“They Need An Edge Rusher Bad”
October 29th, 2024
“Are you hearing this blasphemy, Jason?”
One ex-Buccaneer and one former Super Bowl winner had what felt like an online wake for the Bucs today.
It was on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long, the former Rams, Patriots and Eagles edge rusher. Long is among those that picked the Bucs to win the NFC South and now he thinks their chances are cooked. As much as Long would like to see the Bucs rise up, he said he’s not seeing how the defense can pull it off — and how the offense will recover long-term from the losses of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.
Responding on the show was former Todd Bowles Bucs defensive tackle Beau Allen. He’s a big Bucs fans and is friends with Vita Vea and other current Bucs. He talked about how impressed he is with Liam Coen and the Bucs’ performance Sunday against Atlanta. But Allen sounded in disbelief by what he’s seeing from the Bucs pass rush.
He said there’s only so much Vea can do while being constantly double-teamed.
“They need an edge rusher bad,” Allen said with a somber tone.
Allen was sort of upbeat on YaYa Diaby but down on the rest of the edge rush crew. Allen specifically noted his former teammate Anthony Nelson isn’t strong enough as a pass rusher.
While praising Atlanta, Long was clear that he doesn’t see them doing anything special because of their pass rush. Teams without a pass rusher are “anchored” in the postseason, he said.
Joe has made that point many times. It might be impossible to find a Super Bowl winner that did not have a stud edge rusher on the roster.
October 29th, 2024 at 3:43 pm
Who is at fault Joe? Licht for drafting JTS, Logan Hall and Devin White or Todd Bowles?
October 29th, 2024 at 3:44 pm
I know you keep beating this dead horse but they need more than a pass rush on defense. They need a map to find the flash cards to their commincation cuz I don’t know if you noticed Joe but wr are wide the heck open and no pass rush is fixing that. Corners are playing 15 yards off the ball and defense tackles are playing coverage with the outside linebackers. What pass rush fixes that?
October 29th, 2024 at 3:49 pm
Let’s see who we have,
Yaya ” Pressure King” Diaby
Joe” Ghost” Tyron
Anthony ” Weak” Nelson
Chris “Underperforming”Braswell
October 29th, 2024 at 3:49 pm
It’s total organizational failure in not getting talent.
October 29th, 2024 at 3:50 pm
You can’t blame Licht without blaming Bowles. You do realize the GM’s job is to get the Coach, players, the coach wants right? Licht doesnt get players Bowles doesnt agree with. Thats now how it works.
October 29th, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Bring back Shaq. Now.
October 29th, 2024 at 3:56 pm
@Dew Shaq’s rights are own by the Dolphins. Bucs aren’t trading for him.
October 29th, 2024 at 3:59 pm
and a few secondary players and a new HC and………………..
October 29th, 2024 at 4:00 pm
I’d trade a 2nd or 3rd round pick for Azeez Ojulari! at 24 years old, 6 sacks on the season with something like five sacks in the past 3 games.
October 29th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
A quality edge rusher would compliment our (nonexistent last two games) interior pass rush. If Todd is capable of saying what he wants for his defense then it falls on Jason to do the best he can to find the personnel. It is likely that Licht will not bat a thousand.
October 29th, 2024 at 4:07 pm
Licht is looking at this realistically…..you trade away picks for short term rentals all for a HC who can’t get veterans of his defense on the same page but think a new player is going to hit the ground running? Remember this…..Arians was Lichts pick, not Bowles. Licht was stuck with Bowles because Arians bailed right before training camp. I think Licht has seen enough to know Bowles can’t get them beyond 9-8 and early exits from the playoffs. That’s reality so why give up picks who hasn’t developed anyone, can’t get his current defensive players on the same page all for a coach that’s likely done after this season.
October 29th, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Jason Licht has NEVER drafted a decent edge rusher
He’s good at buying, or trading for them
October 29th, 2024 at 4:32 pm
A blind man can see that
But these Licht lovers can’t see it
October 29th, 2024 at 4:35 pm
Other news Ravens just traded for D. Johnson WR from Carolina and gave up a 5th round pick and got a 6th in return. So many of these teams just giving up half there team to make a trade as Bowles would say lol.
