Run Defense And The 2025 Offseason
January 27th, 2025
Joe heard an insightful comment made by a departed Bucs coach.
No, not El Serpiente, Liam Coen, who did his first Jaguars news conference today as head coach.
Joe is referring to the new Lions defensive line coach, Kacy Rodgers, who coached up Bucs defensive linemen from 2019 through this season.
Rodgers sat down with the Buccaneers Radio Network before he left for the white sands and comfortable winters of Detroit.
He noted how the Bucs’ run defense was stout overall this season and hung tough while facing the NFL’s great rushing teams.
“You didn’t play the little sisters of the blind,” Rodgers said.
Yes, the Bucs faced the Eagles and Lions, powerful run-heavy teams (among other tough rushing clubs). The Bucs did just enough to slow Eagles star Saquon Barkley and electric Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs to prevent them from having standout days — and the Bucs won each game.
Outside of a 59-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, Barkley was quiet as the Bucs won 33-16 in September.
Rodgers noted how again the Bucs will face a first-place schedule after winning the NFC South. That means 2025 dates with the Lions and Eagles, along with the Bills, 49ers, Rams and Falcons, teams that chew up yards on the ground.
Joe is going here because that schedule very much could affect the Bucs’ offseason approach.
Yeah, the Bucs are building for the future, but they’re very much in win-now mode and Todd Bowles is sure to be a little extra obsessed with stopping the run.
Sorry, Joe can’t bet a nickel the Bucs will be obsessed with securing a beastly edge rusher. Maybe, if he can stop the run.
January 27th, 2025 at 4:57 pm
Outside of the 59- yard run by Saquan. LOL He averages 8.4 yards per carry that day Joe……..
January 27th, 2025 at 5:12 pm
yep we need to gear up for the run and pass!!!, edge rushers linebackers, corners, safties, yep help wanted those areas
January 27th, 2025 at 5:16 pm
If the outside rush guys are dropping into pass coverage 20% of the time – think that has a lot of sway on rushing the qb?
January 27th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
No need to change the coach responsible for this dumpster fire though……
January 27th, 2025 at 5:39 pm
I sure hope we can pick up at least three or four impact free agents to go along with our draft picks. One free agent needs to be a receiver. If Godwin can’t play or leaves we are dead meat.
January 27th, 2025 at 5:42 pm
Hopefully they’ll be obsessed with securing a DC to take the pressure off of our HC so he can concentrate on his HC duties.
January 27th, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Bucs Pass Defense stinks!!
January 27th, 2025 at 5:52 pm
Joe, is there any word on who might replace Rodgers.
January 27th, 2025 at 6:11 pm
@Lol … without breaking that 59 yard run he averaged less than 4. It is 100% correct to say the Bucs contained him that day. He broke contain 1 time. Now, shouldn’t be that hard to focus on Saquon when Brown and Smith are outta the lineup but Bowles does know how to stop the run.
Otherwise I refrain from praising the Bucs run D too much because opposing teams know our strengths and weaknesses. Why run at our D when you can pass over the middle for 450? Most of them are smart enough not to give 25 carries to their backs.
January 27th, 2025 at 6:29 pm
Stuck with Bowles….hope for .500
January 27th, 2025 at 6:31 pm
Patrick Jenkins (DT, Tulane) is an intriguing low 3rd to 4th. Probably have to replace Gholston, too. Jenkins is raw, but could develop into a good one.
January 27th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
Liam Coen is a turd.
January 27th, 2025 at 7:02 pm
We were peddled the idea wholesale changes were coming to the defense then we were told well maybe there won’t be that many changes coming to that side of the ball. Now I guess the narrative is no change is a good thing because Todd the defensive mastermind can scheme a run defense and that’s what we need to focus on in 2025. When teams are passing for 5 miles a game they tend to not run. I’m going to be spending my Mondays next season typing I told you so over and over again.
January 27th, 2025 at 7:14 pm
@ lol, take some reading lessons and do some math, if you the take out the ONE 59 yard run that leaves 25 yards on 9 carries for 2.7 YPC.
January 27th, 2025 at 7:21 pm
Teams are hiring head coaches faster than we can find an OC, and a D line coach. No wonder Todd doesn’t want to replace any other defensive assistants, training camp starts in 8 months he doesn’t have enough time!
