Bucs Get A “B”
March 11th, 2025
Your new Bucs edge rusher.
What a day for the Bucs yesterday. Keeping key veterans and finding an edge rusher? That may become the second-best free agent haul the Bucs have ever had.
The best haul the Bucs had? Easy, 2020 when the Bucs landed Tom Brady. Case closed.
Over at CBS, Tyler Sullivan was also impressed what the Bucs did — all within the first 30 minutes of the free agency siren sounding at high noon. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht wasted zero time.
Sullivan was impressed enough to give the Bucs a “B” grade.
Key additions: EDGE Haason Reddick
Key re-signings: WR Chris Godwin (Read more), OG Ben Bredeson
Key departures: OT Robert Hainsey (Jaguars)Remarkably, the Bucs were able to retain wideout Chris Godwin, despite him getting to the open market. Even with a lot of teams vying for his services, he elects to stay put and maintain what is one of the better one-two punches at receiver between him and Mike Evans for Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay also added to its pass-rushing group with Haason Reddick on a one-year, $14 million deal. This prove-it deal could be beneficial for the Buccaneers as they’ll get a motivated Reddick playing for a bigger deal next offseason after a tumultuous season in New York.
Joe believes Reddick will be a catalyst for the Bucs’ pass rush. Now, teams cannot just gang up on Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. They will have to devote manpower to stopping Reddick.
Oh, and YaYa Diaby will get more single-blocking, too. If Reddick can get on a roll, opposing offenses won’t have the manpower to devote extra blockers to all four Bucs pass rushers Reddick, Vea, Kancey and YaYa.
And nothing helps a secondary like a good, strong pass rush. Nothing.
March 11th, 2025 at 9:04 am
Dan Orlovsky just called Licht the most underrated GM and praised the moves Licht made this FA.
March 11th, 2025 at 9:17 am
Not sure what edge rusher you are judging. Want to predict someones behavior just look at the history. Let’s wait and see on that one. Could be a terrible signing, we shall see. Draft character guys so you can wash your hands when the bad ones remain bad
March 11th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Feels more like an A- to me. Sets us up for a best player available draft which can only help.
March 11th, 2025 at 9:33 am
The trenches will get us to the promise land. Is already possible by this summer the defense might be ready to shock us just like the running game did last season.
We are at the midpoint of The Dream Decade.
LFG!!!!!
March 11th, 2025 at 9:35 am
And what exactly would have got them an A?
March 11th, 2025 at 9:35 am
Campbell = a February game in San Francisco = SUPER BOWL LX
March 11th, 2025 at 9:45 am
@ Darin remember last year was the Jets. They were trying to screw him in the contract negotiations. Now he is deal with Ring of Honor GM Jason Licht!
March 11th, 2025 at 9:49 am
A ILB who can drop into coverage will make a HUGE DIFFERENCE
March 11th, 2025 at 9:50 am
Now if we can draft Jihad Campbell
Top ILB and corner round 2/3
Add depth piece on offensive line and perhaps a veteran corner over Dean.
March 11th, 2025 at 9:52 am
And Reddick is not an unknown, our staff is familiar with him from the Cardinal days. They already know his character and work ethic. The Eagles were not going to extend him like he unsuccessfully gambled on and then he went to the Jets… enough said.
March 11th, 2025 at 10:04 am
I am SHOCKED at what Carlton Davis got! This DB/CB/S $$$ is outta control, but when you think about it there aren’t very many ‘elite’ ones out there to begin with, period. It’s really making the Winfield Jr. contract look like BARGAIN, as long as he can get on the field, & stay fully healthy. Teams are paying BIG $$$ for guys I’ve barely even heard of… The Colts just handed out $120MIL for 2-DB’s. But still, WOW… 3yr/$60MIL for CARLTON DAVIS!? I saw another DB get $20-$25MIL PER, and his stats last season was NOWHERE NEAR Winfield Junior’s 2023 season. There were several others too (in that $12-$15MIL per year range), who have also had trouble staying ‘ON’ the field. I knew the Junior contract would look A LOT better in just a blink of an eye. Of course, if he’s never ‘HEALTHY’ again, then it won’t. But, you don’t go into those types of deals scared with a mindset of “what if he gets hurt.” You HAD TO do it at the time, cause what else were ya gonna do… Llet HIM walk!? Yeah, I don’t think so. He will be a HUGE factor on how this defense performs next season overall, & with how far the team can advance. Now, let’s go get Jalon Walker in the 1st, a CB in the 2nd, & Deone Walker in the 3rd. I would be thrilled with THAT!!!!
March 11th, 2025 at 10:05 am
If another team had signed CG, LVD, Bredeson and Reddick in one swoop, they’d get an A+.