October 29th, 2024 at 4:41 pm
Carolina would never trade with the Bucs, but I get your point that other teams with little cap space have been able to do it. The Glazers in the past have made it clear though that don’t trade for crap unless this team is primed to go deep in the playoffs.
October 29th, 2024 at 4:42 pm
We are paying a huge price for the Brady years. I’ll take it every time!
October 29th, 2024 at 4:46 pm
Yes as I have said no pass rush with 4 , to many blitzes then occur ,still can’t get there. If pass rush was better,it would help with the weakness in the secondary. With that said some of this goes on Lightand or Bowles’s ego. They knew they had no real pass rusher and were hoping Diaby would be that person. It is clear neither edge is a plus allowing teams to double Vea and Clancy and saying beat us with your edge rushers 1v1. If Bowles thought he could pickup the rush with his skeme he miscalucalated big time. It is Light’s job to see that the right talent is brought in. He has failed to address as well. One can only scratch your head. They both did not see the forest for the trees?
Anyway, yes appears this season is cooked. Good luck with KC and San Fran. Oh is to say we can sweep Car or No, yes both playing poorly, but so are the Bucs. Yes backend of the schedule a little easier. However, does anyone want to see this defense in the playoffs!!!. Oh my without drastic improvement this would be embarassing to watch.
To be honest I can’t watch this defense anymore. I turned off the Atl game before the end of the half. It was clear when ATL had the ball 3minutes and 30 seconds of possession to Tampa’s 12 or so, yet the score tied at 14 one knew that their was no way Atl would lose scoring points that fast. It looked like 11 v 7 drills out there. Atl had 11 players and Tampa had 7. Indeed the defense is truely embrassing.
I am a huge fan and feel for the offense they are much more motivated than this defense.
October 29th, 2024 at 4:54 pm
The time to make a trade was before the draft. Braswell is useless. We did just fine without our rookie center at the saints. Yes we got two guy and we still could have gotten them based on where they were drafted. Salary cap is free next year. If he did such a great job then the roster is loaded so how many picks are needed?
Licht is the failure, just because you hit on a few picks it doesn’t mean you are building a Super Bowl team! He doesn’t have the right coach or a pass rush which are critical so it’s a big time fail.
October 29th, 2024 at 4:58 pm
We have failed with our defense top picks…..not getting it done with Kancey, Braswell, Hall, JTS, YaYa & Vita….that’s a lot of draft capital not producing results.
October 29th, 2024 at 5:00 pm
The frustrating thing for fans is the inaction by Licht and Bowles. This has been an issue since SUH and JPP left. Rookies are not going fill in for Probowlers. How many times did Bowles defend JTS and Hall for their putrid play over the last few years. KC and the 49ers are going to kill this defense and there is nothing the Bucs can do about it with so little talent on defense.
October 29th, 2024 at 5:06 pm
Edge rusher doesn’t fix anything if that edge rusher is dropping into coverage, or the QB has a 3 step drop and hit a wide open TE.
Edge Rusher’s are great when they are used properly but Todd Blows does not use them the right way. The coverage schemes are so passive and the corners play scared to get beat deep.
October 29th, 2024 at 5:09 pm
They just need more players that can cover and tackle. Licht has to add some pieces to this defense before training deadline. 5th and 6th round draft picks are no big deal to give up for someone that can tackle a receiver after a catch or someone that can get you 4 or 5 sacks a season. Nothing extraordinary, just players that make plays and don’t shy away from contact.
October 29th, 2024 at 5:22 pm
You could have Reggie White in his prime and still Todd ‘Swiss Cheese’ Bowles would find a way to misuse him.
October 29th, 2024 at 5:22 pm
Drafting is everything.
We missed
October 29th, 2024 at 5:24 pm
Reggie White was a shut down corner right?? *Sarcasm just saying Bowles would put him in coverage….
October 29th, 2024 at 5:36 pm
Being outcoached is an extremely frustrating thing as a fan. It isn’t that complicated even with the eye test. The Offense is on point with its play-calling. Even though Mayfield has thrown a couple of ill-advised interceptions the plays are there. The defense isn’t just missing tackles, they aren’t even remotely close to making a play. Sometimes 5 yards or even more away from the play. That Robinson TD might have been one of the most disgusting things I’ve seen from a Bucs D since the Payton Manning collapse decades ago.
