Grading The Offseason
July 18th, 2023
Life without Tom Brady.
The Bucs had three glorious years with Tom Brady.
As NFL columnist Frank Schwab types, the signing of Brady went “spectacularly.” Only another Super Bowl in 2021 would have made the Brady signing any better.
But like getting a loan for a new Ford F-150 truck at Bill Currie Ford, sooner or later Ford Motor Credit needs to get paid. And now that Bucs salary cap bill is due. Schwab claims there was little the Bucs could do to upgrade the roster in the first season of the post-Tom Brady era.
The first big question in the Bucs’ post-Tom Brady world was how they would fix their QB problem. It seems their final answer will come in another year or two. For now the Buccaneers took a shot on turning Baker Mayfield around, or perhaps 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask will win the job. Most likely, their QB of the future will be playing on Saturdays this fall.
Joe believes it’s 50/50 that Schwab is correct. Joe has hope that offensive coordinator Dave Canales can turn Baker Mayfield around. The vast majority of NFL onlookers don’t think that’s possible.
Hey, if Mayfield shines, he’s the Bucs quarterback for the near future. If he doesn’t, as Joe has typed many times, no harm; no foul. The Bucs will draft their next quarterback in April.
Overall, Schwab gave the Bucs a “D” grade for offseason moves, noting Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht made excellent signings but was handcuffed by the salary cap.
Schwab seems to think the Bucs haven’t (yet) replaced two expensive veterans who had to go: Donovan Smith and Shaq Mason.
July 18th, 2023 at 2:20 am
Matt Feiler replaced Donovan Smith while Wirfs took over LT
July 18th, 2023 at 5:18 am
Three glorious years? More like two.
July 18th, 2023 at 5:29 am
How is it? Green Bay loses its HOF QB as did Tampa Bay, GB starts a nonestabished QB, TB has a better defense and 2 elite receivers, but GB is ranked in top 20 and TB ranked 30th.. TB is in a bigger market, GB has a bigger fan base. Go figure!
July 18th, 2023 at 7:27 am
Agree with Hodad. Seems like Brady lost interest towards the end of last year. Understandable given all that was going on in his life, and the Bucs were going to clearly be one and done in the playoffs no matter the opponent
July 18th, 2023 at 7:36 am
Schwab ” Most likely their QB of the future will be playing on Saturdays.”
Son of Trask missed that. He has no faith in Trask either!
July 18th, 2023 at 7:48 am
I think the off season went better than most believe…..why?
We got much younger & more athletic….
Some of our new FAs and our new draft class replace older players like
Brady, Rudolph, Bernard, D Smith, S Mason, Brate, Succop, Hicks, Ryan, Gholston
July 18th, 2023 at 8:27 am
“Overall, Schwab gave the Bucs a “D” grade for offseason moves”
A D grade goes with the assumption that licht could have done better. Maybe a C,B,orA.
Does this Schwab dude explain how he arrived at a D or what Jason should have done? No…just another of the media dudes piling on to the whipping boy Bucs because we are the flavor of the month.
Got any legit sources Joe?
Go Bucs!
July 18th, 2023 at 9:21 am
Garro … I agree. I’d give Licht a B+ or A-. The Bucs started the season -$54M, no QB, a horrible OL, and key FA. This team should be hot garbage and 3-4 years away from completing. Instead, the Bucs look competitive with a shot at the playoffs.
Someone explain how Licht could have done better?
I would have taken Washington in the 3rd, practically guaranteeing a run game, over Yaya but time will tell.
July 18th, 2023 at 9:55 am
Why does Mr. Moxie look fat in all the photos? Just what we need. A runaround quarterback who can’t throw OR run.
July 18th, 2023 at 11:05 am
Trask will win this job.
July 18th, 2023 at 11:11 am
If Mayfield starts going south early. Them Boo birds gonna be enough to start a space engine.
July 18th, 2023 at 11:16 am
I guess Trask dont exist. I can’t wait to feed these people a HUGE CROW.
July 18th, 2023 at 11:18 am
Trask is so awful hes fighting for 1 of 32 STARTING NFL jobs. Wow i guess we have a verdict without him even playing a game…GET REAL!
July 18th, 2023 at 11:25 am
The Bucs started the off-season -54 million and with an untested QB.
The untested QB is the Bucs Brass’ own fault. They could have put more interest into developing him and we would have a better idea if he can fit in, or excel, in the NFL.
Instead everyone stood around wringing their hands because Brady was falling apart.
It is an interesting draft class for QBs, but none of them will worth beans on Sundays of next year. Baker might do something for a while, but probably will succumb to the pressure and start doing stupid stuff.
If the brass against stand around wringing their hands the team is doomed for 3-5 years, just like most NFL teams.
July 18th, 2023 at 11:53 am
Outkick has a devastating assessment of Mayfield:
“The former Heisman Trophy winner went No. 1 in 2018 and never quite got it to click while in Cleveland. Mayfield had losing seasons in three of four years.
And then, when the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson, they shipped him off to Carolina. His six games as the starter saw just one win, which led the Panthers to cut him loose.
Mayfield landed in Los Angeles and started four games with, again, only one win.
He is 31-38 all-time.”
Reading all the hype, I didn’t realize it was that bad.
July 18th, 2023 at 10:17 pm
Mayfield’s record at Cleveland was 29-30, Cleveland went 7-10 last year after Mayfield left. Although Cleveland has improved from their winless days (due in part to Mayfield’s play), the organization is still a train wreck. Don’t know if he’ll work out well for Bucs, but Mayfield did throw more TDs than INTs every season of his career, which makes him a better option than Jameis. And he has a playoff win under his belt, against the Steelers no less. Signing a franchise QB wasn’t an option, and the Bucs didn’t sign Mayfield only to have him ride the bench behind Trask. Seems pretty obvious Bucs don’t view Trask as a legit starter, they’re just trying to avoid the bad PR of another blown draft pick.