March 11th, 2025 at 10:11 am
Diaby and Reddick both getting double digit sacks with Braswell getting more than five next season. The Bucs will happily let Reddick walk for 2026 and Diaby and Braswell will man the front. Calling it right now.
March 11th, 2025 at 10:14 am
If Reddick rebounds and balls out this year, will we be able to afford him next year?
March 11th, 2025 at 10:16 am
Really how would he have made an A ?
Didn’t sell the farm for one player
Got an excellent DE who I think will blow up with this DLine
Kept the best two WR tandem together
And a great OLineman
A. All Day
March 11th, 2025 at 10:17 am
Free ATRAIN
March 11th, 2025 at 10:23 am
Finishing strong in FA:
1) Need to re-sign Justin Skule, Tavierre Thomas, and Bryce Hall for depth.
2) Need to look at Mike Edwards, Isaiah Simmons (S or ILB), Justin Simmons or Justin Reed for Safety. Probably a money decision. Maybe sign Isaiah for ILB depth and one of the others for S.
Moving on to the draft:
3) Finalize your picks for the draft with a heavy emphasis on Defense (Edge, ILB, CB x 2, DT, WR)
4) Look at UFAs (P, CB, ILB, OLB, WR, TE)
March 11th, 2025 at 10:24 am
And nothing helps the pass rush like a good, strong secondary.
March 11th, 2025 at 10:42 am
That’s definitely true, Tim… There were soooo many times last season where our ‘rushers’ were just a half a step away from getting to the QB, & could’ve gotten THERE, if only our DB’s could’ve just held on for another half a second.
March 11th, 2025 at 10:45 am
And, yeah… I sure don’t remember any “coverage” sacks, at ALL. None whatsoever. Not a ONE.
March 11th, 2025 at 11:00 am
No joke. Google the previous years. Bucs are always getting Bs.
Top 3 rookie class of 2024 = B+
Re-sign Evans, Baker, LVD = B
Sign TB12 = B
Only team to ever retain all 22 starters after Super Bowl = B+
March 11th, 2025 at 11:18 am
So, who got an A? The teams who crippled their abilities to sign the balance of a team because they have $40 large a year tied up on a non QB, and giving average CBs $20 large?
Licht is in a different universe. He’s that good. These moths who grade are too blinded by the fancy light.
March 11th, 2025 at 11:28 am
Could be an A if Chris is healthy and Reddick head is in the right place.
March 11th, 2025 at 11:34 am
Th only folks that think Jason is under rated are the national media that never give the Bucs their due. Jason has been excellent for the last 5-6 years.
March 11th, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Joe … ‘Nothing helps a secondary like a good, strong pass rush. Nothing.’
Agree 100%. Our problem is that when Vea’s not in there, our interior pass rush suffers. Vea has averaged about 560 def snaps in his 7 seasons here (and he’s getting older). That’s probably around 55% or so availability. No way for me to know, but I’d guess that he’s in on just about as many run plays as pass plays (he is kind of a run stuffer). IOW, Bucs’ opponents run a LOT of plays in which Vea isn’t on the field.
Once Suh left after 2021, Bucs’ interior DLine didn’t get the push up the middle all that much when Vea wasn’t in there. We NED the beastly DT/NT to get that push, free up Kancey & Hall AND our Edge rushers, as well as create lanes for inside blitzers. Bucs NEED one more Vea to seal the deal. We’d be unstoppable. Draft a beast.
March 11th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
Almost no one at CBS Sports fully and accurately knows what they’re talking/analyzing about, ever. All of them. Washed up aggregated things over there. But hey.
First, Hainsey isn’t a “key” departure, merely a departure, and will be back-filled just fine after 2nd wave of cuts post draft.
And like others have said here, much more accurately and A- overall grade yesterday.
Wise Dixon signing today too.
March 11th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
smh@”promise land”
March 11th, 2025 at 1:40 pm
2nd best FA signing? Really?
I’d agree, Tom Brady is #1. But #2 has to be Hardy Nickerson, who was the guy who really started the turn around and the first block in what would eventually become the NFL’s best all-time defense. #3 would Simeon Rice.
If Reddick tops Nickerson and Rice, then this will be an all-time NFL FA signing. That’s a very very high mark however.
March 11th, 2025 at 2:07 pm
Agree with Rod. Hardy Dickerson immediately made the defense better.
March 11th, 2025 at 2:08 pm
Nickerson. Sorry.
March 11th, 2025 at 5:14 pm
If signing Tom Brady was #1 because of his legendary status, ok. But if he’s #1 because he came in and won us a Super Bowl, then Brad Johnson should be considered, since he did the SAME THING.
March 12th, 2025 at 2:41 am
Lets just hope Reddick decides he wants to play some ball and not be a distraction in the locker room. 3 teams in 4 years is a huge red flag for this fan.
Go Bucs!