January 27th, 2025 at 7:35 pm
The lousy pass defense needs to be fixed far worse than the run defense.
Lions – Goff. Except for going full spaztard against the Redskins, he’s one of the game’s best and torched us for 400 yards.
Eagles – Hurts combined for 360 against the same Redskins. He keeps getting better.
Bills – Josh Allen. Say no more.
Niners – He always looks like Dan Marino against the Bucs.
Rams – Stafford is Stafford, too smart to fool with genius gimmicks.
Falcons – Cousins and even Ridder looked like Marino against the Bucs. Does anyone doubt that Penix won’t?
Fix the bloody pass defense.
January 27th, 2025 at 7:43 pm
I am so frustrated we are stuck with Toìlet Bowles another yèar, dont ĺisten to us, off. Coordinatorleft,def coach. left, dline coach left, they know nothing is gonna change” miscommunication, execution” truth is Toilet your schemes suck and are as predìctable as 4:30 rains in summer. Lets line up with a 12 yard cushion every play in a pass lead league.Moron.
January 27th, 2025 at 7:47 pm
“I am so frustrated we are stuck with Toìlet Bowles another yèar”
So is a LARGE portion of the Bucs fan base, Rash, you are not alone!
January 27th, 2025 at 7:49 pm
Yes let’s forget to mention Derrick Henry. No conspiracy theories about why a close friend who’s coached with Bowles so many years and doing a great job would decide to make a lateral move and the worst leave Florida weather for Detroit.
January 27th, 2025 at 7:56 pm
Worse pass defense in the league. Need better defensive backs. To slow.
January 27th, 2025 at 8:13 pm
Having a decent run stopping D isn’t impressive when you complete sell out the passing game to stop the run. 31st pass D but hey we’re ok at the run game, yay! It’s all about balance. We have none of that.
January 27th, 2025 at 8:44 pm
Attempting to run on the Bucs Defense is stupid when you can pass all day long.
Zero pass rush without sending everyone.
Zero pass coverage.
January 27th, 2025 at 9:01 pm
Zero pass coverage? Oh no no! We has Braswell and JTS and Nelson and Vea and Yaya and Kancey all fortifying the mighty Cover Who defense, dropping into pass coverage and covering wide open space! You see it’s all part of the genius plan to fool the opposing QB. As you can see, it works like a charm. Kirk Cousins was so confused, he was laughing so hard he could barely cock his arm to throw for 800 combined yards and 20 touchdowns in 2 games.
January 27th, 2025 at 9:06 pm
I’m so pissed about the loss to Washington because if we’d won that game (without the stupid turnover we win) I believe we would have beaten the overachieving Eggles . Every significant game against them we’ve won (at least since 01-02.
January 27th, 2025 at 9:38 pm
Draft lb’s and cb’s only
January 27th, 2025 at 9:42 pm
Can we get some corners & safeties that can actually pick the ball off & maybe than can play man 2 man coverage ? How about going out in free agency and grabbing a good edge rusher as well as drafting one with HIGH priority ! Speed , speed & more speed on a couple linebackers in the draft…come on Jayson & co. We know you can draft well now let’s get some Dawgs on defense! I am tired of seeing no turnovers & never getting off the field on 3rd and 4th down !!!!!!!!!!!¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 27th, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Another article about Todd and the pass defense?
Oh wait, my bad. Looked at the comments 1st, so like every other article it just seems that way thanks to the usual suspects. – Lol 🙂
Regarding the actual article/topic. Let’s hope like hell we get a good replacement for Rodgers. Thats the been the one area on defense we’ve been consistent and steady.
January 27th, 2025 at 10:04 pm
We’ve had press man CBs. Davis and Dean excelled at that, so they were used in zone 80% plus of the time. Coach doesn’t like press man, he scared. Edge rushers don’t rush, they drop. So Jason has a really tough job. Get 11 guys starting on defense that can all either play cerebral zone defense or rush the passer, all while making sure the run is stopped.
Simple job for Jason.
Thanks, Todd.
January 27th, 2025 at 10:44 pm
Everyone please stop talking about Liam Howard Dean Cowin’s “Duvvalll” moment today. We have had enough laughter for one day.
