One big question still looms for the Bucs | NFL Top 100 | White Creamsicles?
What’s up, Buccaneers fans, and welcome back to another episode of Here the Cannons, presented by Bucksgameday.com, Sports Illustrated’s one and only website strictly dedicated to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. My name is Caleb, chsnull onx, formerly known as Twitter. I am a writer and reporter here for Bucks Game Day. Along with me, as always, is our lead editor, RiverWells at Riverhwells on X, formerly known as Twitter as well. Um, we appreciate you t you guys tuning in tonight. Um, last week we had some issues unfortunately with technology, but we’re back and we’re better than ever. Um, getting things back situated. Really excited to discuss some things that are going on. I know it’s, you know, that dead period of the summer um where guys are away from the team doing their own workouts on their own time, maybe taking um some vacation time as well before training camp started here in um just a little over over three weeks. So, um, that’s when we’ll get to see the Buccaneers, the the rookies, the vets, everybody back. You know, we’ll discuss some injuries as we get closer and closer, um, to that point in time. But, um, as always guys, if you are watching anywhere other than on YouTube, if you’re watching Facebook, if you’re watching on X, please head over to YouTube. We implore you to head over there. Um, like our video, subscribe, um, all that good stuff. Hit that notification. Once you subscribe, hit that notification button. That’s how you’ll get notified when we’re going live on these weekly videos as well as our postgame content, postpractice content, um reals, uh player interviews, whatever it may be. Um postgame press conferences as well. So, tons of stuff that we all have we have going on, especially throughout the season when things are a little bit more, you know, go go. Right now, it’s a little bit slower because of everything that we got going on. Um, and then while you’re you’re taking in our our digital content over over video or you know, streaming or whatever it may be, head over to bucksgameday.com, check out some of our articles there as well. We got some internal pieces going out that are that are really cool, really insightful um, in that nature. But River, let me ask you, how you doing today, brother? You doing all right?
Doing pretty good. You know, uh, just ready for football, I think. overall
chilling out while we had this down this down time. But then
I think it’s time. I think it’s time. I think we all should be here now.
It’s like you you get all juiced up for it, right? You’ve got OTAAS, you’ve got rookie mini camp, you’ve got mandatory mini camp, and you’re like, “Oh yeah, we’re we’re close. We’re we’re almost there.” And then then you’ve got a whole another month to just chill and you’re like, “I don’t
stay on until then. We’ll get there. We’ll get there.”
It sucks. Um I know it sucks for the fans. It sucks for us as well. We want to be out there and even if that means us having to brave the heat and I get to see River in his in his bucket hat and his sunscreen caked all on his face. Um that’s some of my favorite parts of interact with some of the other um beat writers and beat reporters as well is always fun. And then getting
that’s one of your favorite parts is that you should get a new favorite part. I think absolutely talk to some of the the new guys as well. Get to know them. Um you know re rehash some old stories with some of the veteran players as well. And that’s stuff that we look forward to. Um, but we’re here to talk just a little bit about some things that are going on. Obviously, not a whole lot because there is not a whole lot going on. Um, but there are some there’s some news. We talked last week new things.
