Report: Bucs Bring Back Patrick O’Connor And Cam Gill
March 18th, 2023
Cam Gill
Head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht have shown they want little shakeup of their quality defense.
The NFL Network ticker says backup edge rusher Cam Gill is returning for his fourth Bucs season and reporter Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) has shared that special teamer backup DE/DT Patrick O’Connor is back for his seventh season in pewter and red.
Gill messed up his foot last summer and was lost for the season on injured reserve. Joe suspects he could have been ready sooner but his return wasn’t a priority as a bottom-of-the-roster player.
The thought of Gill always reminds Joe of one of the funnier stories of the Buccaneers’ 2020 Super Bowl run. Gill had a half-sack in the Super Bowl and it seemed to freak out Jason Pierre-Paul — in a good way, not an Antonio Brown way.
March 18th, 2023 at 5:39 pm
I like it
March 18th, 2023 at 5:52 pm
O’Connor has been a Buc for seven seasons?
He’s the invisible man…
March 18th, 2023 at 5:52 pm
Glad to see this. I really thought Gill was gonna go off this year based on his preseason. Hopefully I’m right this year.
March 18th, 2023 at 6:01 pm
We also signed Greg Gaines. He’s been with the Ram’s the last four years.
We’re going to be very happy with him!
He’ll slot right next to Vita.
GM Jason is doing a very good job in free agency this year considering the salary cap jail we’re in.
Regardless of what happens this year at the QB spot, it’s going to be fun!!
March 18th, 2023 at 6:12 pm
He’s not invisible, you just don’t watch special teams like that. Also, he puts in work when he gets snaps in the preseason
March 18th, 2023 at 6:20 pm
Filling out roster space with role players.
Necessary but meh.
Bucs need to hit on a player this draft
March 18th, 2023 at 6:23 pm
Like these signings. Young depth with game time experience.
Been a huge critic of Licht but very impressed so far with what has been done so far.
Go Bucs.
March 18th, 2023 at 6:27 pm
Bottom of the roster, fine. Gill can do some things.
March 18th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
Gill is nice to have back, assuming he’s healthy, and I’m sure he is or the Bucs wouldn’t have signed him.
Patty, meanwhile, has 20 tackles in 57 games. You have to fill out your roster with someone I guess.
March 18th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
Patty O is living the dream
March 18th, 2023 at 6:44 pm
The front office is doing good so far. I would like to see them sign SMB and Gholston too. Feels like they are setting up to be super focused in the draft.
March 18th, 2023 at 6:46 pm
Every team has got to have players like these…….they are crucial backups and it makes sense to bring back players who have familiarity with the system coaches & players……
The defense is starting to take shape…….guess we are waiting for players like SMB, Neal, Gholston to clear FA so we can bring them back as cheaply as possible.
March 18th, 2023 at 7:03 pm
O’Conner has been an effective special team’s player. Glad to have him back.
March 18th, 2023 at 7:16 pm
@Dooley: :sigh:
I know who O’Conner is, and what he does.
I question the “seven years”…then he’d be invisible for two.
I think he’s been a Buc for five, not seven, years.
Casuals…:shrugs shoulders:
March 18th, 2023 at 7:34 pm
This is what happens in cap hell years. These are relatively good moves.
This offers breakout potential. Will it be Gill? Tryon? Will they use 45 as a pass rusher first and coverage second, like his talents suggest? Will Mayfield thrive with a steady line and outstanding WRs? Will White become a 100 yard a game back? Who can fill the RT spot? Will special teams improve?
Loved Tom Brady. His time here was amazing and fun to watch. In hindsight, last year was tough. He did look troubled. Distracted. The OC was a joke. The Wooden Indian could not inspire players to beat shi!tier teams. Will he get some fire in the belly? Will he show some emotion? Will the new OC get them into Top 10 of scoring and increase TOP so Vea can hang?
All of these questions will be answered. But it seems like Licht is doing what he can with what he’s got.
March 18th, 2023 at 7:52 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever looked up Cam Gills college workout numbers before, but he’s 6’2″ 240 and ran a 4.58, and he’s still just 25. I would have thought he was smaller, slower and older. That’s really interesting. I hope he’s fully healthy since I’ve liked him in limited snaps, and the Bucs have zero depth at LB, so they’re going to need him.
March 18th, 2023 at 8:19 pm
One of the big jobs GMs have is to bring in young players with potential. They have to give the coaches the personnel to build a quality team with. But once the draft is over it is on the coaching staff. Here are my lists for for Lichts worst and then his best draft picks so far.
Worst: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jameis Winston, Vernon Hargreaves III, Roberto Aguayo and O.J. Howard. Best: Mike Evans, Ali Marpet, Chris Godwin, Vita Vea, Carlton Davis, Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr.
March 18th, 2023 at 8:36 pm
This is a good move. How about bringing back Carl Nassib?
March 18th, 2023 at 9:13 pm
We need to bring back SS Logan Ryan.
March 18th, 2023 at 9:48 pm
Gill could be another Shaq, he has flashed the goods. More in 21 than in 20. Love that and love O’Connor coming back. O’Connor can play .
Trot out both of them and see what we have – we know they can play already and obviously the coaches and management thinks so.
