Bucs Should Have BIG Chips On Their Shoulders

SR’s Fab 5 is a group of reporting and evaluation on the Bucs from yours actually, Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds. Listed below are 4 issues that caught my consideration this week, plus some random tidbits in my Buc Photographs part on the finish. Take pleasure in!

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FAB 1. Bucs Ought to Enter 2023 With A Large Chip On Their Shoulders

The Bucs suck – once more. There’s no means they’ll win with out Tom Brady, proper?

ESPN’s newest energy rankings have Tampa Bay because the Twenty ninth-ranked staff within the league. Count on a last-place end within the NFC South this yr, the “consultants” say.

Vegas has put the over/below on the variety of Bucs wins in 2023 at 6.5. No NFC South staff had fewer than seven wins final yr.

Not solely is head coach Todd Bowles on the new seat, he’s a lifeless man strolling.

That’s what the surface world is telling the lads in purple and pewter.

Don’t even hassle suiting up for the 2023 season, Buccaneers. It’s futile. It’s over earlier than it’s begun.

What I’m going to inform you – and what Bowles ought to inform his staff initially of the offseason – is watch out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this yr.

No staff ought to have a much bigger chip on its shoulder than the Bowles-led Bucs.

If I’m Bowles, I’m gathering each damaging social media publish, each story, each rating and each clip from each sports activities speaking head present that bashes the Bucs to make my staff conscious that there’s zero religion on this staff exterior of its personal constructing. Bowles scoffed on the notion the Bucs can’t win with out Brady and defended the expertise that Tampa Bay has on the staff in 2023 on the NFL Annual Assembly earlier this week.

“I really feel very energized,” Bowles mentioned. “I really feel very energized as a result of it’s the unknown and we do have excellent gamers on our staff. I stay up for these guys stepping up and making a distinction.”

Nothing rallies the troops like collective doubt. Nothing emboldens a staff like collective religion.

The “us towards the world” method is tried and true in soccer and in each different sport.

And the reality is, there ought to be sufficient management, sufficient expertise, sufficient playoff and championship expertise and sufficient satisfaction on this soccer staff to return collectively even with out Bowles sending that “circle the wagons” message.

As a lot as Brady was beloved by the Tampa Bay gamers and followers and was the catalyst for a Tremendous Bowl championship and back-to-back division titles, the Bucs would like to show that they’ll win with out him. Identical to Brady was desirous to show he may win a Tremendous Bowl with out Invoice Belichick when he selected to play in Tampa Bay in 2020.

The Bucs ought to have loads of gamers with chips on their shoulders. There’s already loads of gas for Tampa Bay’s fireplace from final yr’s 8-9 season.

Cornerback Carlton Davis III received an enormous contract extension final yr and missed 4 video games and dropped extra interceptions than he made. After signing a profitable extension the place he averages $17 million per season, Shaq Barrett had simply three sacks in eight video games earlier than getting harm. At age 30 and coming off a torn Achilles, Barrett must return to kind this yr or danger being lower after the 2023 season.

Linebacker Lavonte David returns to Tampa Bay making $5.5 million much less this season after a softer-than-expected marketplace for his providers in free company. Devin White is coming into his fifth-year choice and needs to be the highest-paid inside linebacker within the league. Security Antoine Winfield Jr. can also be coming into a contract yr.

The phrase “bust” is looming for former first-round cross rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and it’ll stick if he retains lacking sacks and doesn’t method double-digit sacks in his third yr in Tampa Bay. Defensive sort out Logan Corridor and offensive lineman Luke Goedeke have to step up in 2023 to keep away from the potential “bust” label themselves.

Heart Ryan Jensen additionally received a large contract extension final offseason and missed the complete common season resulting from a knee damage on the second day of coaching camp. Jensen is raring to return again with a vengeance and make up for misplaced time.

Large receiver Chris Godwin received paid a median of $20 million per season, but it surely took him half the yr to essentially begin to get better and present a few of his previous kind previous to his knee damage in 2021. Whereas Mike Evans topped 1,000 yards for a ninth straight season, he solely had six touchdowns after catching a team-record 14 in 2021 and 13 TDs throughout the 2020 season.

Russell Gage, an enormous free agent signing a yr in the past, was injured many of the season with a torn hamstring and needed to take a pay lower from $10 million to $7 million this offseason. He has an opportunity to make again a few of that cash by hitting some incentives.

New quarterback Baker Mayfield is on his fourth staff in a single calendar yr and is formally thought of a journeyman. This might be his final likelihood to be considered as a starting-caliber QB if he doesn’t achieve Tampa Bay. Maybe nobody can have a much bigger chip than Mayfield.