Few new things. Um, we talked last week a little bit about the cream sickles, how the Bucks are going to be play or breaking them out once again against the Atlanta Falcons this year in week 17. But there’s kind of a new, you know, angle to this now. the there was the whole thing about the NFL allowing team wear allowing the teams to wear more alternate uniforms during the season and the Buccaneers decided to tease theirs in particular. Um it’s supposed to be coming out I think around I mean July 15th I think was the date
that’s the rumor that’s what the streets are saying speculated that it would be July 15th. So here here in just a couple weeks, guys, we should be able to find that out. But I’ll let River take it from here because as a Florida Gator, you’re going to be able to tell us more about who is featured in that as the HBC. Yeah. Um, looks like Steve Spurer, who of course legendary college football coach known for coaching Duke, UF, and then South Carolina. Um, he was Tampa Bay’s first starting quarterback. They got him in the expansion draft in the San Francisco 49ers. It didn’t go too well. Uh I think he went 0 and12 because that team was very bad. But nonetheless, he’s a very important part of franchise history, right? Being that first starting quarterback. So uh he was included in this teaser the Bucks post on social media him going into his office labeled HBC, which of course for Florida Gator fans head ball coach. Um and look like they’re looks it’s looking like they’re going to do a white creamsicle sort of teaser here. Uh they’re going to do an away variant of that creamsicle jersey which Caleb is wearing there. And you can see there it is, the Levante David one here. Um, they’re going to do a white version, which is really cool, I think, because I’m a really big fan of the Stormtrooper look personally. That all white, white helmet, white shirt, white pants. I love that that sort of look. So, I think the creams have a really cool color scheme and I’ve been wanting them to do this since 2023 when they announced the return of the Cream School. I’m like, you got to do an away version. You got to do an away version. And it’s looking like that’s going to be the case. So, it looks like the Seahawks gonna do something similar, which is really cool because the Seahawks throwbacks are my favorite in the NFL, personally. So, uh, if you’re a uniform nerd like me, we’re eating great this season, guys. We’re eating real good. So, really excited to see those come out. Um, and excited to see how the Bucks kind of announce it with Spurer because it’s the 50th anniversary of the team and they’re doing some really cool stuff this year to commemorate that sort of thing. So, I think it’s gonna be fun.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it’s a perfect timing for all this to fall together. And just to let you know, River, I’m not wearing a blue hat in and a creamsicle jersey for the Florida Gator. I just want you to know that it’s not
Well, I can believe that, can I? So, I think that’s what I’m going to believe. Yeah. No, absolutely not. Um, but yeah, let’s get some more some more insight here. And while you guys are in here, if you’re on YouTube, um, send us your thoughts on, you know, if the Bucks do break out, um, the white creamsicle jerseys, the alternates there. And and if you love them, you hate them. If you have any questions for us as well, head over to YouTube, shoot those into the comment box, comment with each other, comment to us, um we’ll bring them up here on screen. Any questions as well as we go throughout the episode. But um something I have for you is I I know they were brought in in what um 1976, right? That’s when when the creamsicles kind of became a thing.
When the team became a thing. Yeah.
When the team became a thing even even at that. And um originally it started out with I it I think it was the orange lettering with the with the red outline or maybe I haven’t flip-flopped it in the year after they switched it. So I’m intrigued to see with which version they go to. Do they go with the the OG 1776 or 1776? Wow. Fourth of July, you know, big coming up in two days. Yeah.
Um love how that just kind of works. 200 years later the Buccaneers come around. But yeah. Um, I think it’s going to be the orange numbers.
Okay.
I think it’s going to be the orange numbers. Now, the Bucks did wear orange to start and then they transitioned to a red like Caleb just mentioned. It’ll be a red number with an orange outline. Uh, it was an orange number with a red outline kind of to start. I think that’s the version we’re going to see. To be honest, I think that’s the cleanest version. I’m a big fan of the orange numbers.
Um, red numbers don’t look bad, but I think the orange numbers are where it’s at. So, I kind of like the aesthetic there. And I have a feeling because they’re going to hearken back to that first season. I think it’s going to be the orange.
The contrast works better there. You know, if like if you have red red numbers than orange and white, it’s kind of makes Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly.
I think I think you’re right in in guessing that. And I think it would probably be the right move, especially with, you know, how modern these jerseys have become and how well they make things pop when they do wear them. I mean, you look at the the regular creamsicles, the orange creamsicles, per se, and they’re just like gorgeous, right? like they just look so
they are.
And for a while Nike got them wrong with the color shade. They were too light. I think when they did them in 2012 or 11 and uh they came back and they nailed it. They they got that that sort of deep orange, you know? They kind of killed it. So uh really excited to see what we get this time. I’m a big uniform guy. I love uniforms. I love the creamsicles. One of my favorite throwback uniforms. So, um, it’s going to look great and I’m really excited to see what game they play it in, too. And, uh, you know,
that’s where I was going next. That’s where I was going next. Go for it. I’m not going to spoil it.
