Outside linebacker José Ramirez.

Joe would think a lot of edge rushers might be bitter about how they were used (or not used) in their rookie seasons. Not José Ramirez.

A sixth-round pick last year, Ramirez was parked on the Bucs’ practice squad all last season. This happened despite the Bucs needing an edge rusher worse than Joe needs a cold beer after being at July training camp practice.

The way Joe thought about it: If Ramirez was any good, wouldn’t the Bucs have promoted him to the active roster? The Bucs will tell you Ramirez gave Tristan Wirfs fits on weekdays. But there’s zero film the Bucs will publicly share of this.

If Joe was Ramirez, Joe would have been miffed. In fact, Ramirez has the opposite attitude. He raved to Joe about how Bucs coach Todd Bowles is turning him into a complete player. When he was at Eastern Michigan, the Auburndale High School product was strictly a pass rusher.

“Yeah, it was a lot of hard work,” Ramirez said. “But that’s what everybody has been doing.”

Then Ramirez gave shoutouts to just about every Bucs employee who has helped mold him into the player he is today, including trainers, assistant coaches, and yes, Bowles.

“I’m just part of the one percent that’s here,” Ramirez said, shrugging off any compliments. “It took a lot. I’ve been out of college [football] for [almost] two years now. In college, I was just rushing.”

While on the practice squad, Ramirez had to learn to be a complete defender, not just a pass rusher.

Ramirez didn’t fully agree when Joe mentioned that Bowles’ defense is complex.

“I wouldn’t say it is complex,” Ramirez said. “It’s just a great defense. We have duties, we have other [responsibilities]. We have to be gametime players.

“I like the position I am in. I like the things we do and the situations [Bowles] puts us in. It’s to make plays.

“So I have to be ready to make plays.”

And not just by putting quarterbacks on the ground.