January 27th, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Need to hire a d-line guru.
January 27th, 2025 at 11:21 pm
Another inane comment by the departed reptile? How shocking.
January 27th, 2025 at 11:47 pm
Liam Cohen could have perhaps handled the situation better, I don’t question his decision to take the Jags head coaching job one bit. Who in their right mind would turn down a substantial pay raise and be one of the elite 32 head coaches. I don’t view him as a snake, I view him doing what anyone of us would do.
I will add that why would an opponent’s offensive coordinator game plan to run the football against us when our secondary is porous and easy pickings? When an opponents offense game plans to throw against a weak secondary, naturally the stats will look better defensively against the run.
January 28th, 2025 at 12:23 am
Liam is like a doofier version of the Dolphins HC, who is on his last year with the stankfish.
He doesn’t have a man’s man between him and the rest of the team. In Tampa he had Baker for that. In Jaxoff………he’s got a dude who looks like a girl.
January 28th, 2025 at 4:10 am
Joe,
The answers to run the defense challenges and the beastly edge rusher deficit come in the same package 6’3”, 244# package; ILB Jihaad Campbell from Alabama in the first round of the draft!
NFL Draft Buzz says that Campbell runs a 4.52 forty! He has the speed to turn corners and shoot gaps along with the beef to say, “HELLO!”, when he gets there on all three downs!
Campbell wasn’t the play caller at ‘Bama because they shifted him to the edge from time to time to spice things up. And you, Joe, will love it when the Bucs do the same thing although he is just as hot after the quarterback coming right up the gut!
Joe is thirsting for an edge rusher maybe more than he is for another brew! But, the Bucs need a presence like Campbell in the middle of the field with the length, speed, coverage skills and wallop to stop the Bucs from bleeding yards play after play on routes underneath and across the middle. Lavonte David is great! If he comes back for another year, he needs and deserves such serious help. And, if he doesn’t come back, the Bucs are dead ducks with what they have left at ILB.
In free agency, the Bucs need to dig deep, look closely, and not spend big on any one player. But, good value can be found. The Texans paid Derek Barnett $2 million in 2024 on a one year deal. He only played 390 total snaps, but Barnett bagged five sacks, forced two fumbles, and 4 tackles for loss.
He is a free agent, and that is the kind of production for the buck that the Bucs need to find!
The second round pick should probably be the best available between edge, DL and ILB. But, the Bucs definitely need another ILB with at least a 4.55 forty speed. At 4.64, SirVocea Dennis is a bit too slow for a starter to eventually take Lavonte David’s spot; and with a 4.76 forty, K.J. Britt is way too slow. The NFL is always changing. And, the direction it is heading right now is fast shifty players who bleed you constantly underneath and down the middle of the field. The Bucs don’t often get beat deep down the field. But, they are bleeding yards in the area where the ILB’s should be shutting receivers down. The Bucs have the beef on the the DL to allow them to go lighter at ILB if that is what it takes to get the speed they need. The Bucs should be looking at Barrett Carter from Clemson, Smael Mondon from Georgia (I think that he will be at the Senior Bowl this week), Cody Simon from Ohio State, and Lander Barton from Utah.
By the fourth round, they should be looking for another cornerback to develop like Zyon McCollum.
January 28th, 2025 at 4:42 am
Too bad for us Bowles isn’t the smartest coach in the world. If he was he he’d look at what Andy Reid has done. Great defense against pass and run, great offense and great special teams no matter who he has on the team and realize his way is simply not a good way to coach. He’d learn to adapt his system to the players not the other way around and that 350lb linemen covering rbs and TEs isn’t the way. We’re stuck with the league’s worst pass defense as long as he’s here
January 28th, 2025 at 7:59 am
Ok Todd gets another year here. Not thrilled but he either fixes this defense or he’s gone after next season. Simple as that.
January 28th, 2025 at 8:05 am
Not looking at development???. Quick fik not paying attention to positive behavior and New School Game. The Game Has Changed 💯💯💯
January 28th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
Doesn’t matter how good your running game is if you know you can also complete 70+% of your passes, you’re going to throw the ball.
Don’t be stupid Mr. Bowles.