Get your thing. Because we had talked previously about, you know, if like what creams jerseys would they bring back this year? were like, “Oh, it’d be perfect to bring back the whites against um I think the Seahawks in week five, I believe, is when they play them, which I think is probably on everybody’s list of when they could still probably wear because they’re going to be wearing the regular creamsicles in week 17 against Atlanta.”
Um, but are there any other dates that you could possibly see them breaking them out? Um, and why? Yeah. Oh, uh, I did mention him and I I wrote an article about this and I did mention, uh, the two that seem to be the most popular, uh, like we mentioned before, I think, you know, the New York Jets in week uh, three, the home opener and then, of course, uh, the Seattle Seahawks in week five. Now, week three, the Bucks are going to be at home. It’s their 50th anniversary game. So, that would be, of course, a big way to do that. And the Bucks honestly wear white as their home uniform. Um, I I think Bucks fans don’t want to acknowledge or admit that, but I think it’s true. Uh, they’re one of the few teams in sports that kind of do do that. So, it would work out that way. Um, as well. And the Jets already have a throwback uniform kind of. U, they had the New York Sack Exchange uniforms that that are now their permanent away uniform and they’ve introduced like a green home variant. Great idea from them by the way. It looks fantastic. I love those Jets unis. So, that would be a very vintage feeling game, which I would be all for. Great uniform matchup. And then, like I said, Caleb, that Seahawks blue with the the lime green and silver, their throwbacks, that’s my favorite uniform in the NFL. If we got that game where they wore those and the Bucks wore the creamsicles, I would be in uniform heaven. That would be one of the best uniform matchups, dare I say, in the last few years, you know. Uh, that would be fantastic. It’d be very vintage. It would celebrate both teams having their 50th anniversary. The Seahawks first win came against the Bucks in 1976 when the Bucks didn’t win any game.
So, it’ be a good way to commemorate that. Uh, and then it would be a good revenge game for the Bucks, right? To go in there in Seattle, beat Sam Darnold and the Seahawks. I think that’d be fun. So, I think those would be some two those would be two good uh games. creamsicles, the regular ones, the orange ones already with Atlanta, like you said. So, I don’t think it’d be a division rival that they bring out the white uniforms for.
And I think those are the two best options.
It’s hard to argue that. It’s hard. I mean, when you look at the schedule and you’re like, uh, can you really pick anywhere else that it would make very much sense to be able to do so? I don’t I don’t really see that happening. I think, you know, h like teasing it in a way where you’re bringing Steve Spurer in and you know, you’re in in the offices there at One Buck and
you’re thinking at home. You’re thinking
at home. So, it’s making a whole lot of sense that it’s going to be that week three game, you know, the opening
game of the 50th season of the franchise. It it’s just too much, you know, going on to kind of try and you don’t want to read between the lines or read the fine print and like try and guess. But of course, it would be great to see the Seattle and and the Bucks um just unique combo matchup. I mean, you go back to the color rush days with Oh my god, you remember like the who did the Bucks play? It was like was it the Rams and it was all yellow and all red like the
Oh boy.
What a game. The ketchup and mustard game. Of course, I remember that.
Oh man.
Other rushes for the most part were abominations in my eyes. But it would be it would be a uh a uniform game for sure. It’ be great. But uh yeah, I’m I’m leaning towards that week three game. Um and hopefully, you know, the white throwbacks are a little bit better luck when it comes to wins and losses.
That’s true. The orange throwbacks, the Bucks have yet to win in those since they were reintroduced in 2023. Lost the Lions in 2023, loss, of course, to the Falcons in 2024. But they feel confident, man. They’re playing the Falcons in them again. So they’re ready to run that one back.
Have to. I mean you
this time at night. This time at night though. This could be different, right? Got to give it the old try. I mean that’s all you can do.
The old professional try as they say.
