Todd Bowles Weighs In On Haason Reddick
April 2nd, 2025
Haason Reddick chatter.
It was sort of weird a few weeks ago when the Bucs brought in big-time free agent Haason Reddick to talk to the local pen and mic club and the only football official who showed up was Reddick’s position coach.
That was his old position coach with the Arizona Cardinals, Larry Foote. No teammates, either.
So yesterday, when Bucs coach Todd Bowles broke bread (figuratively) at the NFC coaches breakfast at the NFL owners meetings at the swanky Breakers resort in Palm Beach, Bowles, for the first time, spoke publicly about his new, expensive toy.
Bowles remarked that Foote is a big reason why the Bucs signed Reddick, and that Bowles picked Foote’s brain about the former Eagles quarterback killer.
“Foote had a lot to do with him and we talked about it quite a bit,” Bowles said. “I knew he was a heck of a pass rusher. We needed a pass rusher. We knew he started halfway through the season, so I would consider last season a wash for him.
“We expect him to be his old self with us. He can do a lot of things, but more importantly, he can rush the passer. If we’ve got guys that can rush the passer, we let them rush the passer.”
Bowles last year repeatedly bemoaned how the Bucs couldn’t get after the quarterback unless they had a five-man line or blitzed. So he was hoping to land a guy that demands more than one blocker. He believes Reddick is that guy.
“I think he brings a great addition to help us rush with four,” Bowles said. “So we can cover more and do those types of things.”
The math tells Bowles he won’t have to blitz as much and can keep defenders back in coverage if Reddick can breathe on quarterbacks. That alone, Bowles believes, will help the pass defense.
And maybe, just maybe, Bowles will get more of those sacred picks he craves.
The only thing Joe will add is that a secondary’s best friend is an edge rusher. A strong pass rush can make an ordinary secondary look strong.
April 2nd, 2025 at 4:44 am
To me, the more important thing Coach Bowles said in the quote is “If we’ve got guys who can rush the passer, we let them rush the passer.” Many of us have been frustrated with the use of OLB’s as DB’s in the past. Maybe, just maybe, that coverage was called more often because coach knew the cast of OLB’s on the roster were not good at rushing the passer so he was forced to hide the rusher. If I were a member of the media I might hold coach to this quote if the Bucs revert to old ways too often this season.
April 2nd, 2025 at 5:33 am
Bowles is on mid season form. Blah Blah Blah and by the way Blah!
Foote? Pass rusher rushing? um Yeah…
Go Bucs!
April 2nd, 2025 at 6:29 am
Boy, I sure hope he can still rush the passer.
April 2nd, 2025 at 6:37 am
I expect Hassan to show up for OTA’s with his new team to show that he’s all in.
April 2nd, 2025 at 6:37 am
Pass Rush away from being a legit Super Bowl contender. Hopefully this is the answer. Go Bucs!!
April 2nd, 2025 at 6:57 am
I’m hoping Reddick buys in to the Bucs culture and feels at home here, wanting to be great for his team, teammates and fans. Lately, he seems to have been a “show me the money, I got mine” type of player. Perhaps moving to a place where there is a true team culture will inspire him to even greater things. That, or he’ll become the next Devin White. We shall soon see …
April 2nd, 2025 at 8:04 am
I’m hoping Bowles doesn’t keep our defenders too far back in coverage.
Know what I’m saying?
April 2nd, 2025 at 9:23 am
Can’t blame him for blitzing so much. When we only rushed 4 the QB had all day. Only consistent pressure we got was more so on the interior if Vea/Cancey and even Hall were having good days. Yaya needs to step up
April 2nd, 2025 at 9:26 am
Yeah lots of 31 year old edge rushers blow up after taking a year off. Happens all the time. Lol
April 2nd, 2025 at 10:57 am
Just a crazy thought – maybe if you coached and developed your guys who are drafted as pass rushers to be pass rushers instead of dropping them 15 yards deep into empty space, you might actually see your young pass rushers succeed at rushing the passer.
I know. Crazy talk.
April 2nd, 2025 at 2:49 pm
3 Billy Goats Gruff