Except you rely Kyle Trask. The previous second-round choose has basically redshirted the final two seasons in Tampa Bay and has already peppered with “bust” and “wasted choose” feedback from followers. The addition of Mayfield has already made some write off Trask in a QB competitors that hasn’t even began but.

That’s loads of gamers with quite a bit to show. Most Buccaneers didn’t play their greatest soccer as people. And coming off an 8-9 season – 8-10 together with the playoff loss to Dallas – Tampa Bay didn’t play its greatest soccer as a staff. That alone ought to be sufficient for a bounce-back season.

The Bucs might be with out Brady this yr, however the staff nonetheless has 5 gamers on protection who’ve been to at the very least one Professional Bowl in Winfield, David, White, Barrett and Vita Vea. All 5 helped the Bucs win a Tremendous Bowl. On offense, the Bucs return 4 gamers with Professional Bowl expertise in Evans, Godwin, Jensen and Tristan Wirfs. All 4 had been additionally key contributors throughout the Tremendous Bowl LV season.

“Any time you [lose] a man like that you simply assume it’s a down factor, but it surely’s actually not,” Bowles mentioned of Brady’s retirement. “You type of have to take a look at it like … I’m an enormous basketball man. When LeBron [James] went down, the Lakers stepped up. You type of have to take a look at them (James and Brady) within the icon class like that. However if in case you have the proper of individuals in your staff, you’re going to must win some video games with out your star. That’s how I take a look at it.”

Bucs vice chairman of participant personnel John Spytek spoke for the scouting aspect of the group. He echoed Bowles’ sentiments concerning the Bucs being up for problem of bouncing again in 2023 and taking part in higher soccer – even with out Brady.

“We’re excited,” Spytek mentioned. “We’re approaching this from a standpoint like we’re excited. It is a likelihood to redefine ourselves. To do some issues completely different. We have now loads of actually good gamers nonetheless.

“Clearly if you lose – in our opinion – the best quarterback of all time, issues are going to appear and feel quite a bit completely different. However we’ve received a bunch of younger guys that we’ve drafted the final couple of years which have, primary, both confirmed themselves already, or are chomping on the bit to get extra of a chance to show themselves.”

Don’t rely out the Bucs. Not but.

FAB 2. Dave Canales Is Precisely The OC Todd Bowles Desires

Make no mistake. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles needs nothing to do with Tampa Bay’s offense.

That’s new offensive coordinator Dave Canales’ area. Regardless that Canales has no expertise calling performs or being an offensive coordinator within the school or professional ranks, Bowles isn’t going to meddle on that aspect of the ball. His focus will stay on Tampa Bay’s protection, accurately.

However Bowles lastly has a play-caller in place who sees the sport the identical means he does. Bowles and former offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich had been at odds for many of the season as Leftwich too typically deserted the run and relied far an excessive amount of on the growing older proper arm of 45-year previous quarterback Tom Brady. When the Bucs did run the ball, it was too predictable and sometimes on first downs.

“Coach Bowles, he needs to play a method of soccer that I do know,” Canales mentioned. “So creating a tricky model of soccer, and realizing that’s what he needed – he needed the wedding and the steadiness of the run and the cross. He needed a man that’s going to return in and hold it easy and train it effectively.”

Gone is Bruce Arians’ antiquated and sophisticated vertical passing sport that featured a number of alternative routes that required the receivers and quarterback to be on the identical web page. When the Bucs may out-talent opponents with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski, the offense put up 30 factors per sport.

When Brown left, Gronkowski and Professional Bowl left guard Ali Marpet retired and Professional Bowl heart Ryan Jensen suffered a extreme knee damage, Leftwich did not adapt and the Bucs’ scoring fell to only 18 factors per sport.

Canales’ offense is extra QB-friendly and simpler to be taught. It options extra performs run out of the identical formation with the identical personnel groupings to make it much less predictable and more durable to defend.

One other sticking level on offense was Leftwich too typically counting on veteran gamers. Rookie Rachaad White was clearly quicker and extra dynamic than veteran Leonard Fournette. But, Fournette had 60 extra carries and 25 extra targets within the passing sport than the rookie had final yr.

Rookie tight finish Cade Otton received 28 extra targets than veteran tight finish Cam Brate acquired, however that was largely resulting from Brate lacking six video games resulting from damage greater than something. Bowles is worked up concerning the staff getting larger contributions from final yr’s draft class in 2023.

