Tag: Jason Licht

The Bucs 2024 rookie class is producing on a grand scale

That isn’t a projection either; this rookie class is performing on a grand level that can be put into numbers to further the argument. 

The 2024 NFL Draft could be looked back on whenever this Bucs season ends as the turning point for this franchise. The team had some pieces coming into 2024, but the draft picks by Jason Licht and his staff have this team already stepping up and carving out a meaningful place on this team.

That isn’t a projection either; this rookie class is performing on a grand level that can be put into numbers to further the argument.

According to the Bucs Communications Team, “Tampa Bay’s 1,624 offensive snaps by the 2024 draft selections are the fourth-most in the NFL and are the most among division leaders. Their 10 touchdowns scored are tied for the most in the NFL and their 1,455 yards from scrimmage ranks second.”

The production they are getting out of the likes of Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving is not to be forgotten. However, they also owe first-round pick Graham Barton a lot for securing the middle fo the offensive line for them and Baker Mayfield to create.

This is an all-time class for Jason Licht and his front office staff.

What will offseason coverage look like for Bucs Wire?

As a Bucs fan reading this, I know you want NFC South teams to struggle, but it is important to understand those teams as much as you do.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a rollercoaster of a season in 2024. The team started out better than we could have expected. They even gave the Lions their lone loss of the season, but despite that, they have struggled to find their footing on solid ground.

As a Bucs fan reading this, I know you want NFC South teams to struggle, but it is important to understand those teams as much as you do with Tampa Bay. That means our coverage this offseason is going to be complete.

Let me lay out the talking points and things to look for as this Bucs team enters December and beyond.

Coaching Staff Coverage

A coaching change isn’t expected with Todd Bowles, but if something were to happen, we, of course, would have you covered. The more likely things to see occur would be staff changes on defense and offensive coordinator Liam Coen getting some head coaching interviews. Last year we saw Dave Canales head to the Panthers to overhaul their offense, Coen could be tasked with something similar around the league.

If they are going to see staff overhauls, we will make sure you have a strong understanding of who could be coming onto the staff.

Free Agent Coverage

The Bucs have several big-time decisions to make in free agency, none larger than Chris Godwin. Coming off an injury that has seen him be taken out for the season, the team is expected to be in store for a tough contract negotiation.

Outside of Godwin, other players who are seeing their contracts expire include Joe Tyron-Shoyika, Lavonte David, William Gholston, Justin Skule, and Anthony Nelson. We could be looking at a very different team on defense, especially. Whatever moves they make, we will have them covered from every angle for you here at Bucs Wire.

NFL Draft Coverage

Now, for this part, some people may check out or stay tuned in. The NFL Draft is the biggest event on the football calendar outside of the Super Bowl. Every team and its fanbase get excited, and the results lead to new hope being eternal for every fanbase.

We will be doing draft reports on the Bucs’ and other teams’ needs in the NFC South. Winning the division seems to be an up-in-the-air calendar event from season to season. This Bucs team is the closest of any to having sustained success, but others are hot on their heels.

We hope you stay tuned to Bucs Wire, where we will keep you informed about everything related to the team and the NFC South.

Bucs get edge help in Matt Miller’s latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft

In Matt Miller’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft, he has the Bucs taking another chance on a prominent edge rusher in the class.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been searching for a star pass rusher in recent years and just haven’t made it happen yet. General Manager Jason Licht has taken chances on Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Yaya Diaby but they haven’t been reliable pass rushers.

In Matt Miller’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft, he has the Bucs taking another chance on a prominent edge rusher in the class.

The Tennessee Volunteers have been known for their offense in recent years but James Pearce Jr. has emerged as one of the best defenders in the country. Miller writes, “Outside of better health at receiver, the Buccaneers’ roster is in good shape, which could allow the team to utilize the “best player available” strategy. Pearce certainly fits that bill, as he tops all FBS players with a 20.2% pressure rate. . .”

The roster is well-built and accurate; it just needs some more difference-makers on defense. Pearce Jr. projects to develop into one of those much-needed difference-makers.

Updated odds around Bucs playoff and division title chances following Week 10

After Week 11, despite the four straight losses, they have some somewhat favorable odds across the board. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had some very big highs and very big lows during the 2024 NFL season. They won over the Lions but have also lost four straight. Something has to give, and Todd Bowles needs to right the ship sooner rather than later.

After Week 11, despite the four straight losses, they have some somewhat favorable odds across the board.

While they may not be likely to get a Bye Week if they make the Playoffs or the Super Bowl, they could still make it to the dance. According to ESPN, their odds of earning a Bye Week are less than 1%, and their odds of making the Super Bowl are currently at 2%.

Meanwhile, their odds of winning the NFC South stand at 15%, and making the playoffs in general sits at 24%. Neither of those is very favorable, but they have a decent schedule following their Bye Week that they are on.

Lots of adjustments to be made during the Bye Week.

Bucs WR Mike Evans expected to be out until Week 12

Soft tissue injuries have always been a tricky thing to deal with and typically come with an injury designation for a couple of weeks.

Soft tissue injuries have always been a tricky thing to deal with and typically come with an injury designation for a couple of weeks.

For Tampa Bay Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans, who was on the injury report all week with a hamstring- noticeably and severely reaggravated his hamstring injury on a layout attempt to haul in his second receiving touchdown of the night in the Bucs 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Evans was able to walk off the field under his own power, but he went straight to the locker room to be evaluated and never returned to the game. Speaking to the media Monday, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles announced that Evans suffered a “moderate” hamstring injury that will likely keep him out through the team’s bye week in Week 11.