But uh let’s move on here. Um enough about Jersey talk. Uniform talk. I know it’s your favorite thing, but
um top 100. The NFL top 100 is starting to release now. Um, every time this time of year, it gives, you know, NFL fans, fans of teams a particular thing to watch, um, on TV as they gear up for training camp and then preseason and then start football. Um, the first few or the, yeah, I guess few you could say, um, guys have been released and the Buccaneers have one of one of their players on that list with Levante David, longtime linebacker, entering year, good lord, 14. Am I right saying that? Year 14. Um, longtime Buccaneer, longtime great, only one Pro Bowl to his name. Tristan Wors has gone on record many times saying that he deserves more under his belt. Um, coming in at number 96. Um, your thoughts on that? You think he should be higher or lower? And, um, again, I I still think he’s very underrated there. Yeah, I I do think he’s lost a step this year and I do think his coverage skills have left a lot to be desired last year in particular. But that instinct that he has and that IQ that he plays with still just comes up in so many, you know, crucial situations that that goes for getting after the running back on pitches or or exploding into gaps, uh going side to sideline on screens, identifying those and subing them out. He’s still one of the best linebackers in the league at doing that even in his older age. 96. I mean, I’m not gonna say he’s a super super super good player like he was back in the day, but we were talking about this a little bit before, you know, we hopped on. I think probably better than Bobby Wagner, right? Probably take him over that. But, you know, David had five and a half sacks last year. Let’s not forget still. So, he can even find new and innovative ways to contribute when he’s slowed down in other areas. That’s a huge marker of a great football player. As everybody knows, David is a great football player. Um, there are other linebackers that I’m sure will end up on the list that he will probably be better than, but you know, it’s going to be interesting to see what he does with this last year, right? He’s been on one-year contracts, slowing down a little bit, but I think he’s got enough left in the tank this year. I think he’s still very, very smart. Watching him on the field, it’s just a joy to see just how he sees, you know, the chess pieces all line up. And um I do think he probably should be a little bit higher. Uh for those who don’t know, the NFL top 100 is voted on by players. So what usually ends up happening is that they vote for their boys. So it can be a interesting uh ranking every year because it often is just oh top 10 it’s it’s all commanders. It’s all box whoever’s doing it. But Laka David is very respected in the league. We saw that top 100 video. guys like Rasheed Jahed and Alexander Madison and Bejian Robinson all saying whenever you game plan you got to know where 54 is which I think is pretty cool. So
yeah and you had mentioned his his IQ and it’s beyond things that you know you can even comprehend just even watching it from above from our standpoint and even us as people who are supposed to be analyzing the game. It’s just like we’re trying to figure out what’s going on from above ground. And yeah, he he’s on the field doing it at such a high level and diagnosing what is happening even before the play begins. And um that just speaks to the type of player is. He doesn’t have to be the most talented. He doesn’t need to be the most athletic guy, but he’s going to beat you to your spot. He’s going to know where you’re going to be and he’s going to know where he can beat, you know, guys to be able to get to you. And that’s just what makes Levante David special. And I know a couple players said, “Yeah, you got to play him sideline to sideline.” Like, I mean, you can’t beat him because he’s sideline to sideline on every single play. He can, you know, rush through the gap. He knows where to be. He can hit you in the back field in the game plan, as River mentioned, against them every single time. Their coaches obviously, you know,
recognize that he’s one of the best players on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Defensing is what
honestly makes them run and be as good as they are. He’s kind of the head coach or excuse me, defensive coordinator on the field for Tampa Bay and has been for all these years and um it it I hate him coming like I I’m glad that he’s in the top 100 obviously, but I don’t see that many linebackers being better than Levante David in the league. It’s just very hard for me to get to that point. I know there’s some of these guys that um were young and or are young and like have had really good years but they kind of fizzle out after you know four or five years or so whether due injury or you know just drop off period and here we are Levante David still doing at the highest level possible 14 years after he was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So I I mean obviously my bias comes into play there because you know growing up a Tampa Bay Buccaneer fan now being a reporter and writer for them is it makes me be able to see him every day and appreciate the things that he’s been able to do on the field stick through the hard times.