“I feel the blokes which have the power are having the prospect to play this yr,” Bowles mentioned. “You’ll see extra of Rachaad White. You’ll see extra of Cade Otton. You’ll see extra of Luke Goedeke. You’ll see extra of those guys.

“You type of know what Mike and Chris, Jensen and Tristan and all these guys are going to do. However we’ve different guys that may actually play soccer. I stay up for constructing a staff and including guys to that blend to assist us win.”

Bowles likes the truth that Canales embraces younger expertise, and was excessive on gamers like White, Otton and even quarterback Kyle Trask within the draft through the years.

“It’s not simple, however you need to change your system and on the similar time, it needs to be extra staff play,” Bowles mentioned. “You need to win, however on the similar time you need to get younger guys in that can assist you.

“You’ll be able to’t simply have a longtime vet at each place, and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to proceed from there.’ We’ve received to be good money-wise, shedding it and spending it. We have now to draft effectively. We have now to get some key free brokers in. We’ll construct from there.”

In a season the place the Bucs are wage cap-strapped, Tampa Bay should depend on a number of members from final yr’s draft class and the yet-to-be drafted rookies this yr to essentially produce. Each Bowles and Canales are in lockstep about that method.

And that’s an excellent factor after the dysfunction that occurred final yr on offense.

FAB. 3 Bucs Could Wait To Give Devin White A Contract Extension

Bucs common supervisor Jason Licht has a accountability to the franchise to have one eye on the present-day soccer staff and one eye towards the long run. That’s one purpose why Tampa Bay may maintain off on giving inside linebacker Devin White a contract extension this season.

White, the Bucs’ first-round choice and fifth general choose in 2019, had his fifth-year choice picked up by the staff. He’ll make $11.706 million in 2023 after which Tampa Bay can have an enormous resolution to make.

How massive? Strive over $20 million per season.

White needs to turn out to be the highest-paid linebacker in soccer, topping Roquan Smith, who acquired a contract extension from Baltimore value $20 million per yr. The Bucs, who desperately want some wage cap area, may decrease White’s wage in 2023 with an extension and save thousands and thousands of cap room.

However the Bucs are clever in holding off from almost doubling his wage till he exhibits he could be a extra constant playmaker over the span of a whole season. White was criticized by Corridor of Famer and Bucs legend Warren Sapp in addition to Pewter Report for sub-par play towards the Ravens in Week 8 and some different video games.

To his credit score, White performed a lot better soccer constantly down the stretch. White had an excellent yr with 124 tackles, which was tied for many on the staff, along with 5.5 sacks, which was tied for second in Tampa Bay. The staff captain additionally led the Bucs with three fumble recoveries and compelled two fumbles.

So how do White’s numbers stack up with Smith’s? Really, fairly favorably.

Smith, who was a first-round choose in 2018, has 693 tackles, 23 cross breakups, 18.5 sacks and eight interceptions in his profession, along with one pressured fumble and one fumble restoration. He averages 138 tackles per yr.

White has performed one fewer yr, however 483 tackles, 15 cross breakups, 20.5 sacks and only one interception. However White has six pressured fumbles and 9 fumble recoveries, together with two for touchdowns. He averages 120 tackles per yr, however has made extra splash performs exterior of Smith’s eight interceptions.

Along with ready to see if White can ship an excellent higher, extra constant yr, the Bucs might be ready to provide him an extension for one more necessary purpose. There’s a actuality during which Bowles will get fired if Tampa Bay underwhelms and finishes with six wins or much less.

Bowles has a blind spot for White, who can nearly do no unsuitable in his eyes. So long as Bowles is the top coach in Tampa Bay, White might be his play-making inside linebacker.

But when Bowles will get fired, the choice to re-sign White may fall on the lap of the brand new head coach, and Licht, after all. Paying any participant $20 million or extra per season is a big funding and can take up a substantial chunk of Tampa Bay’s wage cap. A brand new head coach would possibly need to allocate these assets in one other path.

So, White might want to have his greatest yr in 2023. Not solely to land a large payday for himself, however to be sure that it occurs in Tampa Bay with Bowles as his head coach.

FAB. 4 5 Bucs Who Might Put on No. 0

One of many larger developments from the NFL Annual Assembly is that the league adopted using the No. 0 jersey quantity. For some followers, jersey numbers are necessary.

Like actually necessary.

Bucs followers are dying to know if Baker Mayfield will declare No. 6, his jersey quantity from his days at Oklahoma and Cleveland. He has not been assigned a jersey quantity by the Bucs as of Friday, March 31.

What if Mayfield needed to say No. 0? Mayfield actually has sufficient swagger to put on that quantity and turn out to be the primary Buccaneer to take action. He tops my record of gamers who may rock No. 0.

