Tykee Smith Ready To Take Over In 2025
January 21st, 2025
Blow up in 2025?
Yeah, the Bucs had a decent season. Winning a division is good. Blowing chunks in the one and only playoff game is bad.
Still, many, many teams only wished they were as bad as the Bucs. Small consolation, but still, it ain’t The Lost Decade, that’s for sure.
The Bucs likely don’t win the NFC South if not for the play of rookies. In the spirit of new stars rising to the surface and making plays, Bradley Locker of the PFF tribe decided to predict a breakout player for the Bucs in 2025.
Locker thinks that player will be defensive back Tykee Smith.
General manager Jason Licht’s 2024 draft class already has a proven star in Bucky Irving, and Smith is another candidate to flourish. In his first NFL regular season… his 21 stops tied for the 13th most among rookies. The Bucs have been one of the NFL’s premier organizations in terms of drafting and developing talent, and Smith seems to be another prime example.
Impressive numbers, especially for a guy who missed four games and late in the season looked every bit the player who slammed into the rookie wall.
Smith only played in five (regular season) games the last two months of the season. He racked up nine tackles in the overtime loss at Kansas City and never had more than three in a game the rest of the season.
If Smith can stay a little healthier and this offseason can start a workout regimen that helps him navigate a 17-game schedule, he could really be a stud.
January 21st, 2025 at 3:54 am
Is he taking over the pass defense coordinator role?
Someone needs to.
January 21st, 2025 at 5:41 am
The loss in the playoffs was only the last gut punch of the season. Losing all five primetime games was a gut punch. Losing five home games, losing 2 OT games where our offense never saw the field, all gut punches. Can’t blame Baker for the OT losses, those are squarely on Bowles, and his inept defense. One more season of gut punches.
January 21st, 2025 at 6:22 am
Add 4 home losses the year before and Bowles has 9 home losses in 2 years.
Totally and unequivocally unacceptable.
January 21st, 2025 at 6:47 am
The return of LVD
A healthy Kancey and Dennis
A healthy Winfield and Izien
Now the question of CB2
Question of a pass rush is what will be the difference
January 21st, 2025 at 7:22 am
WOW just wow!
A post about Tykee Smith and we could be discussing HIM, his progress, his strengths and weaknesses, decent speed and weight, solid thumper, on the short side he doesn’t have the “length” of some first round DB’s but he’s a steal coming from a program that was one of the very best in the nation for awhile now.
But no! The three losers have to turn this into another venting of their obsession with Bowles. You guys seriously need to get help!!
Obsession – the state of being obsessed with someone or something.
An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.
January 21st, 2025 at 7:29 am
I likee Tykee..
January 21st, 2025 at 8:07 am
St Pete, Bowles mother, or agent?
January 21st, 2025 at 8:10 am
Barton, McMillan, Irving, and Tykee Smith. I think that’s a pretty impressive draft class. Fingers crossed that Licht can pull it off again in 2025. All on the D side of the ball this year.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:30 am
Full rebuild mode the last two years and we’re still winning. As a fan this is awesome. Can’t understand why there are fans that won’t look at the roster and see what I do. The second youngest team in the NFL with little or no bench to work with. Licht has had a lot of success, but it doesn’t happen overnight with no cap space. Like I’ve posted here before, without cap space you have to draft your way through the rebuild.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:34 am
St. Pete, I’m there with you. As if there aren’t enough posts where they can spew their endless complaints about the coach. And I’m no huge advocate either, but enough already. Talk about an echo chamber, imagine a world where you’re complaining everyday about something that you know is already going to happen (um, He’s going to be here next year). It’s like complaining about the Sun for coming up again. But hey, whatever fills their day with joy.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:37 am
St Pete … Decided a long time ago that it really doesn’t matter how good OR bad Todd Bowles does each season. I’ll guess that about a quarter of JBFers really dislike him, and about the same number like him. Then there’s about half who kinda float both ways depending upon which side of the bed they wake up on and whether the JBF ‘articles du jour’ are praising or skewering Todd Bowles. My guess is that roughly the same percentages are at play in U.S. politics today (we’ve become quite divisive it seems).
Bucs’ W-L record has improved each of the last 3 years (8-9 to 9-8 to 10-7), despite the fact that our salary CAP situation has been historically bad. Our depth has been especially thin IMO during all 3 years, and that’s really hurt us. But that’s pretty much inconsequential to many since they’re convinced that every loss is TB’s fault and that he & his staff can’t develop young ‘talent’ anyways.
Such is life it seems. And in the meantime the JJoe’s keep putting wood on the fire & have fun stirring the pot. Hey, it’s not easy playing NBC & Fox simultaneously. OK, off to the dungeon.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:38 am
Bowles’s pass defense drives me nuts, but I’m willing to hear out the devil’s advocate argument about injuries dictating the passive coverage.
Healthy Tykee Smith and AWjr are both aggressive playmakers but health was not on their side, especially for the latter. Aggression is what seemed to be lacking from the pass defense. Jamel Dean is a punching bag favorite of many of us myself included, but he’s light years ahead of Josh Hayes. Zyon is nice, he’s not a pro-bowler but I think he’s above average, but if he’s the best secondary player on the field – you have problems.
JJ Russell is a downgrade over the flashes SirVocea Dennis showed us in the first few games this year. I know that one NT for the Ravens caught an INT this year, but VV does not need to be in pass coverage. Nobody is fooled by that enough times to outweigh the least agile person being a sledge hammer in coverage!
Injuries shouldn’t be an excuse, but they help explain the problem. Ask Aaron Glenn. But we all need to see drastic improvement next year once the secondary is healthy or the knives will be out.