The good times and even more so and I just think it deserves more recognition. But as you said it’s it’s voted on by players. So who really knows what they’re thinking? Maybe a popularity contest in in that sort of fashion as well. But continuing on this NFL top 100 thing, um you guys, if you’re listening, head over to YouTube, let us know because we’re about to dig in right now to who we think of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their last year’s roster is still going to be on this NFL top 100 list as it continues to come out. Drop the names who you guys think it is, who you don’t think it is, if you agree with us, if you disagree with us. Um just let us know. We we really appreciate that. While you’re at it, hit that like button. We try to get to 50 every episode. Really, really appreciate that. it helps us get all this content out to you guys as much as possible. So, thank you so much for doing so. But remember, I I think there’s a couple guys at the top, you know, that you can think of off the top of your head and and based off their performance last season that you’re like, “Yeah, they’re automatically going to make it.” You know, Tristan Worfs probably one of those guys. Um Baker Mayfield likely one of those guys. Then, you know, Mike Evans probably one of those guys. And then it kind of get gets a little bit weedy, right? like maybe there’s some guys that could crack this. You know, Bucky Irving being a rookie but exploding onto the scene last year. Um Antoine Winfield Jr. missing half the season, not really doing anything that he
did the year before in those all and earning those all pro or AP first team allpro and you know getting that huge contract. But I want to get your thoughts on this as well. Who do you who do you think is going to make it onto this list and who could not be onto this list for the Buccaneers? And while you’re at it, how high do you think they could go? Yeah. Um, it’s a tough question. I think all the names you mentioned are probably going to make it. Me Evans is a lock or some worst a lock. Are we going to see some Bucky Irving? I think we’re going to see some Bucky Irving. Uh, which will be a lot of fun. Uh, see if he can crack the list there. I think Worse will probably be the highest member as he is. Um, I think he’s the best player on the Buccaneers roster. He’s one of the best players in the National Football League. So, I think he’s going to be a top 20 player. Uh maybe even a little like top 30, top 20, but he has the respect of so many people around the league. Everyone knows how good he is. One of
You just wrote a piece about him, right?
Yeah, I did. Uh protector of the year, which is the new NFL award for linemen because we got to give love to linemen for sure. They’re so crucial and important and they haven’t really had a chance to win anything until this new award uh was announced. and worst has I think the third highest odds right now to win it. So
he’s he’s he’s one of if not the premier pass blocker in the National Football League. I think there are other guys that are a little better than he is in run blocking, but his pass blocking is simply, you know, absolute peak, top of the top.
He’s going to be up there. Mike Evans missed three games, still vaunted. I I expect definitely like a top 60 blazing from him. I think Baker Mayfield’s going to be in there. I think he’s going to be probably a hell of a bit higher and into the 80s, maybe or 70s, but I think he’s going to make it. I think a lot of players have begun to understand and respect Baker Mayfield for what he’s done in Tampa Bay and how he’s played. So, I think Baker Mayfield is an NFL top 100 player. Uh, I think Bucky Irving would be my most interesting dark horse because he had a great year last year, but he’s a rookie. So curious to see how the le rest of the league kind of places him, but I think that might be a name to watch. You know, we’ll see. We’ll see if he slips in there. Yeah, it’s going to be interesting to see how it all falls because I I think after Mike got his 11th straight 10,00 yard seasing, people were like, “Oh, okay.” Like Mike is like that. You know, like a lot of people might have been like, “Oh yeah, Mike’s great.” But like they didn’t really understand how how great he was. Especially some of these young guys. like they would have been like, “Oh yeah, Mike. I I’ve watched Mike and he he’s a really really good wide receiver, but then they see him tie Jerry Rice and then all of a sudden it’s like, oh wow, like he’s in like elite company.” And so I I think that might move Mike up a little bit more. And then the Baker Mayfield conversation goes into it as well. It’s like this is the best we’ve seen Baker play his whole entire career. So where is he going to fall? I’m not really sure. I think it could be anywhere from like 40 something to like you were saying 80 something like that gap for Baker. It just kind of depends how players view him. I think a lot of players respect Baker around the league especially for what he was able to go through. Um, and if you’re considering him a top 10 quarterback in the league as a player or like as a player, if you were saying it like we do as the media or analyst or whatever may be,
then you could see him perhaps, you know, get higher on that list because obviously quarterbacks are a little bit valued, a little bit higher than other positions. So Baker, it’s a wide gap that Baker could probably fit in. And um,
I agree with you. I I I want Bucky to be in there so so bad. Um just because he is a rookie, right? Like you don’t see very many rookies make this list. It’s it’s very hard to make this list as a rookie. But
yeah,
I think guys that win against him could see how special he is. Like right like he’s very tough to bring down. He’s he’s just for a guy who was taken where he was, you did not necessarily expect him to have that type of year, especially when you a guy like Rashad White playing in front of you. So, um, it’s it’ll be interesting. It’s
it will be, but I mean, the way he came on, right, the what he was able to do, he only ended up starting halfway through the year, but he still managed to crack 1,000 yards. I mean, sure, you know how it goes with the way that, you know, Rashad came out first, but um the way he was able to crack a thousand yards in him and I’m sure there are plenty of players whose ankles he he took during during that season, he’s probably do filling out their mouths and they remember they’re like, you know what, Bucky?