QB Baker Mayfield

For Mayfield, the zero could be a continuing reminder that the Bucs would need him to throw zero interceptions in each sport. Each head coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Dave Canales are massive on defending the ball. Maybe sporting No. 0 would assist Mayfield in that regards. One other 21-interception season like Mayfield had in 2019 would sink the Bucs’ ship.

RB Chase Edmonds

With Rachaad White altering his quantity to No. 1 this offseason now that Jaelon Darden has departed, Edmonds sporting No. 0 is sensible. Working backs at all times look good in single digits. Now if the Bucs can persuade Ke’Shawn Vaughn to choose a single digit jersey quantity, maybe No. 3, Tampa Bay’s working backs may begin a single digit pattern.

Ok Chase McLaughlin

Like newcomers Mayfield and Edmonds, McLaughlin has but to be assigned a jersey quantity. The quantity zero could be excellent for the Bucs’ new kicker, assuming he wins the job. Tampa Bay would need him to overlook zero kicks per sport. And along with his massive leg, zero kicks could be out of his vary.

OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

Tryon-Shoyinka already rocks a single-digit quantity with No. 9. That’s fairly cool. However No. 0 would look even cooler on the lengthy, athletic edge rusher. Perhaps No. 0 would encourage Tryon-Shoyinka to overlook zero sacks this season and at last go away the four-sack plateau he’s been residing on the final two years in Tampa Bay. In his first two seasons with the Bucs, he’s sadly missed as many sacks as he’s made.

TE Ko Kieft

Kieft was dealt a nasty hand from the beginning. Quantity 41?! Simply terrible. It’s most likely the worst quantity a participant might be issued. Within the historical past of the NFL, solely Eugene Robinson, Charlie Waters, Alvin Kamara, Terence Newman, Antoine Bethea and Keith Byars did something with No. 41. I’d don’t have any drawback if Kieft had been to be given No. 0 as a make-good by the Bucs.

Others who deserved consideration had been tight finish Cade Otton and security Antoine Winfield Jr. Otton has two Os in his final title, however he’s already sporting No. 88, which is a superb quantity and he appears good sporting it.

As for Winfield, No. 31 is a nasty quantity, not as unhealthy as No. 41, however not tremendous cool. But, Winfield gained a Tremendous Bowl as a rookie with No. 31, in addition to making a Professional Bowl with it the next yr. So let’s not mess up an excellent factor.

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Photographs

• TURN FAILURE INTO FUEL: Regardless that new Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales wasn’t in Tampa Bay final yr, he is aware of the Bucs underwhelmed with an 8-9 document and a playoff loss, regardless of profitable the NFC South. Canales had an excellent, motivational tweet earlier this week. His supposed goal was actually his Bucs gamers.

• BUCS – JETS JOINT PRACTICES AREN’T SET YET: There was a report out of the NFL Annual Assembly that the Bucs could be holding joing practices with the Jets and taking part in New York within the preseason. However Tampa Bay officers inform Pewter Report that isn’t sure, and it’s only a request despatched in by the staff to the NFL. The league has to approve any and all the requests for joint practices and preseason scheduling, and has not finished in order of but.

If the Bucs had been to observe towards the Jets (and soon-to-be quarterback Aaron Rodgers) it will happen in New York and the Bucs would have an away sport towards the Jets. After having two residence video games final preseason, Tampa Bay can have two away preseason video games this yr. The opposite one may occur in Miami. Each the Dolphins and Bucs had joint practices in Tampa final yr and Miami was one in every of Tampa Bay’s residence preseason video games.

THIS WEEK’S PEWTER REPORT PODCASTS

• BUCS FREE AGENCY ANALYSIS ON THE PEWTER REPORT PODCAST: The Pewter Report Podcast is energized by CELSIUS and broadcasts 4 reside episodes every week. We’re within the offseason now, so PR Podcasts will sometimes be featured on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. ET and Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. ET. Subscribe to PewterReportTV on YouTube and click on on notifications and also you’ll learn about when the following podcast might be broadcast.

Matt Matera, Scott Reynolds and Josh Queipo mentioned whether or not or not the Bucs protection can stop a drop off on Monday.

Matera and Reynolds analyzed what Todd Bowles mentioned on the NFL Annual Assembly and Pewter Report’s newest Bucs mock draft on Tuesday.

Matera and particular visitor James Hill talked about how the Bucs is perhaps getting neglected this yr on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Reynolds and Adam Slivon talked about how the Bucs may get some actual worth within the 2023 NFL Draft.

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