December 28th, 2024 at 11:10 am
Bringing back Dean, sqeezing another year out of David won’t make the defense any better next year Ira. Time to move on. Your wish list Ira seems more like a hope, and a prayer. Like wishing Dennis stays healthy so he can flash his skills. The only skill Dennis has is collecting a paycheck for doing nothing but constant rehab. My wish list? We draft better, coach better, and play better. I don’t see how that happens banking on players like David, Dean, and Dennis. That will get us another .500 season.
December 28th, 2024 at 11:18 am
Fantastic wish list to a tee!
December 28th, 2024 at 11:23 am
If Dean gets more (or any) interceptions next year – it will be somewhere else.
No way the Bucs pay Jamel Dean $15.3M in 2025 – when they can save $8.4M by trading or cutting him.
Gonna have to use a 1st or 2nd rd pick on a CB next year.
December 28th, 2024 at 11:39 am
Henry that makes no sense. A $2Billion+ stadium will not mean cheap tickets.
This is a good list, but l think the roster and coaching staff turns over more than usual this season. The team is on track for a first or second place schedule, so without much improvement, that’s another 8-9 win season under Bowles. Not good enough.
December 28th, 2024 at 11:59 am
Buccaneers….lock up a playoff spot early. Depending on another team’s misfortune, while exciting, is nerve-wracking.
December 28th, 2024 at 1:05 pm
A nasty edge rusher? That would be great except Bowles can’t develop him, won’t play him much, and when he does will screw him up by having him drop into coverage.
December 28th, 2024 at 1:23 pm
Great post Ira 👍🏼.
Always the most balanced, objective, logical of the Joe’s
December 28th, 2024 at 1:29 pm
If push comes to shove, I’d rather replace Bowles with Cohen than let Cohen coach elsewhere.
December 28th, 2024 at 1:30 pm
MarkV, ain’t that the truth!
December 28th, 2024 at 5:20 pm
Hopefully Bowles’ sense of job security is as a true head coach, who has hired a real and proper young defensive coordinator he can work with while focusing on improving his own in game management skills. His own game planning skills. His own Head Coaching skills.
Or, his sense of job security comes from a position as the new Athletic Director at Temple University.
Good list, Ira.
December 28th, 2024 at 5:33 pm
Licht just needs to find an edge rusher in FA, and buy a proven one. He has yet to draft an edge rusher who wasn’t a bust.
December 28th, 2024 at 10:55 pm
How has JTS not been given an opportunity to compete here???
If anything, the Bucs have been too generous with his opportunities compared to his production.
December 29th, 2024 at 2:42 am
Perfect Mr. Ira!
For Ira? Yet nother HOF inductee for our very own Ring of Honor sportswriter.
Simeon needs a new jacket.
Go Bucs!
December 29th, 2024 at 9:35 am
Oh please, please, *PLLLLEEEEAAASSSSSE* (🙄🙏🏻), a new head coach. Please, a new head coach. Anybody. I don’t care. Someone new. Anyone that isn’t going to ruin 80% of the simplest call in the game: the one where we threw wings and Doritos all over the floor after jumping out of our armchair, four fingers of our right hand jabbing the palm of our left hand, yelling “TIME OUT, CALL TIME OUT!!!” at the TV. Anyone who doesn’t stand on the sideline making goofy faces after maddening player decisions. Anyone who has the cojones to yell at a ref when calls are obviously skewed against us, or the audacity to throw the red challenge flag during the waning seconds of a half or right before the other team rushes to the line to snap the ball, when we know that they know that the reds missed a call. Anything less that this deep freezer full of solid trout we wheel out on the field every week called Todd Bowles. In fact, the only reason we think this sideline appliance is even coaching the Bucs is because he’s on OUR sideline and the black headset cord seems to be plugged to our equipment. I just won’t watch if he’s back next season. I swore I was finished with the NBA, and I quit years ago. We are wasting talent and tangible, real opportunities to go to a Super Bowl. Our first was memorable: the Cooper Kupp prevent umbrella Bowles offered the Rams. The second was our Bowles vs. Brady run offense. “Just hand it off up the gut for 1½ yards every play, Tommy. Gotta establish this great ground game we don’t have.” And today, behold this amazing doofy zone scheme. It doesn’t work, but we’re gonna stick with it because we are Todd Bowles’ ego personified in a professional football organization, home alone without Mom and Dad (the Glazers)
Please, a new head coach. No one disagrees on this. 💯🙏🏻
December 29th, 2024 at 10:44 am
TampaBayRudy – I enjoyed reading your post. In a masochistic, disturbed kind of way.
December 29th, 2024 at 11:02 am
Lavonte David… “potential” hall of fame???
Get your ish together Ira! Lavonte has as good if not better stats than any of his contemporaries! Kuechly, Wagner, Bowman, Warner, etc. the only difference is his lack of pro bowl / AP awards, which is the medias fault!
Better make it happen Ira.