So, I that’s my bold prediction. Depending on how bold you think that is, I think Buckyy’s gonna make it. Yeah, I think he has to. It’s very hard to say he’s not gonna make it. And then um one last question while we’re on this topic. We’ve got Levante David, right? Um the the you know, for the defense, uh do you foresee any other defensive Buccaneers players um being on this list? I don’t think AWJ is going to be on there because of his injuries. Um I don’t think any of the corners are going to be on there. No, none of them did anything special. Um
of injuries. Yeah,
the only other person I could really see being on there is potentially um VA. Vea might be a legacy pick. Vava might get on because players know who Vita is and uh he’s still a pain to go up against probably when you’re a center or guard. But uh start out the year pretty strong and then you know I don’t think he had a allp pro style year. But I think that’s that’s a decent legacy picker. He might end up there. Just just do end up there. I don’t want to play him.
Yeah, I don’t think anyone does. Not my first choice on who to play.
I don’t think anybody does, man.
I mean, he he had a a I mean, what was it? A careerh high for him in sacks last year. Um, so I think he he deserves to be on there, but I mean outside of that, it’s really hard to say. Maybe if Yaya Diyabi would have got gotten home on a lot more of these pressures than he did last year, you could have seen him kind of crack that top 100. Maybe not much higher than where we’re seeing LBD, but um yeah, really hard. Bucks struggled last year on the defensive side of the ball, so I don’t foresee that happening other than it being beat up. Hopefully this next year that kind of changes things, which is going to lead me into our next segment here. River, we’ve talked a ton about all different, you know, aspects and portions of this 2025 Buccaneers team, what we’re going to kind of foresee, what we do foresee happening, what questions we do have. But there still seems to be a big, you know, looming question over this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. I wrote an article about this not too long ago. It’s up on bucksgameday.com if you guys haven’t checked it out already, but um it it was posed I forget what if it was the Athletic or ESPN.
Believe this was the Athletic you mention. Um it it was posed by the Athletic for each team in the NFL. What is the you know one lingering question for each NFL franchise? And it came down to it for the Buccaneers was that are their additions and what they did this off season in the secondary enough for them to get what Todd BS wants and that’s big plays, turnovers, etc. And I kind of took the stance that I was kind of like in between, but I decided to make it more alongside that it can’t get much worse, you know? It can’t get much worse than where it was last season. And that’s, you know, the stance I took on it. I want to give it to you first, River, before I dive into a little bit of the stuff that I had in that article and what I provided to people before they can go and read it. If you want to watch it here, that’s fine as well. Um, but yeah, River, let me get your stance on that. And if you think that that’s not the biggest lingering question for the Bucks, you can go elsewhere with it as well. I mean, I think defense as a whole is is the lingering question and and turnovers are a pretty big part of that and the secondary is a pretty big part of that, right? Um I I think it really comes down to the secondary being stout and Todd Bulls uh calling the right plays and doing the right things and obviously Todd Bulls is a renowned defensive mind, but in recent years
he’s done the Madden head coach for defensive genius. Like he’s the selection that I career. So yeah. So that being said, I think his passing defenses have left some some things to be desired uh over the course of the last few years and he’s suffered this Eureka moment and he’s dealt with injuries. So he definitely gets some leeway for that. But I’m curious to see what he can do now that he’s got Jacob Parish who will play nickel. He’s got Tiki Smith going back to safety. He’s got Benjamin Morris as insurance for McCollum or Dean. He’s got more bodies there in the secondary. He’s got you know, not that it’s an excuse, but Anton Winfield mentioned it’s not an excuse, but he was hurt last year, right? So, he didn’t get to play quite up to standard. If all those things go right, uh I think you should see more turnovers. Part of it’s just math. Um the Bucks, you know, you you have a you have a feeling that eventually it would just you get a good year on that. But, um, I think the rotation of the defense kind of contributed to that stat not being where they want it to be with turnovers. And I think they’ll get more. Not that Jamal Dean’s great at catching footballs. Um, a question.