With Chris Godwin likely done for the season and Evans now slated to miss key games against the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers, wide receiver becomes a troublesome position. It may force GM Jason Licht to move some of his coveted draft stock to acquire someone to help fill the gap and avoid further derailing the Buccaneers’ 2024 season.

Bucs sign veteran wide receiver to add depth to the position

General Manager Jason Licht is dipping into the free agent pool and signing a veteran presence to join the room to help the team out.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are having some health issues at a new position: wide receiver. General Manager Jason Licht is dipping into the free agent pool and signing a veteran to join the team.

The Bucs have signed wide receiver Marquez Callaway off of waivers on Wednesday. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN was the first to report the deal.

He joins Sterling Shepard, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin in a receiving corp that has been great for Baker Mayfield during the 2024 season.

Callaway played college football in Tennessee and was selected for the 2020 Senior Bowl upon entering the NFL draft. He went undrafted but signed with the New Orleans Saints. He played for them for three seasons before jumping around to other teams, including the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

He has 83 receptions, 1,069 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns in his professional career.

Does Haason Reddick make sense for the Bucs to boost the pass rush?

The former Pro Bowl linebacker has been permitted to seek a trade, so does he make sense for the Bucs?

The New York Jets are having one heck of a time this year with all their turmoil. The one ongoing storyline they have been dealing with is the absence of Haason Reddick. The former Pro Bowl linebacker has been permitted to seek a trade, so does he make sense for the Bucs?

It would be a fun move but highly unlikely.

Reddick would give the Bucs some much-needed help in terms of pass-rush. The team currently has 17 sacks on the season, but they could use a boost, considering the health of the defense this season. Reddick would be a fun linebacker to play alongside Lavonte David and help him during a season that is shaping up to be one of his best.

The issue with bringing him on is money’s reason for his holdout with the Jets.

Reddick is requesting a new contract, which is where Jason Licht may have reservations. He is currently seeking a contract that pays him in the range of $25 million per year. The team is going to have several players up for extensions soon, and the problem when you draft well like Licht is you have to pay a lot of them.

While it remains a fun idea, it isn’t likely to be a trade that happens. The pass-rush will continue to rely upon Vita Vea, Yaya Diaby, and Logan Hall.

The Bucs need to address the secondary in some fashion

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed on Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons that this secondary is going to be a problem.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed on Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons that this secondary is going to be a problem. It’s not the way the Seattle Seahawks’ Legion of Boom was a problem but rather the way the 2008 Lions’ secondary was a problem during their winless season.

In his fifth game since tearing his achilles last season, Kirk Cousins was able to pass for 509 yards. The Falcons have some receiving weapons in Drake London and Kyle Pitts, but they never put up these types of numbers before Thursday.

The secondary will also not have time to figure things out. They are set to face off against the Saints’ explosive passing attack, which could easily pass for 500+ yards again.

Jason Licht is going to have to find some solution for this secondary through a trade or free agency pool. Getting Antoine Winfield Jr. back will be a boost, but is that enough? Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to find some extra help in the process.

Former Bucs CB Carlton Davis III off to rough start with Lions

Carlton Davis III is off to a rough start in his new home with the Detroit Lions, and Bucs fans don’t seem surprised by it.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III is off to a rough start in his new home with the Detroit Lions, and Bucs fans don’t seem surprised by it.

After spending his first six years in Tampa, general manager Jason Licht decided it was time to move on from Davis, and sent him along with two sixth-round picks (2024 and 2025) to the Lions in exchange for a third-round pick. During his tenure with the Bucs, Davis showed flashes of being a quality starter- when healthy. The oft-injured cornerback has yet to log a full 17 (or 16) game season, seeing action in 14 games in 2019 and 2020 being his healthiest seasons.

Davis only has nine career interceptions and is routinely in the Top 10 in terms of yards allowed, and that is not even playing in a full-season slate. The slow start for the seven-year veteran in Detroit is proving more of the same, which is why Licht and the Bucs were okay transitioning away from Davis, his $14.5M contract, and added two draft picks along with him.

Through three games, Davis has allowed 224 receiving yards on 18 receptions, the most among CBs in the NFL. Those numbers also come with a 136.2 allowed QB passer rating, which is the seventh-highest. The kicker is that he is not seeing as many snaps defending opposing top wide receivers for the Lions, who rookie Terrion Arnold is currently leading.

It’s safe to say that with the emergence of Zyon McCollum, Licht made yet another solid roster move for his team. McCollum has only allowed four receptions on 12 targets for 52 yards, matching up against WRs like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Courtland Sutton.

Bucs fans should tune into Kansas State-Arizona on Friday night

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing for the Detroit Lions on Sunday for their Week 2 matchup, but that doesn’t mean everyone is.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing for the Detroit Lions on Sunday for their Week 2 matchup, but that doesn’t mean everyone is. The scouting departments for all 32 NFL teams are already well into their scouting for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Two players that Bucs fans should have some fun watching are playing on Friday night when Arizona faces off against Kansas State in a ranked matchup in college football. The wo players Bucs fans would watch for are wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea.

McMillan has been getting mocked to the Bucs early into the season and Savaiinaea is an offensive line prospect the team could use on the interior.

McMillan has a similar build and play style to Mike Evans so Bucs fans should find extra joy out of watching him. He kicked off the 2024 season for Arizona with a recording breaking performance that saw him record over 300 receiving yards. He could serve a fun replacement for Chris Godwin alongside Evans and Jalen McMillan if the team moves on.

Guards Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson had a rough go of it on Sunday against the Commanders. Savaiinaea has the size and power to be a fun option for the team on day two of the NFL draft as they look to build the interior.