Most if not every draft pick this year needs to be on the defensive side of the ball too IMO.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:39 am
Hodad
“St Pete, Bowles mother, or agent?”
Agent? I wish! Mother? Not his father? Is that supposed to be some lamearse attempt at insulting my masculinity? OH I’m so wounded it really hurts!!!
NO I’m neither! I see Todd’s weaknesses/challenges but I just try to bring some balance.
So let’s start with a few simple questions. Please be SPECIFIC in your answers!
1.)BOWLes traditionally kicked off to start any game where he won a coin toss.
This year he CHANGED! Whether he was following a trend or simply gained confidence in his OC/QB combo he started taking the ball! That was a CHANGE! Are you able to even acknowledge that as evolution?
2.)BOWLes went for it 4th and long from the 42 with plenty of time on the clock. This resulted in JMac’s great catch of Baker’s terrific pass under pressure. a) Do you realize the N.O. game was the single most important game of the year? Win and in. Lose and there’s no debate about the playoff game.
IE BOWLes did this under GREAT pressure! It wasn’t an easy call and took cojones! Are you able to see that as growth and evolution?
Answers do not need to include all of YOUR greivances, in fact simple yes or no’s will do.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:50 am
D.R.
Agree with you completely! This is why I no longer watch or participate in “politics”. Did ‘Nam, six years on our Planning Commission I’ve been a sucker and a loser long enough! No more politics for me.
But your point is also spot on here. I believe in the famous Mark Twain quote.
“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”
I’m Irish and love to debate! LMAO It’s a weakness I’m working on as I age.
I guess I better speed up the process since the clock is winding down. This is why I gave up politics but religion and sports still intrigue me.
I’m am a pretty self aware guy after all these years. The worst lies you can tell are those you tell YOURSELF. Some of my responses are clearly ignorant. Not in content but in the fact I even bothered. MEA CULPA TO ALL.
It’s an addiction I’m working on.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:50 am
Only Bucs Fans would want a coordinator who never won anything (Cohen) over a Coordinator (Bowles) that’s won a superbowl and led us to 3 straight division championships (during a rebuild btw). You can’t make this stuff up
January 21st, 2025 at 9:23 am
If Bucs don’t sign home runs you get them bragging about the watts and Jose Ramirez type players who never see the field and never develop. I understand sometimes guys just don’t have it like Trey Palmer but I hope Licht doesn’t lose any of his staff this year.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:23 am
The reality is that Bowles is an average to below average head coach…the numbers don’t lie and for c those who think another year is the answer there’s some ocean front property in Iowa that I’ll sell at a great price! Wake up fans, mediocrity doesn’t win in the NFL and Bowles is DEFINITELY a mediocre coach
January 21st, 2025 at 9:31 am
…….. aaaaand we have the obsession with those whom he calls obsessed 🙂
January 21st, 2025 at 9:38 am
In fairness, Todd’s defense scheme seems to work with a good pass rush (which we haven’t had since JPP wrecked his shoulder)
IMO, he refuses to alter his scheme to match what his personnel can do. They don’t seem to be growing into it, especially the edge rushers. He has them doing a LOT of pass coverage, and they allow nearly 100% completion rate
January 21st, 2025 at 9:47 am
D.R., I am so glad you are back. Believe me, there were quite a few of us on here missing your astute comments. Welp, I’m one of the long time, long suffering GENUINE Bucs fans who come on here. I’m certainly not as knowledgeable as others are, but I know enough to enjoy the game. As far as politics go, I’m an activist, but right now I’ve backed off and I have other hobbies. In religion, I’m agnostic. Bowles is a very good coach who knows good character as well as football skills. He gets along beautifully with Licht, the Glazer Boyz, and his players love him. Speaks mountains to me.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:50 am
The lions blew chunks, Bucs were a doink away…… being a bit Dramatic Joe.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:49 am
Wait, really dramatic.
January 21st, 2025 at 1:50 pm
^^MTN^^
“…….. aaaaand we have the obsession with those whom he calls obsessed”
Amen brother which is why I provided the anecdote to show my “obsession’.
It’s also why I agreed with D.R. and ended with a MEA CULPA for all.
I’m doubly embarrassed because the actual racists here(very few 3-4?) tempt me into violating the Mark Twain rule.
So yep ^^MTN^^ you got me there! I totally agree with your post.
January 21st, 2025 at 3:42 pm
St. Pete:
All’s well, just a little fun giving you the business.
I enjoy it when others point out my own faux pas, quirks & idiosyncrasies; especially if done in a comical, sarcastic or clever/ astute way.
You’re a good guy St. Pete
January 21st, 2025 at 7:33 pm
Tykee Smith played great this year – being a nickel slot corner is a very very hard position to come in and play right away, and considering he was a rookie, he did a fantastic job.
I expect big things from him, and that’s one area the Bucs should be set at.
They still need depth everywhere considering how often guys get injured, so that’s going to be the big thing. Hopefully, as Bowles hinted at, the defense is going back to be more of an attacking man-to-man defense and get away from this God awful zone, if so, I think you’re going to see a lot more plays by the corners (and yes, they’ll also get beat from time to time, but they should also be in position to make some plays).
January 21st, 2025 at 9:15 pm
^^MTN^^
Thanks! I can tell you’re just having fun. You you’re an equal opportunity teaser. I enjoy your wry sense of humor even when it’s directed at me.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Tykee is only going to get better…stay healthy kid!
We’re finally out of cap jail. Very excited for the off-season.
Let’s go Bucs!!!