October 29th, 2024 at 5:38 pm
Bowles’ defense is designed to stop the run, so while they rank 30th against the pass, they are much better against the run, ranking 24th.
October 29th, 2024 at 5:45 pm
A Bucs Fan Says:
Who is at fault Joe? Licht for drafting JTS, Logan Hall and Devin White or Todd Bowles?
^^^^^^^
This is the biggest conversation that we aren’t having, Joe. Licht has brought in ridiculous talent. JTS, Yaya, and Braz are physical freaks of nature. Braz was productive in college. JTS actually was pre-covid. Bowles neither develops nor plays his guys correctly. The lack of rush is Bowles. If you want a pass rush, you need a different DC. He’s too cute with his disguises.
October 29th, 2024 at 6:08 pm
How about the edge rushers we have start bringing the pressure from the edge !!
Go Bucs !!
October 29th, 2024 at 6:11 pm
A little off-topic but should be addressed is the fact that this team is missing that Alpha dog. The Ray Lewis, Hardy Nickerson and more currently are Crosby, Hutcheson & Watts type player that motivates the entire team. Someone who sets the tone and holds other players accountable. Have not seen that from any player except maybe Mayfield & Evans on offense.
October 29th, 2024 at 6:11 pm
I’d trade Vea to get me one. Vea hasn’t made a difference except a couple of splash plays. Maybe even Evans or Dean.
October 29th, 2024 at 6:40 pm
Pair CJ Brewer with Vita Vea and move Calijah Kansey to DE, problem solved. Calijah have the same attributes as former hall of fame colts player Dwight freeney. Heck let’s get creative. Bring in Freeney to work with Calijah one on one on the spin move. Calijah has the intelligence, physicality, quickness, n skills to adapt n master the spin move. This give us the best chance of bringing in a difference maker defensive end right away. Your thoughts?
October 29th, 2024 at 6:47 pm
I’m not giving up on my loveable losers! I still feel like when the chips are down this team will come through o
October 29th, 2024 at 7:02 pm
An argument can be made that if the Bucs could get pressure on the qb, perhaps the D would not be picked apart quite as bad. However, Coach Payton also showed the NFL that quick drops and releases to targets in the vicinity of KJ Britt also are very successful so it comes down to the chicken or the egg, is it the below average edge rushers or the below average secondary or both? Licht suddenly looks fallible too as he spent a lot of day one and day two draft picks on this defensive front.
October 29th, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Bring back Shaq!!
October 29th, 2024 at 7:34 pm
It is clear that Bowles hubris, loyalty and degraded mental ability will continue to keep the bucs at 500. With the NFC loaded with good teams, the bucs are done. If the Glazers don’t make a move, we are looking at another lost decade.
October 29th, 2024 at 8:08 pm
PowerOfPewter … ‘Bowles’ defense is designed to stop the run, so while they rank 30th against the pass, they are much better against the run, ranking 24th.’
I was just thinking about that yesterday. Even back in Bowles’ first year here (2019) when our defense ranked #29 in Points Allowed, it ranked #30 in Passing Yardage Allowed but #1 in Rushing Yardage Allowed. That was a bizarre year, with the defense ranked #29 but the offense ranked #3. Of course, that same offense ranked #32 in giveaways (41) so that didn’t help the defense much.
Fast forward to 2024. Bucs defense currently ranks #28 in Points Allowed and our offense ranks #4. Hmmm, very similar to 2019 (when we went 7-9). Through 8 games, our defense ranks #29 in Passing Yardage Allowed but #20 in Rushing Yardage Allowed. You’re right, our run defense sucks almost as bad as our pass defense.
This is not a typical Bowles defense that’s focused on stopping the run. My conclusion is that this just isn’t a very talented defense, and Todd Bowles can’t make his defensive scheme work with this level of talent. Back in 2019 we had Vea, Suh, JPP, Shaq, LVD, White, Davis, Dean, Whitehead … familar names on defense, almost all of them either young or approaching their prime. Compare that roster to what our defense is fielding today. And compare our current backups to guys we had then like RNR or Minter or SMB. No contest.
That 2019 defense didn’t really start gelling until half way through 2020, and then it really took off. This 2024 defense isn’t anywhere near as talented as that one was, and I think it’ll need a major infusion of talent in 2025 to do better AGAINST QUALITY OFFENSES than what we’re seeing.