Yeah. Um, somehow Carlton Davis was even worse. Um, but that sucks. And to be a good corner, it’s nice to be shut down. It’s nice to bat passes away, but generating turnovers is what pays the bills at the end of the day. and it’s what gives your offense the chance to really bury a team. The Bucks have had trouble burying a lot of teams when it comes down to the crunch time of the division and bigger games. So,
I think the lingering question being secondary is fine. I think that makes sense. Uh the linebacking core, another one as well.
Uh that’s a big lingering question because they didn’t we kind of went out to the offseason we like man they got to do something about that and then they didn’t. But they trust Dennis, right? they want him to start
a David’s back.
So, the room doesn’t look that much different aside from the addition of Anthony Walker, but that’s another question, too. So, I think defense is the main point of emphasis here. And I think secondary makes sense because it might hinge on just how well they can keep teams at bay this year on defense. not just through the pass rush, which should help the secondary with the automatic and all that, but uh whether or not they can really generate those turnovers. That’s the biggest biggest biggest by far. I I think obviously you can go to the linebacker room, but like turnovers is the main thing. And obviously that kind of starts in the secondary because when the ball is in the air, you have probably the greatest chance of creating a turnover rather than a guy holding on to the ball and being able to knock it out. Um, and so like when I was analyzing this and sorry I’m going to go back to something we had talked about Jamal Dean earlier. I was like I remember that one year is like every single ball just landed in his lap and it was just like oh great like Jelle Dean is just an interception monster all of a sudden. But um
I think Mike Edward Mike Edwards was the funniest one to me. Mike Edwards would get interceptions that didn’t physically make sense. I mean like tipped off nine different helmets and just had his arms out and the Bucks have had that luck sometimes and then last year they didn’t get it. They didn’t get it.
You have to have it right. And
the Buccaneers over the past couple years it’s like bricks for hands. Um and that’s why they play defensive back, you know, like at a young age. If you can’t say
if you can’t catch the ball at a young age, you’re moved to the defensive side of the ball. You know, that’s just kind of how it rolls. But as I dug into this a little bit more, um the Buccaneers, they didn’t have a bad pass defense was the whole thing. They in, you know, defensive adjustment um or adjustment analytics and stuff like that. Um they had the sixth best, you know, passing defense in the league. So they had good coverage and they were able to p like um deflect balls away. And that’s good and all and that’s great to have, but if you can’t have at least a defense decent turnover margin from that, then you know, you can say whatever you want to about it. Like it kind of goes out the window at that point. Which comes into my next factor about I was able to see the Bucks only had seven interceptions last year, which is horrific. Like I I didn’t even know that.
For the viewers at home, that’s really bad. I uh
I at least expected it to be in like at least 10 11 like in double digits but seven which in all the teams last year was tied for the fourth least amount of interceptions in the league. So out of 32 teams you were ranked 28th. Um not great at all. Um I I think it might have been even they might have been just a little bit better than that but I’m just trying to go off my head instead of looking. Um so not good. And then their seven interceptions last season also was the franchise record for the least amount of interceptions in the in the past 50 years now that we’re here. So
happy 50th anniversary.
Happy Thanks babe. Like I’m gonna
I would be surprised if if the other franchise records were much lower than that.