March 18th, 2023 at 9:49 pm
O Conner can play not sure why he hasn’t gotten very many snaps on defense but in the limited time he does he’s usually doing something and getting extremely close to making plays but just a step slow. I like it he and Gil both are great special team guys at worst. The Gaines pickup is huge too. Bring will back and draft a rookie and I’d say this dline looking good
March 18th, 2023 at 9:50 pm
Gil usually takes advantage of the few opportunities he gets as a pass rush specialist. O’Connor does r see a lot of action outside special teams but hustles when we does get his opportunities. Like em both as role players and keep hoping gil will earn more time
March 18th, 2023 at 9:55 pm
Just !eave Trashk on the Bench –
There’s nothing meh about this off-season. JL is crushing it, one splash rookie does not make or break any team. But you wouldn’t know that given your insistence to “just throw your boy out there and see what we have” when the pros who do it for a living have very good reasons not to.
You should check in with them, surely they’d be fascinated by your perspective.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:33 pm
Bucs make move for Aaron Rodgers by offering 2023 First, 2024 second, and accepting half of Rodger’s salary.
Fans complain. Bucs win 3rd Superbowl. Fans rejoice. Then fans pretend it wasn’t worth it.
Jets fans hate Green Bay and Tampa forever.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
LOL 🙄 😅
March 18th, 2023 at 11:54 pm
In a 5 year span from 1993-1997 Bucs drafted 4 HOF players and arguably another who Bucs fans think should get consideration.
at 82 (1993) Lynch
at 12 (1995) Sapp
at 28 (1995) Brooks
at 35 (1996) Alstott
at 66 (1997) Barber
They also drafted Abraham, Ahanotu & Dunn during that time (Dilfer too).
Next two years they drafted Kelly and Jackson.
Outside those players look at the names – not memorable.
Then look at the post superbowl drafts. Then it starts to add up why the Bucs had that bad of a stretch for so long. They had terrible drafts.
Fast forward to this team.
Starting in 2014 Bucs drafted Evans – since then the draft cupboard hasn’t been bare. They have hit on players – the 2019 draft in particular, but 2018 they got Vea and Davis. 2017 they go Godwin at 84. Marpet, Smith, Wirfs, Winfield…
Yeah Goat you got to hit on players in the draft – and you have to do it consistently. You string a together some bad drafts and that ship sinks. In the Bucs present situation they need to hit home runs in this draft and the next one – or else they have to overpay for guys just to keep a credible team on the field – guys that aren’t going to be difference makers. If they can hit on 3 players in this draft and three in the next – they’ll stay relative. I’m thinking that they need to do more than that – they need to go into this draft with a BPA strategy. They need to think about finding the next star player. The guy who is going to start the new generation. We know Licht loves to find these under the radar guys thinking he’s smarter than everyone else – but not this year. Its got to be about can’t miss players.
March 19th, 2023 at 12:00 am
JimbobBucsFan we get to watch Tom Brady Bucs highlights for a while – a long while. You know you’re still watching Alstott highlights here and there. Its fantastic. I regret nothing.
Watch the 2021 Bucs-Dolphins highlights. That offense was a juggernaut. Makes you wonder how did they struggled so badly in 2022. Was it the coaching and play calling? Offensive line? Brady’s divorce? All of the above? My goodness was it ugly last year.
March 19th, 2023 at 1:32 am
Really, dude – stop doubling your hallucinogens with crystal meth.
Licht has nailed the draft and FA. Everyone has their misses, Licht is way better than the average of his peers. He’s a top 5 NFL GM, best the Bucs have ever had. Hence why he and his organization collectively decided on the moves to upgrade the QB position from immediate Post-Brady roster status. To keep as many top players as possible, and give the Todd his chance to swim. So when he doesn’t, there is no argument about his termination.
Don’t worry, #2 will still be there for you in 2024.
March 19th, 2023 at 2:13 am
Its not going to matter Goat. Bowles is not a good HC.
We had way too much talent last year and Brady to be under .500 and then get whalloped in a home playoff game.
As far as Licht is concerned with the draft it’s feast or famine. The overall number of quality players is right, but there have been some real head scratchers.
The way the cap situation is though a home run draft would be super nice.
March 19th, 2023 at 6:20 am
Yeah Licht has nailed the draft thats why we don’t have any holes to fill. I guess we just draft for depth?
March 19th, 2023 at 10:42 am
Too many holes to fill.
That’s the problem with “bringing everyone back” – the cap implications. You have to continually evolve – draft good players – make smart signings. Otherwise it becomes cyclic – good era, bad era, good, bad, etc… As we’ve seen with the Bucs is you can get stuck in bad eras.
Easy to say in hindsight though. At the time we were all “We got Tom Brady let’s do it again!” But the Bucs lost to Rams. It was a gamble and the Bucs lost. Hey they went for it. Now the tab has come due. We all know this.
Filling holes through the draft is tough. In the Bucs present situation BPA does sound like the better strategy.
March 19th, 2023 at 5:55 pm
This and This
——————-
“Jon Grudin Says:
March 18th, 2023 at 8:36 pm
This is a good move. How about bringing back Carl Nassib?
Stanglassman Says:
March 18th, 2023 at 9:13 pm
We need to bring back SS Logan Ryan.”
——————–
Also need to brng back the rock steady Will Ghoulston
March 20th, 2023 at 8:53 am
Cam Gill was a Buccaneer for the previous three seasons? hmm, never noticed.