Yeah,
that’s not great. Now you can get fumbles and recover them and that’s good. as well. They did the force a few, but especially with some of the quarterbacks that they ended up playing, I think you got to get the ball more with with interceptions, and I think that’s what Top Bulls wants.
Absolutely. And I mean, he’s spoken about it over and over and over again. He’s reiterated it over and over and over again. It’s like if if we’re getting it to the point to where like, “Okay, Todd, we get it.” You know, like Todd, we get it. We we know that’s what you want.
Then if the team doesn’t get that, then like you’ve got a serious problem at that point. like I I don’t know where the problem originates. Either it’s lost communication, which I don’t know how that could be, but then it’s a player issue or or something else. And you look at what the Buccaneers have, right? You you’ve got Jamal Dean who’s a terrific, you know, one-on-one corner. Um and but he he’s not known for taking the ball away. Zion McCullum, he’s one player that I want to pinpoint and be like, you can do better, right? like you are supposed to be a guy that can catch these balls, you know, turn take these turnovers away, especially because we saw him, he came in last year with these huge expectations and goals of himself. And he started off actually really well and then nothing really happened after that. So that was unfortunate to see from him, especially because you you thought you had he had this mindset and then it just never, you know, ma maturated for him. Um, and then obviously the depth issues. AWJ being hurt, that doesn’t help because he’s a ball hawk safety. He’s not able to do what he’s used to being able to do. And if he is even on the field, he’s not at 100%. That’s tough. So that goes all into it as well. And now you add guys, you move Taike Smith back to safety, which should help in that nature of things considering he’s a a normal nickel guy. And then you bring in a guy like Jacob Parish who plays very physical at the point of attack in the slot and loves to get physical with wide receivers and bat balls up in the air which could result in interceptions later down the road. And Benjamin Morrison who was playing great had some great interceptions a pick six against Clemson in 2023 before his hit condition. But those are concerns too like the hip condition. um you’re going to be starting a rookie at Nickel Corner, which they’ve done the past two seasons now um with Christian as well as Tiki Smith. So,
right,
at some point, you know, black’s got to hit, right? Like, like if you’re betting red, red red or you’re betting black, black, black, and it keeps saying red, red, red. At some point, black has got to hit. And I think
Yeah. For those of you at home that gamble, take that advice. Eventually, black’s going to hit. Just keep doing it.
Just keep spending them. Just keep spending. And it’s just such a big like I just don’t understand how how it’s that low um when it comes to interceptions particularly. I’m just like it’s that bad and I I guess I just ignored it last year. Just put it in the back of my mind or whatever. But um it’s got to it can’t get much worse, right? Like as a Florida State fan, it’s easy for me to say because my team went two and 10 last year and I say that same thing about Florida State like yeah it can’t get much worse. I I got to win more than two games like that. You can’t have less than seven interceptions. I mean, albeit it can happen, but I highly doubt it. Um, but yeah, it’s the lingering question. How is this secondary going to look? They’re going to be tested in training camp, right? Even with the absence of Chris Godlin, you still got to go against
I think they have a they have a hell of a wide receiver to get tested against, don’t they?
Yeah.
So, if you’re not taking away balls in training camp, um there’s your tall tale sign. if if you’re at training camp and you’re witnessing what’s happening there. There’s your tall tale sign of uh what the season’s going to look like. Um but if not, stay tuned in with us. Um River, it was a pleasure as always having you on here as my sidekick, having you as my lead editor, looking all over, making sure my writing is up to par with everybody else’s. I really truly do appreciate that.
I try. I try.
Yeah. Thank you, man. Can’t thank you enough. Um but also, thank you to the fans out there watching us. We truly appreciate you guys coming in. If you’re watching anywhere else other than YouTube, we implore you to head over to YouTube, click subscribe. That way you’re notified anytime we are going live or anytime we have content going out there. Um, my name is Calebs Nolan X. This is Riverwells at Riverhwells. Also,.com. Check out some of our articles. I’ll be writing some tonight that are going out tomorrow. River’s pushing out content constantly as well. Thank you guys for tuning in as always. And with that being said, fire the cannons.
Fire them, baby.
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